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Commencement Exercises

The 2024 Commencement Ceremony will be held at CFG Bank Arena on Saturday, May 18.

We will provide a livestream of the Commencement Exercises for those unable to attend the ceremony in person. The link for the Commencement Exercises and Baccalaureate Mass livestream will be available on the Commencement homepage.

General Information

Tickets

Tickets are not required to attend Commencement.

Time

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and run approximately 2 and a half hours.

Program Includes:

  • Presentation of Carroll Medal, Newman Medal, President's Medal, and Milch Award
  • Presentation of Honorary Degrees
  • Commencement Address
  • Conferral of Degrees

Presentation of Degrees

Student degrees are presented after the Commencement Address. The class will walk with doctoral graduates first, then bachelor’s recipients, and then master’s recipients. Grad Images photographers will take photos of the graduates as they cross the stage. Proofs and information related to ordering Commencement photographs will be sent directly to each graduate via email. All diplomas will be mailed home.

Information for Graduates

Apparel Information

Caps, gowns, and other academic apparel should be purchased well in advance of the Commencement Ceremony online. Information will be sent out in February.

Reader Cards

Undergraduate reader cards for the 2024 Commencement Exercises will be distributed from the Box Office in the Student Center in the Spring Semester. Dates will be provided to graduates closer to the ceremony.

The card will include your name, the degree you are being awarded, and your position in the procession. In order to have your name read at Commencement, you must bring the card to the ceremony and carry it to the stage.

Participation in the Commencement Ceremony is dependent on the fulfillment of all financial obligations. Diplomas will be mailed to those who complete their degree requirements. 

Reader cards for graduate students will be mailed as well as any Baccalaureate Mass tickets requested.

The card will include your name, the degree you are being awarded, and your position in the procession. In order to have your name read at Commencement, you must bring the card to the ceremony and carry it to the stage.

Participation in the Commencement Ceremony is dependent on the fulfillment of all financial obligations. Diplomas will be mailed to those who complete their degree requirements. 

Reader cards for doctoral students will be mailed as well as any Baccalaureate Mass tickets requested.

The card will include your name, the degree you are being awarded, and your position in the procession. Please bring your reader card to the ceremony for the line up. 

Participation in the Commencement Ceremony is dependent on the fulfillment of all financial obligations. Diplomas will be mailed to those who complete their degree requirements. 

Ceremony Information for Graduates

Arrival

Please arrive dressed in your cap, gown, tassel (right side), and hood and have your reader card with you. You should wear the tassel with the Loyola University Maryland seal. The code on the top of the reader card indicates your position in the academic procession. It includes either an R or an L for right or left and a line number ranging from 1 – 820 (A code of R126, for example, means that you are the 126th person in the right processional column). After entering the Arena, please move to either the right or left corridor as indicated by the code on your reader card. Once you have entered the correct corridor, use the line number signs to find your place in the procession. Marshals and ushers will be on hand to assist you as needed.

Procession

At 10:30 a.m., the procession will move to the main entrance of the Arena. Beginning at 10:45 a.m., all graduates will proceed simultaneously down the center aisle of the Arena to their seats. Please follow the directions of the ushers during the procession and as you enter the rows of seats. You should remain standing as the faculty, administrators, and the President’s party process in.

Awarding of Degrees

At 11 a.m., the ceremony will begin and will run for approximately two and a half hours. The class of 2024 will walk with doctoral graduates first, then bachelor’s recipients, and then master’s recipients. At that time, marshals will direct each row of graduates to come to the stage. Stage assistants will be on hand to check and take your reader card from you as you approach the stage. Be sure to pause and hand your reader card to the assistant as you walk up the stairs to the stage. When your name is read, proceed across the stage, and accept the congratulatory handshake with your right hand, and pause briefly for your picture. Continue across the stage, pause to shake the dean’s hand, and proceed down the left steps of the stage back to your seat. You will return to your seat from the center aisle. Please remember to move on stage as quickly as possible and be prepared to hand your reader card to the assistant.

 

Venue Information

Clear Bag Policy

CFG Bank Arena adheres to a clear bag policy and now implements walk-through metal detectors. ALL bags will be searched upon entry to the Arena. Clear bags larger than 14” x 14” x 6” WILL NOT be permitted. Small clutches/purses/wallets are permitted provided they do not exceed 4.5” x 6.5” with or without a handle or strap and do not have to be clear. Small personal cameras (no large detachable lenses) and camera phones are permitted. Weapons of any kind, professional cameras, video cameras, Go-pros, iPads, tablets, and Selfie Sticks are strictly prohibited.
 
To read the complete policy about what is and isn’t permitted, please visit the CFG Bank Arena website.

Parking Information

Parking is available in the CFG Bank Arena Parking Garage, on city streets, and in paid parking garages located near the Arena. Please visit the CFG Arena website for additional information on parking and transportation options. 

Disability Support Information

Persons who require disability support for the Commencement Ceremony should view the Disability Support Information page. At the Arena, Students and families who have any questions about disability seating should visit the Disability Support Services table on level 3.

Concessions

Select concession stands will be open on the main guest seating levels. The event is completely cash free, including the Arena parking garage and concessions.

 

Additional Information

Hotel Information

View the Hotel Information page for more information regarding accommodations.

Commencement Photography

During the ROTC Commissioning, the Special Awards and Departmental Medals Ceremony, and the Commencement Ceremony, Grad Images photographers will be available to take pictures of the graduates as they receive congratulations from the University's President. Proofs and information related to ordering Commencement photographs will be sent directly to each graduate approximately 2-4 weeks after graduation.

For more information, visit the Grad Images website.

Please note: Family and friends may take their own photographs and videos at any of the Commencement events, but should be careful not to interfere with the ceremonies themselves or the professional photographers.

 

Media Release
Please be aware that by attending Loyola University Maryland’s Commencement Exercises, you are consenting to your image being used in photography and videography used across Loyola's print and digital publications, and you release Loyola University Maryland from any liability on account of such use.

Event Information

Saturday, May 18, 2024
11 a.m.
CFG Bank Arena
201 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201