490 Old Turner Street Hancock 212 Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 P: (540) 231-3244 F: (540) 231-1831
April 19, 2019
Dear Engineering Graduate,
Congratulations on completing the requirements for your degree. The College of Engineering is proud of your accomplishments and we look forward to recognizing you at the College commencement ceremony to be held in Cassell Coliseum on Saturday, May 18.
This will be a very special occasion for you and your family, and I am requesting that we have a dignified and meaningful ceremony in which to honor your achievements. I would especially request that you not bring alcoholic beverages to the ceremony and that you remain seated with your department until all degrees have been awarded. Your adherence to an appropriate dress code also adds to the dignity of the ceremony.
We are making every effort this year to complete the College ceremony promptly while still providing graduates with the individual recognition they and their families expect and deserve. Thank you for your cooperation in making this commencement ceremony a memorable event.
Those who need special assistance in walking to their seat should enter Cassell Coliseum via the Merryman Center entrance on Beamer Way (formerly Spring Road). Ushers will be available to assist.
Students or guests requiring special assistance due to disabilities should contact in advance the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities, 310 Lavery Hall, 540-231-3788, Monday-Friday, between 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., TYY 540-231-1740, www.ssd.vt.edu.
I look forward to sharing this special event with you.
Sincerely yours,
Julia Ross, Dean College of Engineering
College of Engineering Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony Saturday, May 18, 2019 -- Cassell Coliseum
8am ceremony 11am ceremony AOE BSE CEE CHE ESM CS MSE CEM ME ECE ISE MinE
A. General information on the University Spring Commencement activities can be found at: http://www.vt.edu/commencement/. The Spring 2019 commencement guide can be found at the same link.
B. No rehearsals will be held for graduation candidates for either of the two College ceremonies or University ceremonies.
C. University Commencement Ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 17 in Lane Stadium. Degree candidates planning to participate in the procession during Friday’s ceremony should arrive at the staging area outside the stadium gates, behind the south end zone no later than 7:30 a.m. Signs will be posted designating the location for lineup of each college’s candidates. Academic apparel is required for all participants. The University ceremony is expected to last approximately one hour. No tickets are needed for guests as there is no limit on number of guests.
1. Inclement Weather Instructions for University Ceremony In the event of inclement weather, the University Ceremony at Lane Stadium may be delayed or canceled. Once a decision has been made, details will be posted on the Virginia Tech homepage (www.vt.edu), the Virginia Tech News homepage (www.vtnews.vt.edu), and university social media channels including the VT News page on Twitter (www.twitter.com/vtnews) and the Virginia Tech page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/virginiatech). In addition, an email will be sent to all students, faculty, and staff; a recorded message will be placed on the University Weather Line (540-231-6668); and information will be shared with area news media outlets. The university may use VT Alerts depending on conditions.
2. Security - Family members and guests are urged to arrive at least one hour prior to the beginning of the university ceremony. Security procedures will be in place, and packages, bags, purses, etc. will be subject to search. Please avoid bringing unnecessary items with you.
D. College of Engineering Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. or 11 a.m. (see chart above for split of majors per ceremony) on May18th. No tickets are needed for guests as there is no limit on number of guests.
1. Guest Seating - All graduates should request their guests to be seated in Cassell Coliseum by 7:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. respectively. Guests will not be allowed into the main coliseum until 1 hour prior to each ceremony. All guests must enter the coliseum via the doors on the Beamer Way side of the Coliseum. Some coliseum seats have an obstructed view of the stage, but it may be necessary to use this seating should other seats become full. All guests must vacate the coliseum between the two engineering ceremonies.
a. Guests with special mobility needs - Individuals who can transfer from wheelchairs or who are ambulatory can enter through the main lobby from the Beamer Way entrance (front of the Coliseum) and proceed to any aisle. Accessible seating will be reserved in the first two rows as you enter the portals. Ushers are available to direct you to these areas. Wheelchairs, walkers, and baby strollers must be folded and stored along the walls of the ambulatory (i.e. not within the portal “walkways.” Any item left in the ambulatory is left at the owner’s risk.) Individuals MAY NOT remain in wheelchairs in the portal walkway areas.
For individuals who cannot or prefer not to transfer out of their wheelchairs Accessible seating is located off the main concourse at portals 16, 17, and 18. There are two accessible entrances that individuals can use. The first is on Beamer Way and will put the individual on the same floor as the accessible seating. The second is located next to the Cassell Coliseum at the Merryman Center. If using this entrance, individuals will be required to take an elevator to the 4th floor of the arena to reach the accessible seating sections. Folding chairs are available for one guest to sit with the person in the wheelchair.
b. Students or guests requiring special assistance due to disabilities should contact in advance the office of Services for Students with Disabilities, 310 Lavery Hall, 540-231-3788, Monday-Friday, between 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., TYY 231- 1740, www.ssd.vt.edu.
2. Student Seating (a) All candidates should enter Cassell Coliseum doors no earlier than 1 hour prior to their ceremony start time, and be seated no later than 30 minutes prior to their ceremony start time.
(b) There will be no processional for candidates for graduation. Please report directly to your seat.
(c) Candidates for graduation will be seated separately and alphabetically, by department, according to the attached diagram. A marshal from the candidate’s department will assist the candidate in locating his/her seat.
(d) Faculty will be seated in the front row of the coliseum as shown on the attached diagram.
(e) Those who may need special assistance in walking to their seat can enter Cassell Coliseum via the Merryman Center entrance on Beamer Way. Ushers will be available to assist.
3. Receiving Diplomas All candidates will receive a diploma individually on the stage. A listing of graduates will be available online only (no printed copies will be distributed). Please check the commencement website (https://vt.edu/commencement.html) for this list by mid-May. The names of some graduates may not appear in this listing, as any student whose record is marked confidential will not have his/her name listed. Please note, this publication is not an official listing of graduates.
(a) Marshals (representatives from your department wearing cap and gown, standing on the coliseum floor) will be appropriately seated with the candidates for graduation and will lead the graduates to the stage at the proper time. The head college marshal in regalia will be near the stage to verify that everyone is properly positioned in line to coincide with the reading of names. All candidates will travel in a loop counterclockwise as viewed from above, receive their diplomas, and return to their seats in accordance with flow paths shown on the attached diagram. NOTE: if you do not remain in alphabetic order and “miss” your name being called, it will not be called a 2nd time, and you will have missed your opportunity to walk.
(b) Caps and gowns will be required, and may be purchased in the campus bookstore, in addition to honors sashes, cords, etc. For security reasons, candidates should carry their caps and gowns into Cassell Coliseum.
(c) All candidates must settle their accounts (including parking tickets) at VPI&SU in order to receive their official diplomas.
(d) Photographs - A professional photographer will take photographs of the graduates being presented diplomas by their department's representative. (No other photographers will be allowed on the floor of the coliseum). Five to seven days after graduation, graduates will receive a free passport-sized, full-color proof in the mail with instructions on how to order more prints. The company in charge of photography is GradImages. They can be contacted at 1-800- 261-2576, by e-mail at [email protected] or by logging onto their website at www.gradtrak.com
(e) Please note: if you have specified that your address on the VT website be confidential, GradImages will not be able to send you your proof. It will be your responsibility to contact them directly and give them your information.
(f) Recessional - The stage group will recess down the center aisle and leave via the tunnel. Faculty will immediately follow the stage group. As the last faculty member recesses, all new graduates will be dismissed (graduates will not participate in the recessional).
(g) Additional Information - Commencement Information Hotline: 540-231-3208
4. Security - Please limit carry-in items to a minimum. All bags and packages will be subject to search. No wrapped gifts allowed. No plastic horns. No noisemakers. No beach balls. CASSELL COLISEUM 8:00 A.M. CEREMONY
Washington Street
4 2 1 3 5
6 STAGE HANDICAPPED 7 ACCESS
FACULTY FACULTY AEROSPACE GUESTS ENGINEERING
8 OCEAN 9 ENGINEERING
CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ENGINEERING Beamer Way Beamer 10 ENGINEERING 11 SCIENCE & MECHANICS
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
12 13
15 14 16 18 17
Handicapped parking is located off Beamer Way between Cassell Coliseum and Lane Stadium. Guests needing assistance should enter Cassell via the Merryman entrance off Beamer Way. CASSELL COLISEUM 11:00 A.M. CEREMONY
Washington Street
4 2 1 3 5
6 STAGE HANDICAPPED 7 ACCESS
FACULTY FACULTY
GUESTS COMPUTER BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING SYSTEMS 8 ENGINEERING 9 ELECTRICAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING ENGINEERING COMPUTER INDUSTRIAL
Beamer Way Beamer SCIENCE & SYSTEMS 10 ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION 11 ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT MINING & MINERALS COMPUTER ENGINEERING ENGINEERING
12 13
15 14 16 18 17
Handicapped parking is located off Beamer Way between Cassell Coliseum and Lane Stadium. Guests needing assistance should enter Cassell via the Merryman entrance off Beamer Way.