Instructions for the Recognition Ceremony
At the Graduate School's commencement ceremony, the tradition of placing the academic hood onto the graduate is normally reserved for recipients of the doctoral degree only. M.S.W. students incorporated this into previous Recognition Ceremonies, and it has become a SSW tradition. The person (or persons) you select to accompany you onto the stage for the hooding can be anyone (or more than one person) who has been important to you during your experience as a graduate student. If you plan to have one of the faculty hood you, make sure that they are planning to attend and know that you want them to be your "hooder." To get an idea of how this works, see the picture at right.
Because this is not a commencement ceremony and many students may not have officially completed their programs by May, diplomas are not issued. Students will receive a written acknowledgement of their progress toward completion of the M.S.W. at the ceremony. Students will receive an official diploma after all program requirements are complete and an Application for Degree form has been submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
Photographs/Videos
If you would like pictures of the Recognition Ceremony, encourage your guests to bring a camera. The School does not provide photographs or videos of the event.
The afternoon of the ceremony:
- Arrive at Ted Mann between 3:15 and 3:30 with your hooder(s). Your other guests may arrive any time before the ceremony. Seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. If it's important that you sit with your hooder(s) and guest(s), please plan accordingly. DO NOT ARRIVE BEFORE the suggested time! The doors to Ted Mann will not open to the public until one hour before the ceremony., and the auditorium will not open for seating before 45 minutes before the program. (or later, if a sound check is still in progress).
- When you arrive with your hooder(s), you will check in at a table located inside the main entrance of Ted Mann. Please have your Phonetic Form completed and ready for the volunteers to review. This step is important because it assists the announcers with the proper pronunciation of your name and your hooder(s).
- Once you've checked in, there will be dressing rooms available for you to get into your academic apparel. Dressing rooms are not secured during the ceremony, so do not plan to leave anything there. At this point, you should not be wearing the hood; your hooder(s) will carry it on stage. Directions on how the hood attaches to the gown should be included with your apparel. There will also be people in the lobby or dressing rooms at Ted Mann who can help you and your hooder(s) so that you will feel prepared once you're on stage.
- Prior to the ceremony, have your Phonetic Form and hood in hand, and find a seat with your hooder(s) anywhere in the auditorium. There is no assembly or processional of students. You will probably be able to sit with any additional guests as well; however, some guests may be asked to sit in the balcony of the auditorium to ensure that enough seating is available on the main level for all degree candidates and their hooder(s).
- When it is time for the presentation of the degree candidates and the hooding (this will be indicated in the program and announced by the student emcees), ushers will direct graduates and their hooder(s) to the stage on a row-by-row basis.
- As you step onto the stage, hand your Phonetic Form to one of the volunteer announcers. The announcers will read your name and that of your hooder(s). After your name has been read, the person(s) hooding you will place the hood over your shoulders. If you have not selected anyone to hood you, one of the student announcers will assist you.
- After you have been hooded, cross the stage toward the podium to receive your "symbolic" diploma from the Dean or SSW administrative representatives.
- Your hooder(s) will cross the stage and return to their seat(s) in the auditorium. You will take a seat on stage with your fellow graduates.
- At the end of the ceremony, all graduates will be cued when it is time to recess out of the auditorium. Audience members will remain seated until all graduates have left the stage. You will then meet your guests in the lobby for the reception, where refreshments will be served.
Do not worry about knowing specific staging details. Volunteers and ushers will always be available to cue you when you need to do anything. There will not be a point at which you won't know what to do. It will be fun!!