Spring Commencement Ceremonies

The university’s commencement ceremony will be held at 9 a.m., followed immediately by Poole College’s ceremony at 12 p.m.

Poole College graduates who attend the university ceremony should exit the arena through Section 107 once the university ceremony has ended, and continue directly to the right towards the North Service Area. Once there, the graduates will line up alphabetically behind the banner for their academic program.

Instructions for participants attending the Poole College ceremony only

Poole College graduates attending only the college’s commencement ceremony are asked to arrive at the college’s commencement staging area in the RBC Center no later than 11:15 a.m. They park in the RBC Center’ North Service Area parking lot and walk to the North Service Area entrance. Graduates will line up in alphabetic order at the North Service Area according to their academic banner, and will need to be ready to walk promptly at noon.

Instructions for guests

Parents, family, and other guests attending the commencement ceremonies will be able to park anywhere in the RBC Arena parking lot. They may enter the arena through the East, West or South entrances. Handicap parking at the South (ticket box) entrance of the RBC Center; an elevator is available inside that entrance.

Arena floor seating is reserved for graduates during each ceremony; parents and guests are seated in the arena’s bleachers.

During the ceremonies, a professional photographer from Photo Specialties will take pictures of the graduates as each receives his or her diploma covers. While there is no obligation to purchase photos, each graduate will receive by mail a free color proof of his or her photo within a week of the ceremony, and have the opportunity to order prints; there is no obligation to purchase a photo. Those interested in receiving an email notification when their graduate’s photos become available online will need to pre-register at the Photo Specialties website.