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Student Expectations & Safety
Intoxicated students will not be allowed to enter the arena.
An email regarding safety and venue security as well as graduate expectations will be sent later this week. Please visit this page for more information.
Parking and Transportation
Because paid parking in the area is highly limited, we encourage you and your guests to use public transportation or taxi/rideshare options. Wintrust Arena is accessible by city bus and elevated train. Please visit the Wintrust Arena website to learn more.
Several paid parking options are available, including surrounding lots and via SpotHero. Please be aware that we expect Lot A to reach capacity quickly. With six ceremonies occurring over two days, traffic in the area may be heavy when guests from one ceremony are exiting parking areas while guests for the next ceremony are arriving.
Where to Go
Students will enter through the Wintrust loading dock, located at the corner of 21st Street and Indiana Avenue. Your guests enter through main doors and are not allowed on the dock. Before entering you will pass through a metal detector and search checkpoint, per Wintrust Arena’s safety rules. From the dock you will be directed to the floor for seating.
· Plan to arrive at 7:00 AM for your ceremony. We expect lines at the graduate entrance, so plan accordingly.
· Remember to bring your READER CARD with you!
· Arrive dressed in your regalia. There will not be designated areas to dress at the venue. The tassel on your cap should hang to the right. Be sure to bring your hood (if applicable), cap, and tassel.
· We encourage you to wear comfortable shoes, arrive hydrated, and to limit personal belongings. Do not bring unnecessary valuables with you. It is hard to keep up with items while crossing the stage, and you may not end up in the same seat after crossing the stage.
If you need a reader card, visit your college’s table inside the dock entrance.
If you need to pick up your regalia, visit the regalia tables inside the dock entrance.
What to Expect During the Ceremony
There is no rehearsal before the ceremony.
Marshals will guide you to your seats and will direct you to the stage when it is time for the announcement of degrees. Remember to bring the reader card with you to the stage.
A marshal on stage will keep the pace and motion for you to go. Hand the reader card to the marshal and start walking only when they motion you forward. You should expect to start walking before your name is read—this is to ensure that your name is called when you enter the camera frame to accept your diploma cover.
A photographer at the bottom of the stairs will take a photo of you holding the diploma cover that was handed to you. You will not receive your diploma at the ceremony but rather a diploma cover. For students who have conferred their degree, your diploma should have arrived at your diploma address provided in Campus Connect. If you have yet to officially graduate, your diploma will be mailed following the conferral of your degree. Contact OneDePaul (formerly DePaul Central) if you have questions regarding your diploma.
Following the photo, you will be directed to return to your seat. At the end of the ceremony, graduates will march to the exit via the dock. You will exit onto Indiana near 21st Street and can walk one block south to the front of the arena to greet your guests near the main entrance.
The length of the commencement ceremony is expected to be approximately 3 hours.
Guest Information
Please forward this information to your guests.
· If you did not pick up your guest tickets, they will be at the Wintrust Arena box office under your name beginning one hour before the start of your ceremony. You do not need to be present to claim them. Instruct your guests to give your name at the box office to receive your allotted tickets.
· Tickets are required for all guests. Per arena policy, children 32 inches and under do not need a ticket but must sit on an adult’s lap. Guest seating is open and unassigned. Lost tickets cannot be replaced.
· Your guests should arrive at 7:00 AM. Guests enter through the arena’s main doors and must pass through security before entering the arena, so please instruct them to arrive on time.
· Wintrust's bag and prohibited items policy also applies to all guests entering the arena. Flags, signs, banners, and balloons will not be permitted into the arena. Medical and diaper bags are exempt from the policy but will be searched by security at entry.
· Wheelchair and accessible seating areas are available at commencement ceremonies, with one companion seat. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Accessible seating cannot be reserved ahead of time. Information for guests with disabilities can be found here.
· For family and friends who are unable to attend your commencement in person, a livestream will be available when the ceremony begins.
Livestream
The ceremony will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. The video will go live at the start of the ceremony. A recording of the ceremony will not be available.
Commencement Program
The commencement program for each college will be posted here before the ceremonies.
For more information, please visit the Commencement website . The answer to most questions can be found on the Commencement FAQ.
Sincerely,
Office of University Events
DePaul University
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