Convocation | Current Students (2024)

Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 6 p.m.
Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmunson Pavilion

Congratulations to our 2024 graduates! We are proud of your achievements and look forward to celebrating with you.

• Guest information
• Disability accommodations
• Graduate information
• FAQs

How to participate

To participate in the event, eligible students should have completed both the following in May 2024:

• School of Nursing RSVP
• UW Commencement RSVP/graduation apparel order form

For further questions about these forms, contact sonceremony@uw.edu.

UW Commencement

UW Commencement is a separate ceremony for all University of Washington graduates, and will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Husky Stadium.

For more information about this year’s ceremony, visit the UW Graduation website.

Guest information

Event location and time

The ceremony will take place at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion, located at 3870 Montlake Blvd. NE, Seattle, WA 98105.

Doors open at 5 p.m, and the ceremony will begin at 6 p.m.

Admission

Tickets are not required to attend the ceremony, and graduates have no restriction on the number of guests.

Bag policy

The arena has a clear bag policy. Guests can bring a clear plastic bag measuring up to 12”x16”x12”, or a clutch or small shoulder bag no larger than 4.5”x6.5”. Backpacks, duffel bags, and luggage are prohibited. Guests are advised to bring only essential items and limit the size of their bags.

Bags not adhering to this policy are subject to search upon entry.

Prohibited items

Certain items are strictly prohibited, including but not limited to:

• Weapons
• Alcohol
• Drugs
• Large banners, signs, or posters
• Confetti
• Noisemakers
• Balloons

Any item not on the Approved Items list will not be permitted inside the venue unless otherwise approved and properly inspected.

Parking and transit

Public transit

The venue is highly accessible via public transit! It is located conveniently near the light rail (Line 1) at theUniversity of Washington station, and near the following bus lines: 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 67, 73, 75, 255, 271, and 372.

Parking

UW’s parking lots require payment on the day of Convocation. Parking can be pre-purchased through the UW’s Commencement registration form or can be purchased the day of the ceremony at pay stations or via PayByPhone on mobile devices. Lots E1 and E18 are located about a five-minute walk from the arena entrance.

ADA Parking

Designated drop-off areas for guests who require disability access or who have limited mobility are available at Lots E97 and E17. Staff are available here to direct guests and vehicles. ADA placard parking is available in E17. This is a small lot; please arrive early to allow for parking, walking to the venue, and finding your seats.

Water stations

Refillable water stations are available on the upper concourse level of the arena. We encourage guests to bring water bottle to refill if needed.

COVID-19 protocol

We recommend and encourage the use of face coverings and ask that any guests displaying symptoms stay home unless they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the past 48 hours. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available at several stations throughout the venue.

Convocation photos

Photographers will be on-site to take photos pre-ceremony and individual photos during the ceremony.

Livestream

Convocation will be livestreamed. A link with more information will be sent to all graduates to share with their guests who cannot be physically present at the event.

Other information

• Stroller parking is available inside near the northwest arena entrance. To keep stairways and walkways clear, strollers should not be left in seating areas.
• Balloons are not permitted inside the venue. Outdoor balloon parking will be available at the guest entrances.
• The ceremony will begin promptly at 6 p.m., and is expected to last approximately two hours, concluding around 8 p.m.

Disability accommodations

Signage and staff will be available in front of the arena prior to the event to assist with drop-off and entry.

There are designated seating areas and restrooms for guests with disabilities or other special needs. Upon arrival, please notify School of Nursing or arena staff and you will be directed to ADA seating areas. A maximum of two (2) people may accompany the individual in the ADA seating area.

Graduate information

Before you leave in the afternoon, make sure you have your:

1. Parking pass (if you pre-ordered through the UW Commencement RSVP)
2. Gown and mortarboard (BSN/MS/Certificate) or tam (DNP/PhD)
3. Tassel
4. Hood (MS/Certificate/DNP/PhD)
5. Honors cords or stoles you plan to wear

You must wear graduation apparel to participate in the Convocation ceremony.

Start early

Consider traffic and the extra time to park your car and walk to the arena. Walking from the parking lots to the arena should take about five to ten minutes.

• UW campus map

Graduate arrival and check-in between 4:45 and 5 p.m.

All graduates meet at the loading dock behind Alaska Airlines Arena (SE corner of the building; signs will be posted).

• Arrive wearing your graduation apparel. Comfortable shoes are highly recommended – you must walk some distance, and seating before the ceremony will be limited.
• Do not bring bags, purses, jackets, etc., or leave them with your guests in the audience. There is no storage space backstage for these items.
• Important directions will be announced during the lineup, so please visit with friends and family afterthe ceremony.

Award winners and student speakers

After checking in at the loading dock, student award winners and speakers should join their cohort in the appropriate lineup. Staff will meet with you to discuss the flow of the ceremony and your role during it. You will lead the processional into the arena when the ceremony starts.

Photos

When you enter the arena for the lineup, you will receive a name card and photo card. When instructed, line up by program in numerical order and complete the photo card to purchase personal photos from the official Convocation photographers.

A staff member will collect your completed photo cards when you enter the arena floor. Keep your name card to give to the faculty name reader during the ceremony.

Lining up

Please do not leave the line to visit with friends and family! We need graduates ready to go and cannot track you down if you are not in place when the processional begins.

The lineup is formed by degree program in the following order:

Undergraduate programs

1. Undergraduate student speaker and undergraduate program award winners
2. Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates
3. Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates

Graduate programs

1. Graduate student speaker and graduate program award winners
2. Master of Science graduates
3. Graduate Certificate graduates
4. Doctor of Nursing Practice graduates (grouped by track)
5. Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science graduates

Processional

Staff will direct you during the processional. From the lower concourse, staff will guide graduates to the appropriate entryway to the arena floor.

The processional begins promptly at 6 p.m. The graduates leading the processional should begin walking when the music starts.The line leaders will walk to the center aisle and proceed toward the front row of floor seats.

Fill out each row, moving to the left-most (graduate student) and right-most (undergraduate) available seats.

Stand in front of your seat. Please remain standing until faculty members have processed to the stage and the dean asks you to be seated.

If you arrive late, you will fall in at the end of the processional.

Recognition of Graduates

Graduates will be honored by program after the presentation of awards and student speeches. Stand by program and approach the stage using the ramp to your right (as you face the stage).

Award winners and speakers should join their class lineup at the appropriate time.

Staff members will guide you to the stage.

Recessional

At the end of the ceremony, the recessional music will begin. Faculty will lead the recessional from the stage to the opposite side of the arena floor and up the stairs to the arena’s upper concourse.

After faculty recess, graduates will follow them out by row, starting from the front row.

Family and friends will exit after you.

FAQs