SBS Senior Celebration
Important information about your big day!
Undergraduate Commencement
Saturday, May 18, 2024
10:00am, rain or shine
McGuirk Alumni Stadium, UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst is pleased to celebrate the Class of 2024 at the Undergraduate Commencement on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Graduates and guests will hear words of inspiration from the keynote speaker, welcome honored guests, applaud the student speaker, and cheer our graduates as degrees are conferred.
Visit the Commencement website.
SBS Senior Celebration
Saturday, May 18, 2024
2:00 to 4:00pm
Mullins Center, UMass Amherst
The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences will conduct its Senior Celebration on Saturday, May 18, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Graduates and their guests should plan to arrive at the Mullins Center by 1:00pm.
All primary and secondary majors in the College are invited to attend. The audience can expect to hear meaningful and memorable commentary from Dean R. Karl Rethemeyer and select student speakers. Each graduate will receive a medal and will have their name announced as they walk on stage and appear on the jumbotron. Professional photographs will be taken throughout the event. For those who attend, we ask that you please be courteous to fellow graduates and guests, and remain for the entire ceremony.
Regalia
You'll be wearing you cap, gown, and tassel for both the main Commencement Ceremony and again at the SBS Senior Celebration on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Caps, gowns, and tassels will be available for pick up on the following dates:
- At the Commencement Fair: May 8, 2024, 10:00am – 4:00pm, Campus Center Auditorium.
- The week of Commencement: Monday, May 13 – Thursday, May 16, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Campus Center 165
- On Commencement Day: Saturday, May 18, Prior to 10:00am Ceremony, Lot 11 Graduate Assembly Area at McGuirk Alumni Stadium
Participating faculty and staff can request their regalia here. Regalia will be available for pick up between Monday, May 13 and Thursday, May 16, from 10:00am to 5:00pm, in Campus Center 165.
Marching Order: Registration and Name Pronunciation
The university is excited to partner with Marching Order to coordinate registration for commencement and ensure your name is properly pronounced at your senior recognition ceremony. In the coming weeks, graduates will receive an email directly from Marching Order. The email will include links inviting graduates to register for the ceremonies they plan to attend and encouraging them to record their name so it is pronounced correctly at the ceremony. Having accurate information about who is participating in each ceremony allows us to plan accordingly. Graduates will need to respond even if they are unable to attend.
Please give these emails your prompt attention so that we can plan around attendance and make sure names are announced properly at the SBS Senior Celebration.
Parking
Given the unique traffic pattern during Commencement weekend, graduates and guests should plan to park just once to attend both the Undergraduate Commencement and the SBS Senior Celebration. To facilitate moving around campus, shuttles will be available on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Please allow plenty of time to drive on and off campus during Commencement weekend.
Security
All guests and graduates will be required to walk through metal detectors when entering the venue. To expedite the process, we ask guests and graduates to remove cell phones from their pockets. Small purses and diaper bags are allowed but will be inspected at all entrances. Bags larger than a clutch are not allowed. Outside food or beverages, weapons of any kind, and tobacco products are not permitted inside the arena. For details on security procedures and a full list of prohibited items, please visit the Mullins Center website.
Slideshow Submission
Prior to the ceremony, we will be playing a slideshow for your friends and family. We encourage everyone to submit high-resolution photos (preferably horizontal/in landscape mode) for us to include. The deadline for submissions is May 3, 2024.
Student Marshals
Students who are not graduating are encouraged to apply to be a Student Marshal during the SBS Senior Celebration. Click the link below to apply.