SBS Senior Celebration FAQs
The 2025 SBS Senior Celebration takes place on Saturday, May 17, 2025 in the Mullins Center. The event begins promptly at 5:30pm. Graduates, guests, and faculty should arrive by 4:30pm. Please refer for the SBS Senior Celebration Schedule for event details. General information is available on the UMass Commencement website.
The SBS Dean's Office will send additional information to graduates over the course of the Spring 2025 semester. Graduates should check their UMass email account and are advised to update any changes of mailing address on SPIRE. If you have additional questions about the SBS Senior Celebration, please contact mviscione [at] umass [dot] edu (Mikayla Viscione).
Eligibility
Who gets to walk?
All graduating SBS primary and secondary majors are invited to participate! To be eligible to participate in the May 2025 Commencement ceremony, graduates must have fulfilled all requirements by the time of the ceremony or be scheduled to do so by September 2025. Those scheduled for a February 2026 graduation who wish to attend the May 2025 ceremony must file a “Petition to Participate in an Earlier Commencement” form, available at the Registrar’s Office in 213 Whitmore. We anticipate that about 1,100 students will graduate from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences this year.
I am a double major – one is in SBS and the other is in another college. Which senior celebration ceremony do I attend?
If the ceremonies take place at different times you may attend both. If they take place at the same time, then you must choose one. Check the main Commencement website for a complete listing of times and locations for each senior celebration.
Event Process
Are seniors required to attend a rehearsal?
No, there is no rehearsal.
When and where do graduates meet for the SBS Senior Celebration?
On May 17, please arrive to the tent behind the Mullins Center by 4:30pm, and you will have staff and faculty marshals to help you understand where to go.
What is the security protocol?
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.
When does the SBS Senior Celebration begin?
The SBS Senior Celebration begins promptly at 5:30pm. in the Mullins Center, but graduates should plan to arrive at the Mullins Center and line up by major at 4:30pm. Guests should plan to take their seats in the arena by 5:15pm.
Will the SBS Senior Celebration be live streamed or recorded?
Yes. The live stream and recording will be available for anyone to watch.
What happens when the SBS Senior Celebration is over?
The platform party leaves down the center aisle first, followed by graduates. Graduates and their guests are encouraged to gather outside on the Mullins Center concourse, where they may get a chance to greet SBS faculty and staff.
Regalia
What should participants wear?
Graduates, faculty, and anyone on the platform party should dress in commencement caps and gowns. Families should dress comfortably. Everyone should wear shoes that are appropriate for walking and climbing stairs (there is an elevator available in the Mullins Center for those with mobility issues.) Also, wear shoes that are appropriate for walking and climbing stairs. There is an elevator available in the Mullins Center for those with mobility issues. In the past, some graduates and guests who have worn stiletto heels have had difficulty maneuvering the various walkways and stage. We advise against this type of shoe for your safety.
Graduates will be wearing caps, gowns, and tassels for both the main Commencement Ceremony and again at the SBS Senior Celebration on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Caps, gowns, and tassels will be available for pick up on the following dates:
- At the Commencement Fair: May 7, 2025, 10:00am – 4:00pm, Campus Center Auditorium.
- The week of Commencement: May 12 to 15, 2025, 10:00am – 4:00pm, Campus Center Auditorium.
Does SBS provide cords or stoles to graduates?
SBS does not provide any cords or stoles to graduates. However, other programs or groups you are affiliated with may provide cords or stoles, so be in touch with them to find out.
Guests, Directions, and Parking
How many guests will each graduate be allowed to bring? Do attendees need tickets?
Graduates must be registered through Tassel to participate in the 2025 SBS Senior Celebration, but do not need tickets. However, tickets are required for guests. To obtain tickets for your guests, you will need to register for the 2025 SBS Senior Celebration through Tassel (formerly Marching Order) by April 22. If you register after this date, you will be able to attend the 2025 SBS Senior Celebration; however, guest tickets are not guaranteed after this deadline.
Each graduate participating in the SBS Senior Celebration will be allocated five tickets for their guests which must be claimed through Tassel. A waitlist form for to request additional tickets is available, but please do note that additional tickets are not guaranteed. The waitlist will stop accepting responses at 9:00am on Monday, May 5. Additional tickets will not be available until early May 2025. If additional tickets become available, they will be distributed in the order that they were requested, to as many graduates as possible.
I have guests who have never been to campus before? How do they get directions?
Get driving directions to UMass.
Is parking available?
We encourage graduates and guests to park as close to the Mullins Center as possible. Please allow plenty of time after parking to travel to travel to the Mullins Center.
Do guests have to go through 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.
Accessibility
Someone in our party is hearing impaired. What should we do?
If you or any of your guests require the services of a sign language interpreter submit your request through the event accommodations request form. The deadline for requesting interpreter services is yet to be announced, but typically by mid-April.
Someone in our party has a physical disability. What should we do?
For the SBS Senior Celebration in the Mullins Center on Saturday, May 17, 2025:
Accessible/Handicap Parking: Parking Lot 25, adjacent to the Mullins Center, will have designated handicap parking. A state-issued handicapped parking permit suffices for parking in designated accessible spaces on campus.
Preferential Guest Seating: These seats are generally for people who have difficulty with mobility, sight, or hearing. Seating for family members and guests with special needs will be available in sections of the Mullins Center. No prior arrangements need to be made to secure seating in these areas, although it is recommended that you arrive early to secure seating. One companion may accompany guests seated in these sections. Seating for additional family members should be available within close proximity of the preferential seating areas.
Wheelchairs: There are designated wheelchair seating locations in the Mullins Center. Those guests needing wheelchairs should make arrangements to bring their own; wheelchairs are not provided.
Photos
I hear a professional photographer will take photos. How do I get those?
During the Senior Celebration Ceremony, graduates will be photographed in their regalia immediately prior to and when receiving their medal. Proofs of these photographs will be sent to graduates along with order forms and information. Be sure to fill out the contact information on the name card given to you in the registration area, as that is the only way the photographers will know how to reach you. To learn more, see ultimateexposures.com.
Miscellaneous
How should I plan for the weather?
Fortunately, the Mullins Center is a comfortable arena with climate control. Since the ceremony is indoors and graduates gets ready under a large tent outside, everything will proceed as planned if it rains. If the weather is more severe, please follow instructions from staff and faculty marshals on where to go. For guests, we suggest umbrellas and/or appropriate rain apparel in the event of a rain or if there is a waiting period outside the Mullins Center while attendees at the previous ceremony exit. And conversely, don't forget sunscreen and hats for protection from the sun.
I am unable to attend the SBS Senior Celebration, but I'd like my commemorative medal. What should I do?
We're sorry that you can't make it! To receive your medal, contact the commencement [at] admin [dot] umass [dot] edu (University Events Office), 413-577-1101.
When do I receive my diploma?
The SBS Senior Celebration does not award diplomas, only the commemorative medals. Your diploma, which is officially conferred at the Friday evening Commencement, will be mailed to you. To ensure the delivery of diplomas, all graduates should check SPIRE to make certain that their mailing address is accurately recorded. Diplomas are usually mailed by the end of the summer. Questions regarding diplomas should be addressed to: Registrar’s Office, 213 Whitmore Administration Building, 413-545-0555.