Related Information

Parents/Families: To determine which ceremony your graduate will attend, find his/her major in the list of Undergraduate Majors by College

Information For:

Maps

Directions

Lodging

Future Commencement Dates

  • Fall 2008: Dec. 20
  • Spring 2009: May 16
  • Fall 2009: Dec. 19
  • Spring 2010: May 15

Macomb and Quad Cities Commencement Ceremonies
Saturday and Sunday, Mat 10-11, 2008

Saturday, May 10 -- Western Hall, Macomb
(Doors will open 1½ hours prior to each ceremony)

Times:

Sunday, May 11 -- The i wireless Center, Moline (formerly The MARK of the Quad Cities)
(Doors to the Arena, located at 1201 River Drive, will open at 2:15 p.m.)

Time:

Important Information for Both Ceremony Locations

Rehearsals: There will be no rehearsals. Instructions for participating in ceremonies are included below

Honors Medallions: Undergraduate students graduating with academic distinction will be awarded medallions at the Honors Convocation on Friday, May 9 at 2:00 p.m. in Western Hall. Please contact the Centennial Honors College with questions at (309) 298-2228 or email Honors@wiu.edu.

Caps & Gowns: Beginning March 17, graduation announcements and academic apparel necessary for the graduation ceremony will be available for purchase in the University Union Bookstore on the WIU-Macomb campus. Call 1-800-338-6369 or 309/298-1931.

Photographs/Videotapes/DVDs: The University has arranged for professional photographs to be taken as students receive their diploma covers. Videotapes and DVDs of the entire ceremony will also be available for purchase. Order forms and proofs will be mailed to the diploma address within two weeks following graduation. To assure all graduates, families, and friends may enjoy and view the ceremony, we ask guests to be considerate of others when taking photographs.

Attendance: Students may have changed their plans about attending the ceremony (or which ceremony location) since filing their graduation application. Please inform the Office of the Registrar at 309/298-1891, ext. 224 of any change in plans. Commencement is a formal ceremony recognizing academic achievements and is a significant occasion for students, families, and friends. Those students who wish to participate in Commencement will be expected to dress and behave in a manner befitting the occasion. Please do not bring personal items or valuables to Western Hall on Commencement day.

For reasons of safety and decorum, guests should be seated 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the ceremony and remain seated throughout the entire program. Please silence your cell phone during the ceremonies. Tickets are not required for guests. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserving seats for late arrivals is not permitted.

Attending Commencement Does Not Guarantee Graduation: All academic requirements must be complete and all paperwork on file by the May 23, 2008 deadline before a student may actually graduate. If deficiencies cannot be resolved by the deadline, the student will not be eligible to graduate until a later term.

Commencement Program: Students must have their graduation applications on file in the Office of the Registrar by March 14, 2008 in order for their names to appear in the program. Students who have invoked the Privacy Act will not have their names printed in the commencement program or released to their local media by the University Relations Office.

Diplomas: Students will receive their diploma covers at the ceremony. Diplomas for graduates will be mailed to the address on the graduation application approximately six to eight weeks after the ceremony, providing there are no financial encumbrances with the University and all requirements have been met.

Disability Information: If a graduating student needs special assistance due to a disability, contact the Disability Support Services office at 309/298-2512. If family members or guests need accommodations due to a disability, please visit Western’s Office of Equal Opportunity & Access at www.wiu.edu/eoa or call 309/298-1977. Special seating is limited, so registering with this office is encouraged.

In Macomb, disability parking is available in the lot west of Western Hall as well as designated spaces in Q-Lot. In the Quad Cities, parking for disabled persons will be available in the small lot west and in front of the main entrance to the i wireless Center.

Additional Information

Macomb Ceremonies: The WIU Bookstore will sell apparel and other items in the north lobby of Western Hall. A florist also will have flowers for sale in the north lobby prior to each ceremony. An area designated for stroller parking will be available at the northeast end of Western Hall. Balloons and noisemakers of any kind, including air horns, are not permitted in the arena.

Quad Cities Ceremony: The WIU Bookstore will sell apparel and other items in the lobby of the i wireless Center. A reception following the ceremony will be held in the lobby. For more information about facilities at the i wireless Center, visit www.iwirelesscenter.com