Students

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Graduates wave to family and friends in stands at Yulman Stadium

From the pop and sparkle of fireworks to the buzz and beat of New Orleans Jazz, Tulane's commencement is an experience unlike any other. In New Orleans and at Tulane we march to the beat of our own drum, and that spirit is infused into every part of commencement weekend. The University Commencement ceremony, where degrees are conferred, will be held Saturday, May 18, 2024. School-based ceremonies, where students named are called and they cross the stage are held in the days leading up to Unified Commencement. Check the schedule for the full listing of commencement-related activities.

Unified Commencement

The Unified Commencement ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. at Yulman Stadium and will conclude by 8:30 p.m. (pending weather delays or interruptions). At this special milestone ceremony, featuring an academic procession, keynote speaker, live jazz and fireworks, President Michael A. Fitts will officially confer degrees upon all Tulane University degree candidates (undergraduate, graduate and professional). 

The Unified Commencement ceremony, where degrees are conferred, will be livestreamed on this website on Saturday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m.

The Unified Commencement ceremony honors the graduating students from all of the university's schools and colleges. It features the pomp and circumstance expected of a traditional commencement celebration with a New Orleans twist. This ceremony includes the conferral of degrees, the keynote address, special musical guests and much more. This ceremony will also be livestreamed on commencement.tulane.edu on Saturday, May 18, 2024.

  • Unified Commencement will be Saturday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. in Yulman Stadium.
  • Doors open at 5 p.m. and graduates must arrive no later than 6 p.m. Additional information about where graduates should proceed will be posted here in the weeks before the ceremony.
  • Please note, guests should arrive and be in their seats by 6:25 p.m. for the graduate procession. Guests arriving after 6:25 p.m. will be held in the concourse during the procession and will not be able to access the seating areas until the graduate procession is complete. 
  • All guests and graduates will pass through security upon arrival. 

Prohibited items in Yulman Stadium include: alcohol; artificial noise makers; backpacks, book bags, knapsacks; banners (large or in poor taste); contraband; containers of any kind, thermos bottle, bottles and cans; coolers; fireworks; flammables; footballs or throwing objects; glass; large bags – maximum size 12” x 12”; laser pointers; outside food and beverages; projectiles; stadium seatback chairs with aluminum/metal; stickers; sticks, bats, poles, clubs, flags or banners with poles; strollers – (umbrella strollers that will collapse and be placed under guest seat are permitted); weapons, even with concealed weapons permit; unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones); or any other item(s) deemed unacceptable by stadium security and Tulane University.

School Ceremonies

In addition to the Unified Commencement ceremony, individual schools host ceremonies at which graduates' names are called to cross the stage. These ceremonies are held in the days leading up to Unified Commencement. The 2024 schedule of school ceremonies will be announced six months in advance. Check the schedule for the full listing of commencement-related activities.

Attire

It is generally warm and humid in New Orleans in May, so graduates and guests should plan their attire accordingly. While there is no set dress code for most of the activities during commencement weekend, attire usually ranges from business casual to dressier options and is highly dependent on the variety of activities guests have planned. For ceremonies events held outdoors at Yulman Stadium, comfortable, breathable, lightweight fabrics and sensible footwear will be key to a successful commencement experience.

Regalia

Students must wear regalia at all in-person ceremonies to participate and/or cross the stage. The final date for online orders (Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral souvenir regalia) is April 7, 2024 at Tulane's Oak Hall storefront. Online orders will ship directly to students. When the online deadline passes, regalia can be purchased in person at the Tulane Bookstore. Any in-store regalia purchases made after April 20, 2024, will incur a $30 late fee.  Other regalia deadlines are as follows (we recommend ordering as early as a week ahead of the deadline to ensure regalia arriving on time):

  • PHD Custom set must be ordered by March 10, 2024.
  • PHD Rental Set must be ordered by March 31, 2024.
  • MD Guest Hooder set must be ordered by April 7, 2024.

All graduates shall be permitted to wear only those stoles or honor cords earned through University Honors, or recognized organizations officially sanctioned by the University, or by U.S. Military Veterans who attain the prescribed academic achievement to earn Veteran’s cords. Personal stoles or cords are not permitted. Tulane encourages students’ personal expressions of creativity in the decoration of mortar boards (robe decorating is not permitted) or second-line umbrellas, while reserving neck-worn stoles and cords only for officially recognized honors.

Inclement Weather Planning

Unified Commencement will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Yulman Stadium and will proceed rain or shine, unless severe weather (such as lightning, tornadoes, flooding, etc.) poses a significant threat or danger to the personal safety of graduates and attendees. In the event of severe weather, graduates and their guests should plan for two scenarios if the University's rain plan is initiated:

Rain Delay: the start time of the Unified Commencement ceremony could be delayed by up to two hours, for rapidly moving weather events.

For school ceremonies on Friday in Yulman Stadium, a rain delay could occur in order to compensate for rapidly moving weather events.

Postponement: if necessary, the unified ceremony could be postponed to Sunday morning, weather-permitting.  

If the University's rain plan is initiated, details about the changes will be communicated by:

  • Updates on the Commencement website
  • Text message updates will be sent by the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response. Guests can sign up for these updates by texting tugrad to 888777.
  • The university’s main social media channels (Instagram: @tulaneu, Twitter/X:
    @Tulane).
Tulane Memorabilia

Tulane memorabilia including diploma frames are available to order from the Tulane Bookstore. Contact the bookstore at 504-865-5913 for more information or to place an order by phone.

Show your pride with your Tulane class ring and share your graduation news with official Tulane announcements! Undergraduate students who have completed 60 credit hours and graduate students who have completed half of their required coursework are eligible to purchase their Tulane Ring. Order your rings and announcements from the Balfour website or by calling 1-866-255-3687 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Production time for announcements is 7-10 business days. 

Diplomas

Diplomas will be mailed to the diploma mailing address provided by the student on the application for degree. This address can be updated via Gibson Online at the “Update Diploma Address” link found under the Student tab.

Applying for Graduation

All students intending to participate in Commencement exercises must complete their application for graduation by April 12, 2024 to have their names published in the Commencement program. Applications can be accessed through the student tab of the Gibson online portal.

Apply to be the Student Speaker

All undergraduate, graduate, and professional students receiving their Tulane degree in May are eligible to apply to be the student speaker for the University Commencement Ceremony. To apply and be considered for the Class of 2024 student address, the following steps are required:

 

          
  • Application: Complete the application form and send via PDF to tugrad@tulane.edu by 5 p.m. CT on Monday, March 18. All applicants must be eligible to participate in spring commencement exercises to be considered. You will receive a confirmation e-mail when your application is received.
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  • Interview: If selected for an interview, a representative of the committee will contact you via email to schedule an interview. Students must be available for an in-person interview conducted from April 1-5.
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  • Selection and Rehearsal: Once selected, the student speaker will be notified by April 8. The student must be available for an in-person rehearsal in Yulman Stadium the week of May 13. More detailed information will be provided during the interview process.

 

Student Information Records / Confidentiality

If a student has chosen to withhold directory information from public disclosure by selecting the confidentiality box in their Gibson account, their name will not appear in the Commencement print program or any other public reports. This confidentiality flag can be updated through the Gibson online portal until April 12, 2024.

Accessibility

Tulane University strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To be respectful of those with allergies and environmental sensitivities, we ask that you please refrain from wearing strong fragrances.

To request disability-related accommodations at any Commencement-related event, please complete and submit this form by Wednesday,  May 1, 2024. To make this request by email, contact tugrad@tulane.edu. For any other questions, please fill out this form.

Tulane University will provide reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act with sufficient notice.

 

Commencement Questions? Email us.