The ceremony begins at 2 p.m. and will last approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Admission tickets are not required, but we ask for graduates to please limit their number of guests to no more than six so that we can accommodate everyone. Seating within the Schottenstein Center, including accessible seating, will be first-come, first-served. Guests are encouraged to arrive early for the best seating options.
Some seats will be located behind the main platform or well into the upper level of the arena and, as such, will not provide optimal views of the stage. Video screens will aid in viewing the ceremony, which can also be viewed remotely on the livestream broadcast. Overflow areas will be available in the arena concourse where television screens will also broadcast the ceremony.
Participation in the ceremony is reserved for graduates of autumn semester only. Graduates who have elected to participate in the commencement ceremony should remain for the entire ceremony.
The Acting President, Provost, and cadet marshals will provide directions to graduates throughout the course of the ceremony. Please listen carefully to their signals.
The Prelude
In Value City Arena from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The Processional
Will leave the assembly location at 1:55 p.m. and move into the arena at 2 p.m.
Guests should be in their seats by 1:45 p.m. as access to certain areas will be restricted after this time until the processional has concluded.
Graduates should be seated immediately upon reaching their seats.
National Anthem and Invocation
Please stand at the Acting President's signal.
Commencement Address
Given by:
Eugene D. Smith
Senior Vice President and The Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletics Director
The Ohio State University
Conferring of Honors-
Honorary Degree:
Arun Majumdar
Doctor of Engineering
Distinguished Service Award:
Karen L. Hendricks
Thomas M. Rieland
Conferring of the PhD
The Provost will ask all PhD candidates to rise and the Acting President will confer the degree. Led by the cadet marshal, candidates will file to the platform, one row at a time. There, each candidate will receive the hood, cross the platform, receive their diploma from the Acting President as their name is called, return to their seat and be seated. As a courtesy to all others receiving diplomas, we ask that all PhD graduates remain for the duration of the ceremony.
Conferring of Other Degrees
The Provost will ask the graduates from each college to rise and will present them to the Acting President. When all colleges have been presented and are standing, the Acting President will confer the degrees.
Awarding of Diplomas
Graduates will rise by rows and move to the diploma boxes as directed by the cadet marshals. Except for the PhDs, graduates' names are not called as the diploma is received.
A note about diploma issues: While every effort will be made to ensure that each graduate will receive the correct diploma during the ceremony, if they do not, the graduate should go to 281 West Lane Avenue, first floor, the week following the ceremony.
A graduate may receive a letter instead of a diploma at commencement for one of two reasons: 1) the graduate has a "hold" on their record and should follow the instructions received for resolving the hold, or 2) the processing and certification of the degree requirements was incomplete as of 12 p.m. on Saturday, December 16, 2023, and the university cannot release the diploma without additional action on the graduate's part.
Questions about academic eligibility to receive a diploma must be referred to the college office or academic unit, which may be contacted on the Monday following commencement. Once degree certification questions are resolved, contact Buckeye Link at 614-292-0300 or help.osu.edu about claiming the diploma, and be sure to explain that a letter was received instead of a diploma at commencement.
If a graduate notices a spelling error in the name on the diploma after commencement day, follow the instructions for a diploma correction.
Singing of "Carmen Ohio"
Graduates and guests will be led in the singing of the alma mater.
Recessional
Graduates should remain seated until the cadet marshals signal their rows to rise and join the recessional line. The lines will move out after the faculty. To avoid congestion in the corridors, graduates are asked to arrange to meet family and friends outside the Schottenstein Center.
As a courtesy to all those attending commencement, graduates and guests are asked to refrain from using horns and other noisemakers during the ceremony.
