Commencement

Ceremony details

With thousands of degree candidates, participants and guests in attendance, the ceremony is a grand-scale celebration that appropriately marks the academic achievements of Ohio State graduates.

Important notes

1 Time, duration and tickets

The ceremony begins at 2 p.m. and will last approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Tickets are not required for guests of the autumn commencement ceremony. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

2 Graduates of autumn semester only

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.

3 Listen for cues

The President, Interim Provost, and cadet marshals will provide directions to graduates throughout the course of the ceremony. Please listen carefully to their signals.

4 Please be respectful

As a courtesy to all those attending commencement, graduates and guests are asked to refrain from using horns and other noisemakers during the ceremony.

Itinerary 

The Prelude

1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
In the Value City Arena

The Processional

2 p.m.
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

During the ceremony
Please stand at the President's signal.

Commencement Address

During the ceremony

Given by:

  • Stephanie Hightower
    President and CEO
    Columbus Urban League

Conferring of Honors

During the ceremony

Honorary Degree:

  •  

Distinguished Service Award:

  • Natala K. Hart
  • Virgil L. Strickler

Conferring of the PhD

During the ceremony
The Interim Provost will ask all PhD candidates to rise and the 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 President as their name is called, return to their seat and be seated. As a courtesy to all others receiving diplomas, PhD graduates should remain for the duration of the ceremony.

Conferring of Other Degrees

During the ceremony
The Interim Provost will ask the graduates from each college to rise and will present them to the President. When all colleges have been presented and are standing, the President will confer the degrees.

Awarding of Diplomas**

During the ceremony
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.

Singing of "Carmen Ohio"

Closing of the ceremony
Graduates and guests will be led in the singing of the alma mater.

Recessional

End of the ceremony
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.

**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
  2. The processing and certification of the degree requirements was incomplete as of 12 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2024, 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 the Student Service Center at 614-292-0300 or ssc@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.