Instructions for Escorts
Following tradition, doctoral candidates may be escorted and hooded by their major professors at commencement. Since not all major professors can perform this function, others may substitute. Faculty may escort and hood more than one candidate. Candidates who do not have an escort will be hooded by the advanced degree marshals.
Important Preliminaries
- The Graduate School will contact the major professors in May requesting information on attendance. We need your timely response to plan the seating assignments!
- Academic regalia must be ordered from the OSU Bookstore before April 18 and picked up by June 13. Online ordering is available at the bookstore.
- Although doctoral degrees are conferred early in the ceremony, be prepared to stay until the diploma distribution process for master’s and bachelor’s candidates has begun. You are then welcome to stand and leave the stadium.
Line Up and Processional Instructions
- All faculty must report for the processional line up by noon on Sunday, June 15 on the Valley Library quad.
- Doctoral candidates will be given a number and will line up in numerical order. The order is alphabetical by degree.
- Line up on the path opposite the first candidate you are escorting. Keep this position throughout the procession. There will be some gaps in your line since some faculty may be escorting more than one candidate and other candidates may not have an escort.
- Please ensure that each of your candidates unbuttons his or her hood and carries it draped over the left arm. Practice hooding your candidate while waiting in line.
- Soon after 12:30 p.m., the procession will start from the sidewalk south of Kidder Hall. The procession will include — in order — the chief marshal, pipers, the colors, the president’s platform party and faculty walking between the two lines. Please make sure there is room for the procession to march between you and your candidate.
- The procession will march from the Valley Library quad to and across the MU Quad.
- The chief marshal will halt the procession outside Dixon Recreation Center for a few minutes to allow for any slack in the bachelor’s lines and to correct any problems.
- The procession will enter Reser Stadium via the players’ ramp from Ralph Miller Drive. The ramp is steep, so watch your step. Faculty with mobility problems should contact the Registrar’s office ahead of time for special accommodations.
- Candidates and escorts will be seated together in Reser Stadium. Proceed across the field as directed by your marshals.
- Sit down immediately upon arriving at your seat. You don’t need to wait for your row to be filled.
- Note: You may return to a different seat after the hooding ceremony.
- Review the Ceremony Instructions for Doctoral Candidates.
- Stand when the colors are announced by a trumpet call and the rising of the platform party. You’ll also stand for the singing of the alma mater.
- At the time for conferring doctoral degrees, stand by row and follow your marshals. Stand to the left of your candidate.
- Proceed as directed to the hooding area in front of the stage. Stand behind your candidate as directed by the marshals. All faculty will hood their candidates at the same time.
- Faculty and candidates will remain in line and proceed to the ramp. Candidates will proceed up the ramp, while faculty escorts will cross in front of the stage, meeting their candidates as they exit the stage. If you only have one candidate to escort, stay with your student and return to your seats, following the route indicated by the marshals.
- If you have more than one candidate, after the photograph of the first student, move across the field as directed by the chief marshal. The assistant chief marshal will position you to escort your next student. Repeat the procedure as necessary. Return with and sit next to the last person you escort.
- Stand at the end of the ceremony. Once the colors and platform party have left the stage, please remain seated until the diploma distribution process for master’s and bachelor’s candidates has begun. You are then welcome to stand and leave the stadium.
- Remember that you are invited to the president’s reception immediately afterward at the CH2M HILL Alumni Center. This is your opportunity to congratulate your students and greet their guests.
- You may return you academic regalia at the club level of the stadium after the ceremony or the following week at the OSU Bookstore.
