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���������Թ� Stateside Commencement includes both in-person and virtual celebrations.

Grad Walk is ���������Թ�'s in-person commencement experience, held at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at ���������Թ� Headquarters in Adelphi, Maryland.

As part of our virtual celebrations, ���������Թ� also hosts an on-demand commencement ceremony featuring special presentations and the formal conferral of degrees by the university president. An online Gallery of Graduates showcases personalized recognition slides that graduates can share with family, friends, and social networks.

Grad Walk is held during ���������Թ�'s spring and winter commencement celebrations. Visit the Commencement homepage for current event dates and schedules.

Grad Walk is held at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at ���������Թ� Headquarters, located at 3501 University Blvd. East, Adelphi, MD 20783.

Graduates register in advance for a specific day and arrival time that best suits their schedule.

Eligible students will receive an email invitation with RSVP instructions. Because registrations are made on a first-come, first-served basis, we encourage eligible graduates to register as soon as registration opens.

Please confirm your preferred email address via .

Grad Walk is a continuously moving walk-through event. Graduates and their guests typically spend approximately one hour from check-in through the completion of their experience.

Yes. Information about livestream access will be posted on the ���������Թ� Commencement website the week of the event.

Graduates and guests will also be able to access an on-demand ceremony featuring the student speaker, as well as the formal conferral of degrees by ���������Թ� President Gregory Fowler. An online Gallery of Graduates will showcase personalized recognition slides that can be shared via email and social media.

Graduates and graduation candidates who have been approved to participate in the current commencement cycle will receive an invitation to register for Grad Walk.

If you have questions about your eligibility, contact Graduation Services at graduationserv@umgc.edu or 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2299. If you still have questions after verifying your graduation status, contact Commencement Services at commencement@umgc.edu.

Remember: At ���������Թ�, graduation and commencement are different. (Commencement comprises the special events hosted by ���������Թ�, both in person and online.)

But applying for your diploma and applying for graduation are the same thing; both terms refer to the same administrative process.

You must apply for your diploma via by the appropriate deadline. Meeting the diploma application deadline automatically puts you on the list to be invited to your appropriate grad walk.

Apply through the Graduation page in . Submit the form and pay the $50 graduation fee.

No.

Eligible graduates and candidates receive an email invitation to RSVP online.

The email invitation contains a link to our online registration system. Follow the instructions in your RSVP email.

Registration typically opens several weeks before each commencement celebration. Eligible graduates will receive email instructions when registration becomes available.

To be eligible as a member of the Class of 2026, you must have already applied for graduation via the page in by the appropriate deadline. If you are unsure whether you're eligible or what the deadlines are, contact the Graduation Services Team at graduationserv@umgc.edu or 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2299.

You must also ensure that your preferred email address is updated in your in to receive communications about commencement.

If you have trouble registering, contact Commencement Services at commencement@umgc.edu or 240-684-2225.

Once the RSVP system opens, please email commencement@umgc.edu if you want to change your initial registration.

The official commencement program is published online before the event and includes eligible graduates and graduation candidates who met the applicable deadlines.

Graduates and their guests will be able to share and view the official program online as a digital flipbook; a downloadable PDF will also be provided.

Update your postal or email address in your in .

If your name has been legally changed, you need to send a copy of your driver's license and a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or divorce decree (as appropriate) to Graduation Services. You must include your student ID number on the request. Contact Graduation Services for instructions on sending your documents.

After taking the above steps, if you have any remaining questions about how your name will appear on your diploma and in the commencement program book, contact the Registrar's Office at 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2222, or registrar@umgc.edu.

When you RSVP online, you will immediately receive a confirmation email with instructions for ordering your regalia and other information.

You will receive a “what to know before you go” email just before Grad Walk with any last-minute updates, along with a helpful guide that is packed with important information for you and your guests.

We may also send periodic emails that contain specific announcements or updates.

All graduates are required to wear a cap and gown. (Active-duty servicemembers may wear their service dress uniform in lieu of regalia.) We encourage you to wear appropriate business casual attire under your gown.

There will be a table at each photo station to momentarily place your belongings. Plan to leave large items in your vehicle.

The confirmation email you receive after you RSVP for Grad Walk will contain the link to order your regalia.

You may also

Pricing will be posted on the vendor’s website; however, for planning, you should budget

• Master’s—about $67
• Bachelor’s or associate—about $39

Prices above include home shipping.

Other items, such as the stole of gratitude, are extra. The vendor’s website will have pictures and pricing for everything.

Active-duty servicemembers are encouraged to wear their service dress uniform to Grad Walk.

Only the U.S. Army specifically prohibits wearing gowns over the uniform; however, ���������Թ� asks graduates belonging to the other branches of the armed forces to follow this practice too. If you choose to wear your uniform, you are welcome to purchase a cap and gown as a souvenir, but please do not wear it over your uniform.

Associate degree recipients wear gray regalia with a black tassel. Bachelor's and master's degree recipients wear black gowns and caps with a black tassel, regardless of degree. But master's degree candidates also have hoods lined with ���������Թ�’s school colors and edged in velvet colors matching their academic discipline.

You may have seen some university commencements where the graduates' tassels contain charms denoting the year. The tassel worn at ���������Թ�'s commencement does not contain the year. We prefer a more traditional look where the tassels are uniform (i.e., no charms).

Grad packs, mailed a month before Grad Walk, will contain souvenir tassels with your graduation year. You may also purchase a souvenir tassel (which comes in our official school colors) when you order your regalia online. Souvenir keychains are also available.

Online regalia ordering closes on November 12. We cannot make exceptions to this deadline.

If you miss the November 12 deadline, there will be a limited amount to buy on-site at Grad Walk.

If you order on time but do not receive your regalia before the start of Grad Walk, contact Oak Hall Customer Service at 800-456-7623.

Use the hashtag #���������Թ�grad to join the conversation on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) and see what's trending among your fellow graduates and alumni.

���������Թ� will follow all applicable venue requirements and public health guidance in effect at the time of the event. Any event-specific policies will be communicated to registered participants before commencement.

No. You will receive a congratulatory letter from ���������Թ� President Gregory Fowler inside a diploma cover when you cross the stage.

For more information and to activate your free membership, visit the .

Following Grad Walk, be on the lookout for an email from GradImages with a link to proofs of your photos. You will also receive an email from Stage Clip with a complimentary video clip of your on-stage moment that can be shared on social media and with family and friends.

���������Թ� provides honor cords for bachelor's degree recipients who qualify for the following academic honors: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. If you are eligible, Commencement Services will mail your cord to you about one month before Grad Walk.

You must have at least a 3.8 grade point average and have completed at least 30 credits of graded ���������Թ� coursework to be eligible for one of the aforementioned academic honors. For honors to be conferred with a second bachelor’s degree, you must have earned at least 30 new ���������Թ� credits and the requisite GPA. Refer to your academic catalog for official policy governing your eligibility for academic honors.

For honors eligibility questions, contact Graduation Services at 800-888-8682 ext. 2-2299, or graduationserv@umgc.edu.

Graduate students can qualify for the President’s List. Students must graduate with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. If you are eligible, Commencement Services will mail your honor cord to you about one month before Grad Walk.

Academic honors are based on your cumulative GPA for coursework completed at ���������Թ�.

Graduate degree recipients with a cumulative GPA of 4.0 are named to the President’s List.

Bachelor’s degree recipients may earn the following honors:

• Cum laude = 3.800 to 3.900
• Magna cum laude = 3.901 to 3.999
• Summa cum laude = 4.000

Bachelor’s degree recipients who have earned the distinction of summa cum laude are also named to the President’s List.

White cords represent cum laude. Blue cords represent magna cum laude, gold cords represent summa cum laude, and red cords represent the President’s List.

Yes. At check-in, present your digital stage pass with your name and honors designation. If you do not have one, you will be given a card with that same information. Your name and honors will be read as you cross the stage.

We do not provide honor cords or other accessories for honor societies. Graduates who believe they should receive an honor cord from a specific honor society should contact the organization directly.

Contact your honor society at least one month before Grad Walk to ensure timely delivery of any cords or other accessories you are entitled to wear.