Commencement Information for Graduates

Congratulations, graduates! Visit the commencement page to find your ceremony date and time.

Each graduating student who indicated their intent to attend a commencement ceremony and who received notification from the registrar’s office that they are eligible to participate in commencement, may reserve commencement tickets to his/her assigned ceremony. Students who are graduating may reserve up to four (4) commencement tickets to his/her assigned ceremony. Beginning on April 12, students may reserve tickets online. The buying or selling of commencement tickets is not permitted.

Graduates or Guests with Disabilities

Individuals needing accommodations for accessibility, such as sign language interpreters, wheelchair access, ground level seating, will be able to request this service through the ticket reservation process. For more information, contact disability services at commencement-access@salemstate.edu or 978.542.6217 (TTY: 978.542.7146) (video phone: 978.910.0167) or visit the Frederick E. Berry Library and Learning Commons, room G20, no later than Monday, May 1, 2023.

Guests Seeking Language Support

During the ceremonies, staff who speak Spanish and Portuguese will be wearing buttons to make themselves visible and accessible to guests who could use language support. Please email commencement@salemstate.edu to let us know that members of your party would like assistance from one of the Spanish or Portuguese-speaking staff members at the ceremony, so that we may prepare staffing accordingly. Advise your guests to look for the buttons these staff members will be wearing when they arrive.
 

How to Reserve Commencement Tickets

1. Visit SSU ticket site as of noon on April 12-May 8.

2. Enter your Navigator username and password.

3. Select your ceremony.
4. Select the number of tickets (up to four).
5. Indicate if any of your guests need accessible seating accommodations. For more information, contact disability services at commencement-access@salemstate.edu or 978.542.6217 (TTY: 978.542.7146), video phone: 978.910.0167, or visit the Berry Library, room G20, no later than Monday, May 1, 2023.
6. Print or email your tickets to your guest(s).

Second Commencement Ticket Release:
A limited number of tickets will be released for all ceremonies on Tuesday, May 16 at 3 pm. Tickets will be available through the Salem State ticket site on a first come, first serve basis. Guests do not need tickets to watch the ceremony from the family friendly satellite seating in Veterans Hall in the Ellison Campus Center.

COVID-19 Protocols

All on-campus activities are subject to the Salem State University health and safety protocols. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in keeping our community as safe as possible. Please be aware that protocols may be adjusted due to changing circumstances. 

Students and/or guests experiencing symptoms on the day of the event are expected not to come to campus and to stream the event online.

By attending you certify and attest that you and all individuals in your party:

• Are not currently experiencing symptoms associated with COVID.

Please help us make our large events as healthy and safe as possible. All on-campus activities are subject to the Salem State University health and safety protocols. Please be aware that protocols may be adjusted due to changing circumstances. If needed, updated protocols would be found on the Salem State website. At this time our university events are mask flexible and we encourage our participants to follow public health guidance to protect yourself and others.

Students and/or guests experiencing symptoms on the day of the event are expected to access testing and not to come to campus and to stream the event online if they test positive or need to care for their health. If anyone has mild symptoms and has tested negative for COVID we encourage them to participate remotely or wear a high quality mask if they participate in person.

By attending you attest that you and all individuals in your party:

• Have not tested positive for COVID or been told to isolate within the past 5 days.
• Will mask if you’ve been diagnosed with COVID within the past 10 days and have not had 2 negative rapid COVID test results, 48 hours apart.

Entry to the O'Keefe Sports Complex

• All family members and guests must have a valid bar-coded ticket to be admitted to the O’Keefe Sports Complex, including all children and guests with disability seating requests. There will be no exceptions. The arena will open one hour prior to each ceremony.
• To exit the arena before the ceremony concludes, all guests must present their ticket. Guests must show the same ticket for re-entry. No exceptions will be made.
• Regardless of the weather, guests are strongly encouraged to wear coats and dress in layers as the main garage doors will remain open during the ceremonies to increase air flow in the arena.
• Any guest who arrives once the ceremony is in progress will have restricted seating options and may be directed to the upper level of the arena.
• Please be aware that all bags are subject to inspection prior to admittance.

Satellite Viewing

During commencement ceremonies, a non-ticketed, family friendly satellite viewing location will be available on nearby North Campus. Limited seating is available in air-conditioned Veterans Hall in the Ellison Campus Center, the satellite viewing area. Guests can see students graduate through the same big screen image that’s shown in the O’Keefe arena. After students cross the stage, guests from satellite seating can meet graduates on the athletic field where the recessional ends, even before guests in the arena are able to exit the building. The ceremony will also be available via webcast.

Caps, Gowns and Regalia

All candidates participating in commencement exercises must wear proper academic regalia.

Caps and gowns are provided to students who are eligible to participate in commencement at no additional cost. Students may pick up their cap and gown at the bookstore from Wednesday, April 12 through Wednesday, May 17, 2023. No appointment needed; or order online for pick-up or shipping.

All approved graduates will use their Bookstore Credit to pay for the cost of regalia, simply enter your student ID at checkout under Financial Aid/Scholarship. The credit will not cover tassels for a minor or any extra souvenir items.

Please contact the bookstore with any questions.

Cords, Stoles and other Regalia

Additional regalia are awarded to graduates by their academic program, honor societies, activities and others, based on membership and/or achievement. Find details about regalia here.

Reuse or Recycle your Graduation Gown 

After graduates have taken all the photos they want, please consider keeping your graduation cap and gown to pass on to a sibling or friend who might need it. Or, you might recycle them at one of the white textile recycling bins on campus. The textile bins are located at South Campus near the Harrington Building, behind Viking Hall and just beyond Peabody Hall. Note that it is now illegal to dispose of graduation gowns and other textiles in the trash in Massachusetts.

Student Commencement Speakers and Singers Application

Apply here

Student commencement speakers and singers are selected through an application and review process. Applications are due by Sunday, March 12, 2023. Review the rubric before finalizing your speech. Selections will be based on this rubric.

Eligibility

• Be in good academic and disciplinary standing of the graduating class.
• Have completed an intent to graduate form with the registrar’s office, unless you are applying as a commencement singer.
• Submit the application form by Sunday, March 12.
• Interested commencement speakers please limit your speech to three minutes or 400 words in length when delivered.
• Interested commencement speakers will be videotaped presenting the proposed speech for a selection panel to review. (Selection will be made by Dean of Students and Provost.)
• Interested commencement singers will submit a video recording singing the National Anthem to commencement@salemstate.edu; a panel will review and select the singer(s).
• You must attend commencement.

Senior Awards

The Senior Awards are presented to a select group of graduating seniors who are members of the Class of 2023 and who meet the following criteria for each award.
 

Apply here

Deadline to apply is Friday March 24, 2023, 5:00 pm

Silver Key

Applicant has a cumulative grade point average between 3.00 and 4.00, significant involvement within the major area of academic concentration, and participation in co-curricular activities within the university community.

Special Recognition

Applicants have demonstrated involvement within the major area of academic concentration and demonstration of significant involvement in co-curricular activities within the college community.

ALANA Graduation Ceremony

Join the Center for Justice and Liberation for this ceremony honoring Asian, Latinx, African-American, and Native American Vikings graduating this academic year.

Lavender Graduation Ceremony

Join the Center for Justice and Liberation for our inaugural Lavender Graduation Ceremony, honoring LGBTQIA+ Vikings graduating this academic year.

First-Generation Student Cording Ceremony

Join the Office of Student Success and the First Year Experience for our inaugural First-Generation Student Cording Ceremony honoring students who are among the first in their family to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Read more details.