Princeton University Commencement to be held June 2
Members of the news media who wish to attend any of Princeton University's 2015 graduation ceremonies Sunday through Tuesday, May 31-June 2, must contact the University's Office of Communications no later than 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, to request credentials.
Seating for media is not guaranteed for any event; however, for those who want to view the events remotely, the Hooding ceremony for the Graduate School and Commencement are scheduled to be simulcast live at sites on campus and on local TV channels. Because of space limitations, photography and filming will be limited at some of the graduation events (please see the summary of events listed below for more information).
The Class of 2015 will have its Baccalaureate on Sunday, May 31; Class Day and Hooding ceremony on Monday, June 1; and Commencement on Tuesday, June 2.
To request credentials for Baccalaureate, Class Day, the Hooding ceremony or Commencement, news media must email newsmedia@princeton.edu, and provide the name, phone number and email address for each person requesting credentials, in addition to specifying the event(s) for which credentials are being requested.
Due to space limitations at Commencement, only a limited number of photographers present at the event will be granted access to the foot of the stage to take photos of the procession. If you would like to be considered for one of those slots, please indicate that in your RSVP. Photographers granted one of these slots will be notified before Commencement. All members of the media will be able to access and use images of the procession later that afternoon.
Journalists who request credentials will receive confirmation and further instructions prior to the events.
Media credentials for all events will be available for distribution from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, May 28-29, in the Office of Communications at 22 Chambers St., Suite 201, Princeton. Journalists must pre-register by Friday, May 22, for each event and receive advance confirmation of attendance because seating will be extremely limited.
Confirmed journalists who do not pick up credentials on the assigned dates will not be allowed entry to the events, and reserved seating will be available only for journalists who have registered in advance.
Below is a summary of the graduation events leading up to and including Princeton's 268th Commencement. For more information, visit the Commencement website.
---The Baccalaureate service will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 31, in the University Chapel. The speaker will be Lisa P. Jackson, a 1986 graduate alumna, vice president of environmental initiatives at Apple Inc. and former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Advance registration and advance pick-up of credentials is required. Media seating is in front of a large simulcast screen behind Nassau Hall on Cannon Green. Seating inside the chapel is reserved for seniors and the faculty procession. News photographers and film crews will not be permitted inside the chapel.
---The Class Day ceremony for seniors is set for 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 1, on Cannon Green. In the event of severe weather, the ceremony will be held in the University Chapel, where only seniors will be allowed inside due to limited space. Guests would go to simulcast sites. Advance registration and advance pick-up of credentials is required for on-site media seating for this event. The speaker will be Christopher Nolan, film director, screen writer, and producer.
--- The Hooding ceremony for advanced degree candidates will begin at 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 1, on Cannon Green (rain location for candidates is Alexander Hall and for guests is the Dillon Gym simulcast location). The Hooding ceremony requires credentials, so members of the media who plan to attend must specify their intent in advance.
--- The Commencement ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 2, on the lawn in front of Nassau Hall (Jadwin Gym in the event of severe weather). The program will begin with the academic procession. Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber will preside over the event and address the graduates. Several honorary degrees traditionally are conferred, but names are not announced until that day. Advance registration and advance pick-up of credentials is required. Members of the media who are not seated by 10:20 a.m. will not be allowed entry into the event.
Baccalaureate, Hooding and Commencement ceremonies are scheduled to be broadcast live on TigerNet Channel 7 on campus and in Princeton on Channel 27 for Comcast subscribers and Channel 21 for Verizon FIOS subscribers. The events also are scheduled to be webcast live and archived online for later viewing on the University's Media Central site.
The Baccalaureate ceremony will be simulcast in Dillon Gym; Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall; McCormick Hall, Room 101; Betts Auditorium in the Architecture Building; and McCosh Hall, Rooms 10 and 50 and to two big screens on Cannon Green.
Class Day will be simulcast in Dillon Gym; Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall; McCosh Hall, Room 10; Betts Auditorium in the Architecture Building; and McCormick Hall, Room 101. No tickets will be required for the simulcast sites.
The Hooding ceremony is scheduled to be simulcast in Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall; Dillon Gym; and Dodds Auditorium in Robertson Hall. In the event of inclement weather, the Hooding ceremony will be held at Richardson Auditorium and simulcast in Dillon Gym and Dodds Auditorium in Robertson Hall.
Commencement is planned to be simulcast in Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall and on Cannon Green. No tickets will be required at the simulcast sites.