Students standing in front of Nassau Hall for Commencement

2017 Commencement events

Several University activities for undergraduate and graduate degree candidates and their families are planned for Sunday through Tuesday, June 4-6.

Tickets are required to attend the following events, except where noted. A campus map is available. 

• The Baccalaureate service will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 4, in the University Chapel. Guests must be seated by 1:30 p.m. The speaker will be 1980 alumna Anne Holton, whose career has focused on advocating for families and children in Virginia.

• The Latinx Graduation is set for 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 4, in the Fields Center.

• The graduation ceremony for first-generation college students is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 5, in McCosh Hall, Room 50.

• The Class Day ceremony for seniors is set for 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 5, on Cannon Green. The speaker will be film director Baz Luhrmann.

• The Hooding ceremony for advanced degree candidates will begin at 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 5, in Jadwin Gymnasium. The ceremony was moved indoors due to the threat of inclement weather. View the program (.pdf).

• The University's 270th Commencement program will begin with the academic procession at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 6, on the lawn in front of Nassau Hall. Guests must be seated by 10:20 a.m. Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber will preside and address the graduates.

Seniors receive their diplomas in their residential colleges. There are shuttle buses to the colleges, and from the colleges to the parking garage. Buses stop by Alexander Hall, next to front campus where Commencement takes place. 

Photos. Professional photos from University photographers can be viewed at http://www.princeton.edu/pr/gradpics/2017. They will be posted to the University website by the end of the week and may be downloaded for free courtesy of the University.

The Lavender Graduation, sponsored by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Center, was held Saturday, May 13, in Chancellor Green Rotunda.

Simulcast sites for the ceremonies are:

• Baccalaureate: McCosh Hall, Rooms 10 (not air-conditioned) and 50 (air-conditioned); McCormick Hall, Room 101 (air-conditioned and accessible); Betts Auditorium in the School of Architecture (air-conditioned and accessible); Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall (air-conditioned and accessible); and Dillon Gym.

• Class Day: McCormick Hall, Room 101 (air-conditioned and accessible); Betts Auditorium in the School of Architecture (air-conditioned and accessible); Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall (air-conditioned and accessible); McCosh Hall Rooms 10 (not air-conditioned) and 50 (air-conditioned); and Dillon Gym. In the event of inclement weather, Class Day will be held in the University Chapel.

• Hooding: Betts Auditorium in the School of Architecture (air-conditioned and accessible) and Dillon Gym. In the event of inclement weather, the Hooding ceremony will be held in Jadwin Gym.

• Commencement: Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall (air-conditioned and accessible); McCormick Hall, Room 101 (air-conditioned and accessible); Betts Auditorium in the School of Architecture (air-conditioned and accessible); and Dillon Gym. No tickets will be required at the simulcast site. In the event of severe weather, Commencement will be held in Jadwin Gym.

In addition, Baccalaureate, Class Day and Hooding will be simulcast on two big screens on Cannon Green.

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.

Parking instructions for members of the University community and guests are available online.

Individuals attending the University's Commencement activities can also access a mobile website that provides general information.

To ease traffic congestion, some University employees are being asked to park in alternate lots on Tuesday. In addition, employees who do not perform essential services for Commencement will be permitted to leave work at 2 p.m. June 6 with supervisory approval.

Media representatives have been requested to register for credentials by 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 30.