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FAQ

  • Commencement will take place on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

    Commencement will take place at the XL Center located at One Civic Center Plaza Hartford, CT 06103.

  • No sign up is needed to participate in commencement. You need to be approved to participate which is shown on your degree evaluation.

    • 4 p.m. Graduates arrive at XL Center
    • 4:30 p.m. Parents arrive at XL Center
    • 5 p.m. Graduates line up in designated area
    • 5:15 p.m. Family and guests should be seated
    • 5:30 p.m. Procession begins
    • 6 p.m. Commencement begins
    • 8:30 p.m. Commencement ends (approximate)

  • Graduation is usually 2 to 2½ hours.

  • Visit the XL Center website for directions.

  • As the XL Center is in downtown Hartford, you will be arriving as the afternoon rush hour is picking up. Please allow plenty of extra time to get through traffic and find parking. Doors to the arena will open to guests at 4:30 pm, and the procession of graduates on to the floor of the arena will begin at 5:30 pm.

    XL Center Parking Information

  • No tickets are required for guests and there is no limit to the number of guests. There are no reserved seats; guests may sit wherever they choose. The best seats fill quickly so time your arrival accordingly. Ushers will be available to assist with seating.

  • Commencement is a joyous but dignified occasion. The University's policy is that all graduates participating in the ceremony must wear an approved cap and gown and only *official honors cords may be worn. Personal adornments (e.g., leis, stoles, or messages on gowns) are not consistent with the spirit of the graduation ceremony. Graduates who appear at the Commencement lineup with unapproved adornment will be asked by student or faculty marshals to remove it. Faculty marshals have the authority to prevent anyone in unapproved adornment from processing. Decorating mortarboards is also prohibited.

    *Official honors cords are those distributed by officially recognized academic honor societies at Eastern or those distributed by the bookstore for students who have earned graduation honors.

  • Undergraduate Commencement

    • Guests are welcome to take photos of graduates during the ceremony.
    • Before graduates line up for the processional, an arbor will be set up in the Concourse to serve as a backdrop for families to take individual and group photos.
    • Our official photographer will take formal photographs of each graduate during the ceremony. These will be available for purchase after Commencement; the company will be in touch with each graduate to take orders.
      You can review these images at https://www.gradimages.com/easternconnecticutstateuniv after the event.

    Graduate Division Commencement

    • Guests are welcome to take photos of graduates before the ceremony as they wish on campus grounds.
    • Guests may also take photos during the ceremony.
    • All Master’s candidates will have individual photos taken during their hooding ceremony and those will be made available to the Graduate Division.