Know Before You Go!

Dear Graduates,

Congratulations! We are excited to celebrate your accomplishments at Commencement. Over 5,800 graduates will participate at Rowan’s largest Commencement yet.

Below, please find event and participation details to know before you attend. We encourage you to share the information with your guests.

University Commencement Ceremony & Celebration on May 6, 2023 at 10 a.m.
The upbeat and lively ceremony includes a message from President Houshmand, a ceremonious conferral of degrees, and addresses from our Commencement speaker, Dr. Lucy Rorke-Adams, who is also accepted an honorary degree recipient, along with another dear friend of Rowan, Gerald Shreiber. Also, Dr. William Spurlin ’76 will be recognized as our 2023 Distinguished Alumnus. And, of course, many special surprises! The ceremony is approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

Following the ceremony, graduates and guests are invited to the celebration on North Campus Drive. Complimentary lunch bites, great music, photo opportunities, First Gen and Alumni Association tents, as well as a beer & wine garden will fill the space.

Graduates must arrive at Parking Lot O-1 for check-in by 9:00 a.m. To participate in this ceremony, graduates are required to wear a cap and gown.

The doors to Richard Wackar Stadium open at 8:30 a.m. Guest tickets are required. We strongly recommend your guests print or save their ticket to their phone before the day of the ceremony. There are no assigned seats. For a full University Commencement ceremony map, click here.

College Commencement Ceremonies, May 8-11, 2023
Thirteen Commencement ceremonies will be held over 4 days – Monday, May 8 to Thursday, May 11, 2023. Each ceremony will last approximately one hour and thirty minutes from processional to recessional and will include the stage crossing of each graduate. 

Graduates should arrive 45 minutes prior to the ceremony start time at the baseball field for check-in. Graduates are required to wear the Rowan University cap and gown to participate.

The entrances to the University Green at Bunce Hall will open 45 minutes prior to each ceremony start time. Tickets are required. We strongly recommend your guests print or save their ticket to their phone before the day of the ceremony. There are no assigned seats. For a College Commencement ceremonies map, click here.  

After each ceremony, graduates and guests are invited to meet up with each other just beyond the University Green, between Laurel and Oak Halls. Graduates and their guests can enjoy soft pretzels and water ice, while snapping selfies at one of the photo opportunities. 
Live-Stream
All ceremonies are live streamed. To watch in real-time or at a later time, please click here. 

Guest Tickets
Graduates received 6 guest tickets to the University Commencement ceremony & celebration and 4 guest tickets to their College Commencement ceremony. Digital and printed tickets are accepted at all gated entrances. Only guests with tickets will be permitted inside the gates at Wackar Stadium and the barricades at the University Green at Bunce Hall.  As a reminder, graduates, if you have not done so already, please click here to email guest tickets prior to the day of your ceremony.

Prohibited Items from the Venues
Signs, noisemakers, horns, whistles, firecrackers, alcohol, illegal substances, or other disruptive devices are not permitted in the venue. Other items may be subject to removal by the University and public safety.  All bags are subject to search.

Parking & Shuttles
Complimentary parking and shuttle transportation is available throughout the campus.

For the University Commencement ceremony, parking is in Lot A, B, D, F, O, Edgewood Park Apartments and Chestnut Hall lots. Shuttles will loop through these parking lots to Richard Wackar Stadium. Additional shuttles will loop from Rowan Boulevard / Courtyard by Marriott to the stadium. Click here to view the map.

For the College Commencement ceremonies on the University Green at Bunce Hall, recommended parking is in the Townhouse Garage, Lot B, D, F, O, Edgewood Park Apartments, Chestnut Hall lots. Shuttles will loop through these parking lots to Lot R, University Green at Bunce Hall. Additional shuttles will loop from Rowan Boulevard / Courtyard by Marriott to Lot R, University Green at Bunce Hall. Click here to view the map.

Accessible Parking Pass Requests
Graduates and guests who require accessible parking must submit a request for a permit to parking@rowan.edu by May 1, 2023.  

For the University Ceremony, Lot C is dedicated to accessible parking and will require a Rowan University Commencement parking pass. For the college ceremonies, Lot P is dedicated to accessible parking and will require a Rowan University Commencement parking pass. A standard handicap tag alone will not allow you access to either of these lots.

Photography
Professional photographers from GradImages will photograph each graduate as they cross the stage, as well as other photos throughout the event. Finding your graduate’s photos after the ceremony is easy. 

Visit www.GradImages.com to view and purchase custom photo products like prints, plaques, specialty gifts, and more. You can also pre-register your contact information using the direct link below. Upon completion, you will receive a coupon code for 20% off an order of $50 or more. 

https://www.gradimages.com/registration/Search?SchoolName=Rowan+University 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your photos, please contact our Customer Service Department at (800) 261-2576, online at www.gradimages.com, or email ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. We have a large team of customer care representatives ready to help graduates and family members with anything they may need.

Flower and Gift Sales
The Commencement Group will offer flowers and gifts for graduates to purchase at the ceremony or you may click here to browse, pre-purchase and pick up on-site.  

Inclement Weather
Commencement ceremonies will be held rain or shine. If thunder and lightning force postponement, we have reserved Sunday May 7 at 2 p.m. or Monday, May 8 at 9 a.m. for the University Commencement ceremony and celebration. The college ceremonies will be held at the regularly scheduled date and time, but inside at Esby Gym. 

Alumni Association
The Rowan University Alumni Association is excited to welcome you to our network of over 108,000 #RowanPROUD alumni! To stay connected with us after graduation, be sure to update your contact information, register for Profs Connect, and follow us on social media (@RowanAlumni). During the next few months we also recommend completing the Rowan Network Account and Email Checklist to ensure a smooth transition, as your network access - including email - will expire in one year. 

Before Commencement, we hope that you will help us reach our goal of 223 donors for the Senior Class Gift! Graduating seniors who make a gift of $20.23 or more will receive a spirit cord symbolizing their commitment to future Profs. All funds raised through the Class Gift program will provide scholarship support to Class of 2028 students!

Helpful Tips

• Your experience at Commencement can include a lot of walking and at times on grass at the University Green. Please choose suitable footwear.
• Dress for the weather! The month of May can be tricky for the weather. Be sure to check the forecast and choose the appropriate attire.
• Consider building time into your itinerary to park and take the shuttle to the ceremony location. Graduates are asked to arrive 45 minutes prior to the ceremony. The gates to the Richard Wackar Stadium (Saturday, May 6) open at 8:30 a.m. and 45 minutes prior to each college ceremony at the University Green at Bunce Hall. 

Congratulations again, graduate! We are excited to celebrate your #RowanPROUD moment at Commencement.  If you have any questions or need additional information, please email commencement@rowan.edu.

Sincerely,
The 2023 Commencement Steering Committee