Hey, guys, Aidan here! With graduation just around the corner, seniors at Southern Utah University may find themselves overwhelmed and confused by the sheer amount of preparation and dates they are tasked with remembering. Luckily, here at SUU News, we have you covered with a complete guide for where you have to be, when you have to be there and why. So, to quote the early 2000s supergroup Black Eyed Peas, “Let’s get it started.”
Grad Fair: Picking up your cap and gown
The first step for graduation is, of course, looking the part. You may be asking, “How do I acquire this coveted apparel?” Well, the first step is to place the order for pickup at the Grad Fair, which you can do here. You won’t have to specify what size of robe you want when you order, as Jostens will do the sizing when you arrive for pickup. The cap and gown are free for graduates, but you will have the option to purchase special stoles and cords if desired.
After you place the order, the next step is to attend the Grad Fair, which is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday, April 26, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center. For those unable to attend during these dates and times, an authorization form for someone else to pick up your regalia can be found here.
You will be asked to fill out a graduate questionnaire at the Grad Fair via your MySUU Portal if you haven’t completed it already. Once the questionnaire is complete, you can receive your regalia.
In addition to your cap and gown, you can visit the various booths to receive any stoles and cords you have ordered, a medal if you are graduating with honors and a membership card for the Southern Utah University Alumni Association, which gives you a 20% discount on SUU memorabilia at the bookstore as well as a host of other benefits found on the Alumni Association page.
I have my stuff, so now what?
Now that you’ve gone through the Grad Fair, the next step is to figure out when you are walking. All graduating seniors will participate in the bell tower tradition on Thursday, April 25. Line-ups for the procession start at 6 p.m. on the Upper Quad. At 6:30 p.m., you’ll walk underneath the bell tower and head to the America First Event Center for the university-wide ceremony featuring both keynote and student speakers as well as the switching of the tassels.
“But what about my college-specific ceremony?” Worry not, fellow T-Bird, as below is a list of all the times for those ceremonies, which will all be held in the AFEC.
— 8:00 a.m. – College of Engineering & Computational Sciences, including associate of applied science degrees in aviation, CAD/CAM, construction technology and information technology
— 9:30 a.m. – Walter Maxwell Gibson College of Natural Sciences, including SUCCESS Academy participants
— 11:00 a.m. – College of Humanities & Social Sciences, including associate of science degrees in criminal justice, general studies, legal studies and paralegal studies
— 1:30 p.m. College of Health Sciences, including associate of science degrees in equine science and livestock farm management
— 3:30 p.m. College of Performing & Visual Arts
— 5:00 p.m. Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business
— 7:00 p.m. Beverley Taylor Sorenson College of Education & Human Development
What’s next?
After you graduate, the world is at your fingertips. All you have to do is go and grab it. Good luck on your next steps, Thunderbirds. We’re all rooting for you.
Author: Aidan Mortensen
Photos: Courtesy of SUU
Editor: Nick Stein
life@suunews.net
