Graduating Students

Pre-Commencement Information

Senior Salute
Senior Salute is Wednesday, March 6 in Crockett Hall and students may drop in at their convenience from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. This celebration of your achievements includes pickup of your free cap and gown, as well as the opportunity to confirm your diploma name, name pronunciation, invitation addresses, honors, and more. You will also receive your commemorative Commencement invitation and confirm the names and addresses of up to two family/friends to receive invitations as well. Check your UVA Wise email for additional details about Senior Salute.

Caps & Gowns/Honors Tassels
Your free cap & gown is available for pickup at Senior Salute on Wednesday, March 6 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Students who qualify for academic distinction will receive a gold honors tassel on the day of the ceremony. Honors will be based on completed course work at UVA Wise. Please call the Registrar’s Office at 276-328-0116 with any questions.

Clubs, Organizations & Involvement
Honor societies, leadership engagement and other involvements by graduates are signified by cords, stoles, and/or pins. Students should contact their organization advisor or director for more information.

  • Alpha Alpha Alpha - braided navy & gray cords
  • Darden Society - red & silver cords
  • First-Year Seminar Peer Leaders - red, silver & black cords
  • Lambda Pi Eta - red & white cords
  • National Residence Hall Honorary - blue & white cords
  • National Society of Leadership & Success - black & silver cords
  • Nursing - red stole
  • Omicron Delta Kappa - white, black & blue braided cords
  • Phi Alpha Theta - red & blue cords
  • Philosophy Club - light teal cords
  • Pi Sigma Alpha - red, white & black cords
  • Psi Chi - gold cords with blue & gold tassels
  • Resident Assistants - blue & gold braided cords
  • Sigma Delta Pi - lapel pins & carmine cords
  • Sigma Tau Delta - black & red cords
  • Sigma Zeta - blue shield pin
  • Student Ambassadors - red, white & blue braided cords
  • Student Athletes - white stoles
  • Student Government Association - red & blue cords
  • UVA Wise Connects - turquoise cords

Announcements
The UVA Wise Bookstore offers graduating students the opportunity to order announcements to share your achievement with family and friends. Return the order form to the Bookstore on the first-floor of the Slemp Student Center. For questions, please call 276-328-0210.

Rehearsal
Rehearsal for Commencement 2024 (including the ROTC Commissioning Ceremony) will be Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. and be held in the DJP Convocation Center. Name pronunciation will also be confirmed. Caps and gowns are not to be worn for rehearsal. Casual attire is appropriate.

Commencement Ceremony Information

Accessibility Services
Graduating students and guests in need of accessible services, including ASL services, should contact the Office of Disability Services at disability@uvawise.edu by Friday, April 26.

Arrival For Ceremony 
Graduating students will assemble in caps & gowns at 9:00 a.m. at the Registrar’s reception tent between Crockett Hall and Cantrell Hall. There will be no space available to leave or secure valuables, so please leave coats, purses and other valuables with a family member or friend.

For safety reasons, children and/or family members are not allowed to participate in the processional and should go directly to the DJP Convocation Center for the ceremony.

Attire
Graduating students will wear their caps & gowns and are encouraged to otherwise dress appropriately for the occasion and weather. Comfortable shoes with little or no heel are strongly encouraged to prevent tripping or falling due to the procession route of approximately one-half mile, including stairs.

Parking
Graduating students will park on the main campus. Campus Police will be available to provide directions.

Tickets
Tickets are not required for your guests for Commencement 2024. Guest seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Traffic
Please visit www.townofwise.net for additional information about events and projects in the Town of Wise that may impact travel.

Post-Commencement Information

Diplomas & Transcripts
Diplomas will be mailed to graduates approximately four to five weeks after Commencement. For graduates completing their degrees in the summer, diplomas will be ordered after the second summer school session and mailed about six weeks later. Diplomas are mailed to the address provided by graduates on the graduation application and confirmed during Senior Salute.

Graduates with a double major have completed two programs, but only one degree. They will receive one diploma, unless they have completed the hours required for two degree paths (BA/BS/BSN).

Final honors, based on all coursework at UVA Wise, earned will appear on the diploma and on official transcripts.

After June 1, final official transcripts may be ordered from the Registrar’s Office online, in person, or by telephone at 276-328-0116.

Programs
Commencement programs will be provided for all families and guests upon entrance to the DJP Convocation Center. Graduating students will also receive a copy during the ceremony.