Upcoming Graduation Ceremonies

COMMENCEMENT:
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 10:00am – 11:30am, Marriott Center

Wear your cap and gown and line up with the other undergraduates in the parking lot north of the ASB by 8:45am. 
Your guests should be in the Marriott Center by 9:15am.
Read more here (requesting tickets, standby line, broadcast info, etc.).

GENERAL INFORMATION

Please Be Aware:

Babies are not allowed to be on stage with their parents.
GoPro cameras are not allowed.
Marriott Center now has a No Bag Policy for both guests and graduates.
- Exceptions:
  - Small bags 5” x 8” x 1”
  - Medically necessary bags
  - Reasonably sized diaper bags

Recommended Attire for All Events

Plan to wear professional/Sunday clothing under your gown.
Men, please wear a tie and professional-looking shoes.
Women should avoid a tall heel or other uncomfortable shoes as there are steps to navigate and lines to stand in.

Caps and Gowns

If you still need to purchase your cap and gown, you can go to the Last Chance Sale at the Hinckley Center 8am-5pm on Tuesday, April 22, and Wednesday, April 23.
Make sure your gown is not wrinkled when you walk in Commencement and/or Convocation.
Please do not decorate your cap, gown, or tassel in any way. You will be asked to remove any décor prior to entering the Marriott Center stage.

LIFE SCIENCES CONVOCATION:
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 5:00pm – 7:00pm, Marriott Center

Where and When to Arrive

Arrive to check in at 4:00pm outside the southeast corner of the Marriott Center. You will need to show your Stage Pass on your phone to check in. We are expecting 1200 students, so please arrive on time.
Leave large personal items behind (including water bottles), the Marriott Center has a no bag policy, and you will go through security as part of the check-in process.
The lines for the Processional will move precisely at 4:40pm to enter the Marriott Center floor.
There will be a livestream of the event. It can be found here. The livestream will not be active until the start of the ceremony at 5pm. The event will not be recorded.

Stage Pass:

Graduates who completed the online RSVP will have received their stage pass via email. Those who do not have an online stage pass will need to check in at the help desk and receive a gold card.

You must have your stage pass with you at convocation.
We recommend doing one of the following:

Save it to your digital wallet
Take a screenshot and save it to your camera roll.
Print a paper copy to bring with you.

Photography Pre-Registration:

Complete the photography registration in advance to make check-in go smoothly.

Complete registration even if you are not planning to purchase a photo as it helps the photographer know how to match your picture with your name

Walking With Relatives

If you have a graduating relative/spouse/fiancée walking with you in the Life Sciences Convocation, they should also have received a stage pass or have gotten confirmation that they are on the convocation list. If you have a relative that is joining you after you RSVP’d, please let our office know ASAP.

December 2025 Graduates

If you are graduating in December 2025, you can still participate in our convocation ceremony and check in with everyone else. Be aware you will not be able to get tickets for commencement, and your name will not be in the program for convocation.

Where Will You Be Seated?

Master’s students will be entering through the East tunnel and sitting on the floor of the east side. The BIO, CELL, Public Health, and PWS Departments will be entering from the east tunnel, and the Exercise Science, MMBio, NDFS, and Neuroscience Departments will be entering from the west tunnel. Your seating will match your tunnel entry, with Public Health and PWS sitting in the upper chairs on the east side, and NDFS, Neuroscience, and part of Exercise Science in the upper chairs on the west side. The rest of you will be seated on the floor of the Marriott Center.

Faculty

Faculty need to be seated in the Marriott Center by 4:30pm.

Master’s Students

Watch this video to learn how to wear your cap, gown, and hood. You will wear your tassel to the right. BYU does not have graduates move their tassels during the ceremony.

Women, if you don’t have a button to which to attach the elastic loop of the front of the hood, you may want to pin it.
Many students lose tassels each year. Double loop your tassel on your cap to help avoid losing it.

Be respectful! We work hard to ensure that convocation ends by 7pm. Please do not leave in the middle of the convocation ceremony as it is disruptive and disrespectful to your other classmates.

Where Should You Meet Your Family/Guests Afterwards?

For the Recessional (after the ceremony is over), you will be guided to exit via the same tunnel you entered. We ask that you patiently wait your turn and leave as the ushers direct you. Once outside, please move to the north or south side of the Marriott Center.

Programs

Graduates, you will not receive a full program initially. There will be a QR code for a digital agenda for you to scan. When you exit the tunnel, you will be offered the opportunity to take a full program. If you are graduating in December 2025 or later, your name will not be in this year’s program.

In Case of Inclement Weather

In the case of inclement weather, you will receive additional instructions via email or at the Marriott Center as you arrive.

Convocation Information for Your Family Members/Guests

No tickets are required for Convocation.
The Marriott Center has a no bag policy for all guests. Exceptions are small bags no larger than 5” x 8” x 1”, medically necessary items, and diaper bags. All guests will go through security upon arrival, so please plan accordingly.
Take seating inside the Marriott Center between Portals E – M starting at 4pm and no later than 4:45pm. Seating is first-come, first-served. Accessible seating is located at each portal entrance and is also first-come, first-served.
- Although there are no wheelchairs available to rent at the Marriott Center, a limited number are available to borrow to transport guests to their seats. These wheelchairs are available in the Guest Services booth, between portal A and Y on the northeast side of the Marriott Center. To ensure the wheelchairs are returned, please bring a driver’s license to leave as collateral.
Graduates in the Exercise Sciences, Neuroscience, NDFS and MMBio departments will enter from the west tunnel.
Graduates in the Biology, CELL, Public Health and PWS departments will enter from the east tunnel. Master’s and PhD students will also enter from the east tunnel.
Respect appropriate decorum by being considerate of graduates. Do not use loud noisemakers, such as air horns or cowbells, as they disrupt the ceremony and interfere with the ability to hear the students’ names.
Guests can pick up a physical program or can access an online program while at the Marriott Center.
At the end of Convocation, graduates will be directed to exit out the same tunnel they entered and walk to the north or south end of the Marriott Center. Please make plans to meet your graduate on either the north side (parking lot side) or the south side of the Marriott Center.

Additional Graduation Resources

All things graduation: https://enrollment.byu.edu/graduation
Caps and Gowns: https://alumni.byu.edu/caps-and-gowns
Policies and Procedures: https://catalog.byu.edu/policy/graduation

For any additional questions, call Life Sciences Advisement at 801-422-3042, or email us at lsadvisement@byu.edu. For your information, our office will close at 2pm Thursday April 24th, 2025, for Convocation. We will re-open at 8:00 Friday April 25th, 2025.