Upcoming Graduation Ceremonies

BYU Commencement: Thursday, April 24, 2025; 10 am-11:30am; Marriott Center

Please 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 Mariott center by 9:15 AM.
Tickets are required for this event. See the Commencement link above.

College of Life Sciences Convocation Instructions

Life Sciences Convocation: Thursday, April 24, 2025; 5:00pm-7:00pm; Marriott Center

Important Note: Since all graduates must be seated inside the Marriott Center by 5 pm, the Processional will begin precisely at 4:40 pm!

Arrive to check in by 4:00pm outside the southeast corner of the Marriott Center.
You will be filling out your name card. We are expecting 1200 students, so please arrive on time.
Complete the photography info in advance, whether you are purchasing a photo or not.
Print your name in LARGE and CLEAR letters for the professors who will be reading your name as you cross the stage.
After you fill out your name card, find your department line.
Leave large personal items behind, 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.
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.

Accessibility for Guests: Seating accommodations for guests in wheelchairs or with other physical disabilities are available at the Marriott Center on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Please be aware:

Babies are not allowed on stage with their parents.
GoPro cameras are not allowed.
Proper attire is Sunday dress.
When you walk across the stage you will be given a diploma cover. Diplomas will be mailed later.
Tickets are not required for guests and seating is open.

Other Information:

Walking with Relatives: If you have a graduating relative/spouse/fiancée walking with you in the Life Sciences Convocation, they will check in with you and will fill out a name card as well. Your relative’s major will not be announced.
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 may not be able to get tickets for commencement, and your name will not be in the program for convocation.
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.
There will be a live stream of the event: It can be found at livestream.byu.edu/lifesciences2024. The livestream will not be active until the start of the ceremony. The event will not be recorded.
Faculty: Faculty need to be seated in the Marriott Center by 4:30pm.

Caps and Gowns

Online and phone sales for graduation regalia are now closed. There will be caps and gowns for sale at the Hinckley Center during the Grad Fair March 4 - 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students can come in person to the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center during these times to purchase a cap and gown. If students can’t make it, someone else can pick it up for them if they have the students’ measurements, the college and degree they’re graduating in, and the ability to pay in person. Life Science undergraduate students are required to have a white tassel.

Please ensure 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.

For more information on this, visit https://alumni.byu.edu/caps-and-gowns.

Where Should You Meet Your Family/Guests Afterwards?

For the Recessional, 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, you will be able to move to the north or south side of the Marriott Center, where the parking lot is.

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.
Graduates in the Exercise Science, 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 airhorns 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.

Programs

Graduates, you will not receive a full program initially. There will be an agenda of the program on your seats as you arrive. 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 rain or snow, we ask that you still report to the SE corner outside the Marriott Center for a quick check-in. You will then be directed to the appropriate seating area per department inside 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.