Fall 2021 Commencement
Friday, December 17, 2021
6:00 p.m.
Junker Center

 

Candidate for Graduation Checklist

If you are planning to graduate from Penn State Behrend, it is necessary to take the following steps:

  • Declare Your Intent to Graduate: It is your responsibility to notify the University of your intent to graduate (See Policy 86-00). You must declare your intent to graduate by using the "Applying for Graduation" application on LionPATH. The Intent to Graduate Activation Period is listed on the Academic Calendar for each semester. If you miss the activation deadline for your intended semester of graduation, you must contact the Registrar's Office in Metzgar Center.
  • Register for the Ceremony: Candidates planning to attend the ceremony need to confirm their participation with the Registrar's Office. An online RSVP form will be sent out several months in advance of the ceremony; watch your email.
    • Are you a student who has not yet met the graduation requirements for their major, but wants to participate in a commencement ceremony at Behrend? Complete the Petition for Participation in Commencement Ceremony (PDF) | (Word) and return it to the Registrar's Office. (The deadline for permission to walk is the late drop deadline.)
    • Are you a student at another Penn State campus who wants to participate in commencement at Behrend? Refer to the Alternate Commencement Site for information.
  • Meet With Your Adviser: Use LionPATH to request a current degree audit and review it with your academic adviser. You should meet with your adviser each semester. This will ensure that you are on track to meet all degree requirements. If you are missing courses, credits, or grade requirements, you will not be able to graduate. You cannot graduate with missing or deferred grades.
  • Transfer Your Credits: It is preferable to avoid taking classes at another institution during your intended semester of graduation. If you do, you must ensure that Penn State receives your official transcript with the grades on time. If courses are not posted to your transcript on time, graduation will be postponed to the following semester. Be sure to use the Penn State transfer articulation tool to verify how transfer credits will be used on your degree audit.
  • Check Your Address: You will be receiving important graduation information in the mail, so it is important that your address is up to date. You can check your address on LionPATH. Make sure that both your local and permanent addresses are correct.
  • Check Your Name: If you wish to change the way your name will appear on your diploma, you should file a request for a name change promptly through the Registrar's Office. All diplomas will be mailed from University Park to your permanent residence address approximately three to four weeks after the commencement ceremony. If your diploma was damaged in the mail, please return it to the Registrar's Office at University Park with a note saying it was damaged. After the damaged diploma is received, a new one will be sent at no charge.

Commencement Information

  • Academic Dress: Undergraduate academic regalia consists of blue gowns with wide sleeves and blue mortarboard caps with tassels. Graduate regalia is distinguished from the undergraduate regalia by black gowns with pointed sleeves and a hood. The uniform of the armed forces is the only other apparel officially recognized and permitted at commencement. Undergraduate academic regalia is available for purchase at the Behrend Bookstore October 25, from noon to 6:00 p.m., and October 26, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Gowns are available in regular and plus sizes. Please check your regalia for accuracy, quality, and fit before the day of the ceremony so that it can be exchanged, if needed. Graduate academic regalia is available for purchase online through the Behrend Bookstore.
  • Properly Wearing Academic Regalia: Candidates for the baccalaureate and associate degrees should wear the tassel of the cap on the right front edge. Candidates must wear a gown and a cap with a tassel. The gown must be zipped in order to participate in the processional and ceremony.
  • Master’s Hoods: Candidates for a master's degree should carry their hood in the processional and bring it with them to the stage. Your hood will be placed on your shoulders by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. Master's hoods are available for purchase online through the Behrend Bookstore.
  • Photography: Lifetouch Photography will take photos of the candidates during the ceremony. To contact Lifetouch visit events.lifetouch.com or call 814-825-1800.
  • Rings and Announcement Cards: Students may purchase class rings and personalized commencement announcement cards from a Josten's representative at the Behrend Bookstore. For more information, please contact the bookstore at 814-898-6236.
  • Academic Distinction: Penn State has established criteria for students to graduate with academic distinction. See the current GPA criteria on the University's Graduation with Distinction page.

Information for Guests

  • Photography To commemorate this milestone occasion, a professional photograph is taken of each graduate. Prior to commencement, a mailing will be sent that details this arrangement, including how to place an order. To avoid congestion and to maintain decorum in the ceremony, we ask that family and friends refrain from approaching the stage when taking pictures or using a video camera.
  • Parking: Free parking is available at Junker Center and surrounding campus lots.
  • Travel and Accommodations: Learn more about transportation options, directions to Behrend, and nearby hotels.

For More Information

If you have additional questions not answered here, email [email protected].