Commencement 2021

Location and Parking

• All ceremonies will be held at Sprague Field on the Montclair State University Campus
• Gates to the field will open 60 minutes before the start of ceremonies
• All parking is free during Commencement ceremonies at Red Hawk Deck and all surface lots
• Please enter campus via College Avenue or Yogi Berra Drive. See the campus map for details

Regalia

Regalia is required to participate in the Commencement ceremony and must be purchased in advance of the ceremony. Regalia will not be available for purchase at Commencement.

All orders will shipped directly to the student’s home.

Please note ordering deadlines below.

Candidates for Bachelor’s Degrees: Bachelor’s regalia is black in color and includes cap, gown and tassel. The deadline to order regalia is May 12, 2021.

Candidates for Master’s Degrees: Master’s regalia is red in color and includes cap, gown, hood and tassel. The deadline to order regalia is May 12, 2021.

Candidates for Doctoral Degrees:  Doctoral regalia is red in color, faced down the front with black velvet, with three bars of the same across the sleeves; includes tam (cap) gown, hood, and tassel.

Doctoral degree candidates have three options for ordering regalia:

1. Purchase a Fine Quality Custom Package: Includes gown, fine quality hood and tam. The gown and tam are custom made to student’s exact measurements.  The deadline to order regalia is April 12, 2021. Please allow 6 weeks for delivery.
2. Purchase a Souvenir Gown, Fine Quality Hood and Custom Tam: The tam is custom made to student’s exact measurements. The deadline to order regalia is May 12, 2021.
3. Purchase a Souvenir Package: Includes a souvenir gown, souvenir hood and souvenir tam. The deadline to order regalia is May 12, 2021.

**Please note that there is a slight difference in the tams and tassel between the custom tams and the souvenir tam (photos are available on the ordering website). Students may contact The Graduate School at gradschool@montclair.edu to view the two options before ordering.

For any regalia related questions, please email 0356mgr@follett.com

Order Your Regalia

Commencement Programs

Print out your Commencement Program before the ceremony and bring it with you. Or share it with friends and family. The printable programs will be posted here in June.

Faculty Information

Commencement ceremonies will be held on campus Monday, June 7 through Sunday, June 13. Ceremonies have been assigned by college/school departments and/or major. Please check with your college/school regarding the detailed ceremony schedule.

All faculty must RSVP to their college/school if planning to attend a Commencement Ceremony. The deadline to RSVP is Monday, May 24.

• College of the Arts: Sarah Assalone, webers@montclair.edu
• College of Education and Human Services: Ruben Irizarry, irizarryr@montclair.edu
• College of Humanities and Social Services: Jackie Novak, novakj@montclair.edu
• College of Science and Mathematics: Scott Kight, kights@montclair.edu
• Feliciano School of Business: Eric Moskovitz, moskovitze@montclair.edu
• School of Nursing: Eileen Kearney, kearneye@montclair.edu
• The Graduate School: Laura Valente, valentel@montclair.edu

Faculty and staff participating as a Platform Party member have regalia to participate. The deadline to order regalia is Monday, April 26. Regalia rentals will be shipped to the University Bookstore and will be available for pick up May 24 – June 7.

University Bookstore Hours:

Monday- Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

*The bookstore will be closed on Monday, May 31.

All regalia rentals must be returned at the conclusion of Commencement. University staff will be at the Commencement ceremonies collect your regalia.

Order Your Regalia

Ceremony Registration

If you plan to attend Commencement, you must register in advance.

Registration will open for all ceremonies by April 26, 2021. Please watch your Montclair email address for more information. Registration instructions will be posted here before  April 26.

When registering, your ceremony assignment will be displayed. Students are only eligible to attend the ceremony to which they have been assigned.

You will also be able to request and allocate electronic guest tickets when you register. Each graduate will be allocated two guest tickets. You must submit the names of your guests when you register. Please review all of the important information regarding guest registration.  Due to strict safety protocols, there will be no exceptions made to the electronic ticket procedure and guest requirements.

Student Ceremony Information

• Graduates are required to complete the MSU daily screening assessment, Hawk Check,  6-14 hours prior to the ceremony. Graduates will be asked to display the email confirmation upon arrival. The email confirmation can be printed or displayed on a mobile device.
• Due to safety protocols, we ask graduates to report 60 minutes prior to their ceremony start time. Commencement staff will direct students to graduate check-in and line-up area
• Guests and/or children will not be permitted in the student line-up or seating areas.
• Graduates must wear face coverings and keep 6 feet of distance from others throughout the event.
• To ensure the safety of all attendees, please follow signs, arrows, and verbal instructions from the event staff.
• Graduates should bring their own water bottle.
• Regalia is required to participate in the Commencement ceremony and must be purchased in advance of the ceremony. Regalia will not be available for purchase at Commencement.
• Any graduates who do not feel well on the day of the ceremony are asked to stay home.
• Any graduates not feeling well will not be permitted to enter.

Guest Registration

Please review this important information regarding guest tickets:

• Each graduate will be allocated 2 guest tickets
• Guest names MUST be submitted in advance when registering
• Only guests whose names were submitted by the student may enter
• During registration, graduates will  be asked to submit the email address of each of their guests for the electronic ticket process
• Each ticket has a unique barcode that will be scanned upon entering the event
• Each ticket can be scanned only once
• Ticket is only valid for the Commencement ceremony listed on the ticket
• All guests must have tickets to enter Sprague Field, including infants and children
• Graduates do not need a ticket to attend but must register by Thursday, May 13
• Guests without an authorized ticket will not be permitted to enter. There will be no exceptions.

All guests are required to complete the MSU screening assessment,  Hawk Check, 6-14 hours prior to arrival on campus. All guests will be asked  to display the email confirmation upon arrival. The email confirmation can be printed or displayed on a mobile device. Guests will not be permitted to enter the ceremony if Hawk Check has not been submitted.

Guest Ceremony Information

All guests are required to complete the MSU screening assessment,  Hawk Check, 6-14 hours prior to arrival on campus. All guests will be asked  to display the email confirmation upon arrival. The email confirmation can be printed or displayed on a mobile device. Guests will not be permitted to enter the ceremony if Hawk Check has not been submitted.

• To ensure the safety of all attendees, please follow signs, arrows and verbal instructions from event staff.
• All guests must wear face coverings throughout the event.
• Any attendees who do not feel well on the day of the ceremony are asked to stay home.
• Any attendees not feeling well will not be permitted to enter.
• All guests must keep 6 feet of distance from others throughout the event.
• Guests will be seated in the bleachers and may only sit in the designated seating areas marked on the bleacher seats. Event staff will help direct guests to the seating areas.
• ADA seating will be available. Event staff will help direct guests to these locations.
• All guests must have a valid ticket to enter Sprague Field. Please review the guest registration information section above for more important information.
• Sprague Field is an outside venue. Guests should bring their own water bottles and bring umbrellas (or wear a hat) for shade. Guests will be far enough apart for the use of umbrellas. Please dress according to the weather and bring a poncho in the event of inclement weather. Please visit this page for any updated weather information.
• All guests will have their bags checked upon entering Sprague Field.
• Strollers and wagons will not be permitted on the bleachers. Families who bring strollers or wagons must leave them behind prior to entering the bleachers. The University is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
• The length of the ceremony will be approximately one hour and will be streamed live.

Important Safety Information

All graduates, MSU staff, guests and campus visitors are required to complete the MSU screening assessment,  Hawk Check, 6-14 hours prior to arrival on campus. All in attendance will be asked to display the email confirmation upon arrival. The email confirmation can be printed or displayed on a mobile device. You will not be permitted to enter the ceremony if Hawk Check has not been submitted.

For everyone’s safety, if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms, you must not come to the ceremony.

We will not admit people who have, within the last 14 days:

• Tested positive for COVID-19
• Been directly exposed to someone with COVID-19
• Been directed by a medical professional to quarantine or isolate due to exposure to COVID-19
• Have had or currently have symptoms of COVID-19

Post-graduation Survey

Prior to registering for commencement, you must complete the post graduation survey.  The post graduation survey is designed to collect feedback about your experience while studying at Montclair State as well as your post-graduation plans. (View information about this survey.) To access the survey, log in below using your NetID and password. Please Note: Your name will be submitted with your responses. Take the Survey

Please Note: If you are a December 2020 or January 2021 graduate, we ask that you resubmit the survey if you indicated that you were still seeking employment or still researching continuing education programs at the time of graduation, or if your post-graduation plans have since changed. If you submitted any other outcome, you do not need to complete the survey again at this time.

Please Note: Completing the survey does not guarantee graduation.  To check on your graduation application status, you will need to review your Degree Works audit.

If you have any questions, please send an email to careerserv@montclair.edu

Count Me In – Senior Class Gift

The senior class gift is a proud Montclair State tradition where members of the graduating class invest in the University, joining alumni and fellow students in strengthening the areas of Montclair State that they love. Being a part of the senior class gift gives members of the Class of 2021 the opportunity to leave their legacy by making their first gift to the University. Gifts to any program or area at Montclair State count. You can choose to support the Emergency Scholarship Fund, created by the Class of 2015, or the program or club that means the most to you.

Count Me In

FAQs

What is the difference between graduation and Commencement?

Graduation and Commencement are frequently confused terms.

Graduation

To graduate, a student must complete all undergraduate degree or graduate program requirements, apply for graduation through their Final Audit and be certified by the Registrar’s Office for graduation. A student can complete all requirements and graduate in August, January or May, depending upon when certified by the Registrar’s Office.

Commencement

Commencement is the symbolic ceremony that marks the closing of your academic career where you receive commendation for your graduation. It is an opportunity for you, your family, friends and the Montclair State University community to celebrate your achievement.

Why did Montclair State decide to hold commencement ceremonies?

Commencement is an important milestone for Montclair State students, many of whom are the first in their families to graduate from college. Our graduates have asked for an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments together with their loved ones. The University decided to hold multiple smaller ceremonies in accordance with state guidelines for outdoor events in order to give our students that opportunity.

What will happen at the ceremonies?

Graduates will line up and march in (socially distanced). They will be seated on Sprague Field (socially distanced). There will be remarks from the platform, and graduates will walk across the stage (socially distanced) to be individually acknowledged. Graduates will recess (socially distanced).

Am I eligible to participate in Commencement if I will be enrolled during summer 2021 to complete my degree requirements?

No, only students who will have completed all requirements by the end of the Spring 2021 semester will be eligible to participate.

Are faculty required to attend Commencement?

No. Faculty are always invited to commencement ceremonies, but they are not required to attend.

Are graduates required to attend Commencement?

No. Participation is entirely voluntary.

What will be done to reduce the health risks at the ceremonies?

The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and guests is always our top priority. The University will follow state and federal public health guidelines. Specifically:

• Holding the ceremonies outdoors, in the football stadium, where graduates, guests and the platform party can be socially distanced
• Holding numerous ceremonies to limit the number of persons attending
• Separating graduates by 6 feet on Sprague Field
• Separating guests by 6 feet in the bleachers (except for those from the same household)
• Keeping the size of the platform party small and seating them 6 feet apart
• Requiring everybody to wear face coverings
• Disinfecting all surfaces, including chairs and bleachers, before and after each ceremony
• Providing hand sanitizer
• Live-streaming the ceremony for those who cannot attend in person
• Separating those in the procession and recession by 6 feet
• Installing plexiglass between the name reader and graduates
• Requiring advance registration and using a ticketing system to assure that only pre-registered persons are admitted
• Prohibiting handshakes on stage
• Requiring all graduates, MSU staff, guests and campus visitors to complete the MSU screening assessment, Hawk Check, 6-14 hours prior to arrival on campus.
• Advising graduates and guests not to attend if they are sick, and refusing admission to anyone who is sick

How do I order a yearbook?

Contact The Student Government Association at 973-655-4202

Where do I order class rings?

Class rings may be purchased through Balfour

 Where can I find information about my diploma and graduating with honors?

Diplomas will be mailed to students approximately two weeks after your conferment date. Diploma covers will be distributed at Commencement.

If you are graduating with honors, you may pick up your honors tassel at Commencement. Please note: you must be on the official honors list provided by the Office of the Registrar to pick up an honors tassel at Commencement. To confirm your eligibility, visit Registrar’s Office.