Varsity Gymnasium. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:30 a.m. to ensure they have enough time to get ready for the event. The graduates will be sitting on the varsity court while their guests spectate from the stands. The ceremony generally lasts two hours depending on how many graduates there are. Students are encouraged to post their experiences before, during, and after the event on social media. Grads should be sure to show their Husky Pride and use #mtugrad when making these posts.
Mid-Year Commencement is an important event for grads. The ceremony transitions fresh graduates into their next chapter of life. Dr. Wallace Southerland III, Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs, commented that “we usher our graduates into ‘the real world’ where we know they will make awesome positive social change to create a world that is more prosperous, just, and sustainable.” Dr. Southerland offered some advice to the fresh graduates. “Trust yourself, don’t be too serious, and HuskyUp by taking responsibility for your actions.”
MTU alumna and former chair on the MTU Board of Trustees Brenda Ryan will serve as the keynote speaker. The student speaker will be Chemistry student and Pavlis Honors College Jailynn Denay Johnson. Johnson was selected as the student speaker for the commencement by Dr. Southerland out of a pool of five finalists submitted by the Student Affairs committee.
Each graduate is eligible for up to four tickets to commencement and will be able to add their name to a waitlist for additional tickets. Ticket ordering began on Oct. 28, so graduates are encouraged to complete their ticket requests before the event. Graduates do not need a ticket to attend the event. However, any guests over the age of three will require a ticket for admittance. To obtain tickets, graduates should navigate to the commencement event on the Ticket Office website. A quick search on MTU’s website will also direct grads to the right spot. Once the graduate has filled out their form, they will receive their tickets via email. Grads can then distribute the virtual tickets to family and friends. These tickets can be printed or opened on a mobile device, either option will work at the doors.
An area is available for guests with mobility limitations. Grads can navigate to the commencement venue page on MTU’s website for more information on reserving accessible seating. There is accessible parking, but parking will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
There will be an online option for guests who cannot make the ceremony in person. The link will be made available on the day of the event. Guests can navigate to the commencement page on MTU’s website for more information.
