Winter Ceremony 2022

Winter Ceremony 2022

Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral Degree Ceremony
Sunday, December 18, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
Kohl Center, 601 W. Dayton Street

Doors open at 8:00 a.m., graduates are asked to be seated by 9:40 a.m. Please note the ceremony typically lasts approximately 2.5 hours. A Livestream of the ceremony will be available here on YouTube.

Guests, family members and friends are welcome to attend. There is no ticketing for attendance and seating is general admission, first come, first served. Anyone needing accommodations should meet with Guest Services at Gate A for assistance. If you are a graduate in need of accommodations please email commence@chancellor.wisc.edu

Download the save the date here!

GRADUATE SEATING INFORMATION

Graduates should enter the Kohl Center arena at Gate A (W. Dayton St. entrance).

Candidate seating is arranged by school, college or degree type. A graduate seating map will be provided closer to commencement. Commencement Marshals wearing cardinal red academic attire will be available to assist you with seating.Degree candidates with faculty escorts should ask their faculty escort to sit on their right.

If you are in need of accessibility accommodations, please contact our office at commence@chancellor.wisc.edu immediately for assistance.

No guests, including children (with the exception of nursing mothers) are permitted in the candidate seating area. No food or beverages of any kind are permitted. Please review the carry-in policy as well as the metal detector procedures to plan accordingly. Flowers are allowed inside the Kohl Center, however glass containers, balloons, backpacks and wrapped gifts are not allowed.

Will my name be read?

Yes, graduate names will be read as candidates cross the stage. A name card will be located on your chair when you arrive, and we ask that you print your name phonetically, how you would like it pronounced, so that our name readers are accurate.

Will I receive a diploma?

Each graduate will receive a diploma folder from their dean as they cross the stage. We request that you please refrain from giving handshakes at this time. Diplomas will be mailed out to graduates 6-8 weeks after grades are entered. Please be sure to update your home address in MyUW for where your diploma will be mailed to.

RESERVE YOUR CAP AND GOWN

To ensure that your academic regalia is reflective of the new design, please place your reservation order through the University Book Store. View the University Book Store’s timeline  for picking up attire. All graduates should reserve their academic attire by December 18, 2021. Call (608) 257-3784, extension 5924, if you have questions. In Spring 2017, the gown designs were updated to include the University of Wisconsin–Madison colors and crest logo, providing both a pop of red among the traditional sea of black and an additional display of UW spirit that’s recognizable to all.  Read about the significance of the cap and gown.

Eligible undergraduate degree candidates can also order a stole from the University Book Store here. Honors candidates do not need to pre-order stoles; the University Book Store will receive a list of honors candidates in advance. Academic stoles, for the foreseeable future, will also now only be available as purchase only.

APPLY TO GRADUATE!

The deadline to Apply to Graduate is forthcoming. Applying to graduate by the deadline ensures that your name will be included in the official Commencement Program.  Students who apply to graduate after the deadline will not see their name in the printed program.

Visit the student center’s instruction page and the Office of the Registrar’s webpage  for detailed instructions on how to apply to graduate.  Master’s and PhD students can find additional information on the Graduate School’s “completing your degree” webpage.