Ceremony Information

Graduates should arrive one hour prior to the start of their ceremony. Graduates should enter the Ramsey Center through the auxiliary gym to the right of the truck tunnel (with WCU athletics logo painted on it).

You will pick up your name card, which will include your name and your student ID number, and then wait for the processional to begin.

Guests should plan to enter the Ramsey Center at the concourse level. Guests can begin arriving up to two hours prior to the ceremony start time.

Please come dressed and ready with your cap, gown, tassel, and any cords or stoles. Do not bring any personal items, such as bags/purses or any other items, with you. There will be no place for you to store them during the ceremony, and all graduates and guests will be prompted to exit the Ramsey Center immediately upon conclusion of the ceremony.

Each graduate will pick up their own diploma cover and cross the stage with it as their name is called. There will be an on-stage photo opp with the Chancellor. There will not be handshakes or physical interactions. Once graduates have crossed the stage, there will be an additional photo opportunity with a backdrop immediately as you come off the stage. You will then proceed back to your original seat for the duration of the ceremony.

Once your ceremony has concluded, you, and your guests, will need to exit the Ramsey Center as soon as possible to allow staff time for sanitization and resetting for the next ceremony. Additionally, graduates and guests should not congregate in or around the Ramsey Center.

All WCU commencement exercises will allow first-come, first-serve admission seating. WCU graduation is not a ticketed event and guests will not need tickets to enter the Ramsey Center.

Upon conclusion of the ceremony, all guests should exit the Ramsey Center promptly to allow staff to sanitize and reset for the next ceremony.

Guests may pre-purchase gifts from the University Bookstore website  or flowers from The Commencement Group.

As each graduate crosses the stage, a picture will be taken by a professional photographer. Each student will receive an e-mail from the photographer with a link to the photographer's website and instructions to view their graduation photographs. A free color proof will be mailed to the permanent address on record and students have the opportunity to purchase color prints. If you do not receive a proof within three weeks of the ceremony, please contact info@photospecialities.com or call 800.722.7033

Additionally, university photographers will photograph each ceremony. Photos will be uploaded to WCU’s Facebook page.