Fall 2023 Commencement Information

Fall 2023 Commencement Information

Welcome to fall 2023 commencement. We are excited to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class!

Fall 2023 commencement ceremonies will begin with the College of Education on Dec. 14 and end with the College of Engineering on Dec. 17. Ceremonies will be held in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and Hancher Auditorium.

Tickets are not required for any fall 2023 collegiate commencement ceremony. 

Venue Information

Hancher Auditorium

Doors to the auditorium will open one hour prior to the ceremonies.

It is recommended that bags and coats be left in vehicle trunks, there is no bag or coat check at Hancher.

Driving directions and a full list of fall 2023 ceremonies can be found on the Hancher Auditorium page.

Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Doors to the arena will open one hour prior to the start of the ceremony. Guests should use the south or west doors; students can use either of those entrances or the graduate only east doors for express entry. 

Please Note: There is construction around the arena, please allow extra time for parking and travel. Accessible parking in Lot 46 is limited to a first-come first-served basis. Once full, there will be no drop-offs in Lot 46. Overflow accessible parking can be found in Lot 40. 

Carver-Hawkeye Arena now has a clear bag policy. Everyone will be asked to open their coats or graduation gown for visual inspection.

No purses, backpacks, large bags, cinch bags, packages, wrapped gifts, flowers, balloons, banners/signs, strollers, car seats, or outside food and beverage (with the exception of one factory sealed or empty reusable water bottle) are allowed at Carver-Hawkeye Arena during this event. A complete list of prohibited items is available on the Carver page of the commencement website.

Guests may choose to sit anywhere in the arena stands once inside the venue. During the ceremony students will cross the stage from the left to the right. If you wish to see your student's face crossing the stage, it is recommended to sit on right side of the arena facing the stage.

Guests with disabilities are welcome to view the ceremony from the upper concourse level. Wheelchair and scooter spaces can be found in sections K–N on this level. Space is limited so we ask that guests seat themselves and two companions in this area. Guests should provide their own wheelchair if needed. Guests with disabilities or limited mobility can also find seating in the Feller Club Room. This room is equipped with large television screens and commencement ceremonies can be watched live from here. No food or beverage will be permitted in this room.

Carver-Hawkeye Arena Venue Map

Students can descend to the floor and find the appropriate section to retrieve their name card and find a seat. Students should not take anything (besides their phone) to the floor.

Full security policies along with driving directions and information for guests with disabilities or limited mobility can be found on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena page.

Livestreams and Ceremony Videos

All ceremonies will premiere at their scheduled time and day and will be livestreamed with captions enabled. The livestream will be located on the collegiate ceremony page in the "Watch Live" section.

List of Fall 2023 Ceremonies

Every college will have their own commencement ceremony, tailored to their college and including messages from a variety of individuals chosen specifically to honor and address students of that college. Degrees will be conferred and students who have RSVP'd "attending" will be individually recognized during the commencements. 

Screenshot Example:

Livestream Screenshot Example

Ceremony Videos

If someone cannot tune in during the premiere, the ceremonies will be available for viewing on the University of Iowa YouTube channel after the premiere concludes.

Commencement Apparel Information for Graduates

All graduates are expected to wear regalia at their ceremonies. Learn more about how to obtain regalia below. All regalia must be in hand prior to the commencement ceremony. Regalia will not be available to purchase or rent at the ceremonies.

Each college has a specific color tassel associated with their ceremony.

  • Undergraduate students begin with their tassel on the right side; during the tassel turning portion of the ceremony, they will move the tassel from the right to the left.
  • Graduate students begin with their tassel on the left.

In addition to earning a degree, many students qualify for other academic recognitions. Please see the graduation checklist for more information.

Undergraduate Graduates

Online ordering deadlines have passed. Regalia will be available for purchase at the Iowa Hawk Shop and University Bookstore from Dec. 4–14, but sizes and tassel colors are not guaranteed to be available. A late fee of $20 will apply. More information can be found on the apparel page of the commencement website.

Graduate College Graduates

Late regalia orders may be placed using the late link on the Herff Jones online ordering portal and the regalia will be shipped to the graduate if ordered by Dec. 6. After Dec. 6, graduates will pick up late regalia orders one hour prior to the ceremony at Hancher Auditorium. It is the graduate's responsibility to return rented apparel to Herff Jones within one week of the ceremony. Apparel cannot be returned at the ceremony and must be shipped directly to Herff Jones using the prepaid shipping label included in the apparel box.

Additional Information

Commemorative Slides

Students can download a branded University of Iowa slide from the RSVP portal in MyUI to share with family and friends. The commemorative slide is for the student's use only; the slide will not be displayed during the ceremony or broadcast in the livestream.

Program

All students will receive a commencement program the day of the ceremony. A downloadable PDF of the Fall 2023 Commencement Program will be available on the commencement website when ceremonies begin.

  • Inclusion in the commencement program is not tied to participation in a ceremony.
  • All graduates are listed in the program according to the time at which they earned or are expected to earn a degree.
    • Summer and fall graduate names appear in the fall program even if the student is participating in a spring ceremony.
  • Applying for a degree after the degree application deadline may result in exclusion of the student name from the commencement program.
  • Having a directory restriction on the student's academic record may also result in exclusion of the student name from the program.
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