Congrats to all May 2022 Graduates
Please continue to monitor your NEIU email address for Commencement-related information delivered through Constant Contact or commencement@neiu.edu.
Not receiving Commencement Emails?
Please contact the Registrar's Office at registrar@neiu.edu to ensure all of your graduation paperwork has been submitted and you are on the approved list(s) to participate in the May 2022 Commencement ceremony.
Caps and Gowns
The deadline to order caps and gowns online via the Jostens website has now passed. Any orders that were placed online before the deadline will be mailed directly to your home address.
If you still need to purchase a cap and gown, please visit the Student Union Office (Room SU 207). Due to a limited supply, not all sizes or hood colors are guaranteed in stock.
No caps and gowns will be available for purchase at Commencement, so do not wait until the last minute!
TICKETS
Deadline to pick up your guaranteed four (4) guest tickets is by 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 6 at the Welcome Desk in Village Square.
Graduates will have the opportunity to place their name on a waiting list to receive an additional two (2) tickets should there be any remaining tickets available.
After this deadline, any remaining guest tickets will be made available for those graduates on the waiting list, who will receive an email with instructions on how to obtain the additional two (2) tickets.
Any lost or stolen guest tickets will not be replaced.
Children under 2 years of age will not be required to have a ticket.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Registration for the Academic Honors Ceremony at 5 p.m. May 3 at in the NEIU Auditorium is now closed.
If you are unable to attend the Academic Honors Ceremony, medallions will be available for pick-up in the Student Union Office in Room SU 207 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays May 4-11.
Day of Commencement
Graduates should begin arriving at the Credit Union 1 Arena at 12 p.m. and check-in in the first floor of the garage adjacent to the arena. There, you will receive your Name Card and be directed to your seating section in the arena. Keep hold of your Name Card at all times, as you will give that card to the name reader as you cross the stage.
Please plan your travel times accordingly and allow enough time for traffic and parking.
Graduates should arrive NO LATER than 1 p.m. to check in and be seated for the 2 p.m. ceremony start time.
Please see the Student Reminder for more information, including directions and a map for parking.
Guests
All ticketed guests will enter the Credit Union 1 Arena at Gate 3 (corner of Racine and Harrison).
Doors open at 1 p.m. for guests.
Guests will not be required to show proof of vaccination status, however all guests will be required to wear a mask or face covering at all times while inside the Credit Union 1 Arena.
Seating is general admission with no assigned seats. We ask that all guests please be respectful of one another's personal space and allow for social distancing between families when possible.
Credit Union 1 staff will be available for guests needing mobility assistance or special wheelchair seating.
Special seating for deaf or hearing impaired will also be available in Section 103.
No balloons, confetti, noisemakers or strollers will be allowed in the Arena.
Vaccination Requirement
Students must successfully upload their COVID-19 vaccination and booster record to the NEIU Health Portal or have received an approved medical or religious exemption from Student Health Services, in order to participate in Commencement.
If you are not vaccinated and boosted, you must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours prior to the ceremony.
Student Health Services will have some rapid tests at Commencement if needed.
Have you completed and submitted your Graduation Application?
If not, submit your graduation application immediately! The bachelor's and master’s graduation applications and additional information including important deadlines is available within the Registrar Services page under Applying for Graduation.
The final date to be added as a Late-Add to participate in the May 2022 Commencement Ceremony was Thursday, April 21, 2022.
Undergraduate students: Remember, you can always check your progress toward graduation by reviewing your online Degree Evaluation under the Registration Tools channel in NEIUport.
Double check with your advisor that all necessary paperwork is complete and has been submitted!
