Commencement Frequently Asked Questions
Ceremonies and Logistics
- When are the commencement and commissioning ceremonies?
- How long does commencement last?
- Where will commencement be held?
- Where do I park?
- How will I know if the commencement ceremony has been moved to the alternate site?
- Will there be flowers available for purchase at commencement?
- How do I RSVP for commencement and my commissioning ceremony?
- I am a graduate with a special need. Do I need to request accommodations?
- When and where is my school's commissioning service?
Regalia
- May I wear my own cap and gown for the graduation ceremonies?
- May I wear my honor society insignia?
- When and how should I order my regalia?
- Will my regalia be shipped to me?
- What should I wear under my regalia?
- What are Regent University's colors?
Guests
- How many guests may I invite?
- Will there be overflow seating?
- My grandparents are coming to commencement, and they can't take the heat. What kind of arrangements will be made for them?
- Will there be an interpreter for deaf guests?
- My family member has a special need. What information do I need to tell them?
- My guests are bringing children. What information do I need to tell them?
- Where/how can I reserve hotel rooms for my family?
- How can I make lunch reservations for my guests at the Founders Inn buffet?
Diplomas and Miscellaneous
- How do I order announcements and my diploma frame?
- What are the dimensions of my diploma?
- Will I receive my diploma at commencement?
- I have other diploma-related questions. Where should I look?
- How may I let my friends and family back home know about my graduation from Regent University?
- What is the best way to stay in touch with the university after graduation?
When are the commencement and commissioning ceremonies?
Commencement is Saturday, May 4, 2013, and the processional will begin promptly at 9:25 a.m. Graduates need to arrive no later than 8:40 a.m. for the line-up. Please allow for traffic in your travel time, as the roads leading to Regent are always congested on the day of Commencement. Graduates and guests should also allow ample time to go through security checkpoints that will be set up throughout the Regent campus.
Each school will conduct individual commissioning activities prior to Commencement.
How long does commencement last?
The ceremony lasts until approximately 11:50 a.m.
Where will commencement be held?
The ceremony will take place on the Library Plaza of the Regent campus. In the event of inclement weather, the alternate site is Rock Church, which is located about 3 miles from Regent, at 640 Kempsville Road, Virginia Beach, Va.
Where do I park?
The main parking area will be in the lot south of the Communication building on Centerville Turnpike. (Lot L on the campus map.) Commencement parking for persons with disabilities and those with limited mobility will be available at the Robertson Hall lot. The library lot will be reserved for commencement staff only. Please follow the instructions of the parking attendants in all open Regent and Founders Inn lots. Shuttle service will be available from the main parking area to the commencement site. Wheelchairs and golf carts will be available to transport guests with special needs between the Robertson Hall lot and the seating areas. Regent Village residents are asked not to drive. Shuttles will run between the Village and the Library for your convenience, beginning at 8:00 a.m. and running every 5 minutes.
How will I know if the commencement ceremony has been moved to the alternate site?
If the weather is questionable, call the Regent Hotline at 757.352.4777 for a recorded message or go to the Regent website. Guests at The Founders Inn and Spa will be given a written notice at their doors.
Will there be flowers available for purchase at commencement?
Flowers will be available for purchase on site at commencement through the Regent Undergraduate Council. If you wish to pre-order your flowers and reserve your graduates favorite color, please click here 
. A portion of the proceeds from flower sales will go to Regent Undergraduate Council. Questions can be directed to Spencer Saunders.
How do I RSVP for commencement and my commissioning ceremony?
Students will be able to RSVP for Commencement 2013 via Genisys from Tuesday, January 15 until Monday, April 15. After logging in to Genisys, select "Student" and then click "Commencement RSVP." Please note that only students who have submitted a graduation application will be able to RSVP. Graduates who no longer have access to their Genisys account may RSVP by completing the RSVP Form
and sending it to the Registrar's Office. Emails from students cannot be accepted as RSVPs unless accompanied by the signed RSVP Form.
You must RSVP for your commissioning service separately. Commissioning dates and times are determined by the individual schools.
I am a graduate with a special need. Do I need to request accommodations?
If you are a graduate with a special need, please complete the Special Accommodations Form and return it to the Registrar's Office as soon as possible.
Attendants will be on hand at each parking area during commencement. Commencement parking for persons with disabilities and those with limited mobility will be available at the Robertson Hall lot (closest to the ceremony site), and anyone with a handicap hang tag, decal, or license plate will be allowed entrance by the parking attendant. Shuttles and golf carts will also be available to transport graduates and guests who park in the main visitor parking lot (Lot “L” by the Communications building).
After the Commencement ceremony, golf cart stations will be set up to help transport guests requiring special accommodations. The locations will be clearly labeled.
When and where is my school’s commissioning service?
The Registrar's Office does not handle commissioning services nor do they accept RSVPs for commissioning services. Also, please note: you must RSVP for commissioning and commencement separately. To find out about your school's commissioning services, click here 
.
May I wear my own cap and gown for the graduation ceremonies?
No. All graduates must purchase and wear the standard regalia offered by a regalia company of the university's choice (Oak Hall). In addition to regalia, men should wear a shirt and tie but no jacket and ladies should wear dresses or skirts and comfortable shoes (heels or flats). Please be advised that men will need to remove their caps during prayer.
Graduates may not carry handbags or other personal items, banners, placards, etc. A small camera is permissible. Please keep in mind that you will not return to your initial seat after you cross the stage.
May I wear my honor society insignia?
Undergraduate Latin honors recipients will be awarded an honor stole to wear with their regalia. Additionally, students who have served in elected positions for either the Council of Graduate Students or Regent Undergraduate Council may wear the recognition cords provided by the university. Members of the following university-sanctioned academic honor societies may wear their organization's approved honor cord only - no additional pins, tassels, stoles, medallions or other insignia are permitted. Honor Society students are responsible for ordering their own cords.
Approved honor societies: Beta Phi, Chi Sigma Iota, Lambda Pi Eta, Phi Alpha Delta, Pi Sigma Alpha, Psi Chi
When and how should I order my regalia?
Graduates must wear the standard regalia from Oak Hall. The Oak Hall website is no longer open for regalia orders. For approved graduates who did not order online, regalia will be available for purchase during the pick-up dates and times listed below. Payment for regalia may be made by check (made out to Oak Hall) or cash.
You may also order announcements and other graduation related items online from Herff Jones . Go to the Regent Bookstore 
website and scroll to the bottom, then click on "Design Your Diploma Frame" for information on ordering diploma frames.
Will my regalia be shipped to me?
No. Regalia (caps, gowns and tassels) must be picked up at the Regent University campus. You must present a picture ID to pick up your regalia. Regalia will only be released to someone other than the graduate if the graduate has submitted prior written consent to the Registrar's Office.
Pick-up dates, times, and location are as follows:
Wednesday, May 1, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Fountain View Room, Regent Ordinary
Thursday, May 2, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Fountain View Room, Regent Ordinary
Friday, May 3, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Fountain View Room, Regent Ordinary
Regalia may also be picked up the morning of Commencement, beginning at 8:00 a.m.; however, you are strongly encouraged to pick up your regalia in advance.
Hoods will be distributed to graduates at the individual commissioning services unless a graduate is not attending his or her commissioning service. (In that case, hoods may be picked up any time after the commissioning service is held). Bachelor's and associate's degree candidates do not receive hoods.
What should I wear under my regalia?
Men should wear a shirt and tie but no jacket and ladies should wear dresses or skirts. All graduates should wear comfortable shoes (heels or flats). Graduates spend a significant amount of time standing. Please be advised that men will need to remove their caps during prayer.
Graduates may not carry handbags or other personal items, banners, placards, etc. A small camera is permissible. Please keep in mind that you will not return to your initial seat after you cross the stage. Graduates will be shaking hands, receiving a scroll, and having a picture taken while crossing the stage, so we ask that you leave personal items with one of your guests.
What are Regent University's colors?
Regent University's colors are kelly green and royal blue.
How many guests may I invite?
For commencement, there is no limit and tickets will NOT be issued; however, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis so guests should arrive early. Please contact your school for information on the number of guests you may invite to your commissioning service.
Will there be overflow seating?
Guests will be able to view the ceremony via closed-circuit TV in Robertson Hall (family-friendly) or the Divinity Chapel. Signs will be present in the lobbies of both buildings.
My grandparents are coming to commencement, and they can't take the heat. What kind of arrangements will be made for them?
We will provide a covered area where elderly guests may sit in the shade (no families, please), or they may view the ceremony indoors via closed-circuit TV in Robertson Hall or the Divinity Chapel.
Will there be an interpreter for deaf guests?
Yes. Regent provides an interpreter and special seating for deaf guests at the commencement ceremony. Seating for the deaf is located to the right of the graduate seating (when facing the stage) and will be labeled.
My family member has a special need. What information do I need to tell them?
Attendants will be on hand at each parking area during commencement. Commencement parking for persons with disabilities and those with limited mobility will be available at the Robertson Hall lot (closest to the ceremony site), and anyone with a handicap hang tag, decal, or license plate will be allowed entrance by the parking attendant. Commencement volunteers will have two wheelchairs to transport guests between their car and the seating area as needed. Shuttles and golf carts will also be available to transport graduates and guests who park in the main visitor parking lot (Lot “L” by the Communications building).
Guests with disabilities or limited mobility may sit in any of the guest seating areas. All chairs are easily moved to accommodate wheelchairs and ushers will be moving through the seating areas to assist guests as needed. Guests may also watch the ceremony on closed-circuit TV Robertson Hall or the Divinity Chapel.
After the Commencement ceremony, golf cart stations will be set up to help transport guests requiring special accommodations. The locations will be clearly labeled.
My guests are bringing children. What information do I need to tell them?
Regent welcomes families to commencement, and guests with children may sit in any of the guest seating areas. All chairs are easily moved and ushers will be moving through the seating areas to assist guests as needed. We do ask that guests be careful not to block the aisles with strollers.
Guests with children may also watch the ceremony on closed-circuit TV in Robertson Hall. In addition, Robertson Hall will have a family-friendly room for children who may need some space to move as well as a room for mothers and infants. There will signs in the lobby to indicate where to go.
Where/how can I reserve hotel rooms for my family?
Reservations for The Founders Inn, located on the Regent University campus, may be made by calling 757.366.5700 or 1.800.926.4466. Read more about The Founders Inn here. Additionally, a list of nearby hotels is available for the convenience of Regent graduates and their families.
How can I make lunch reservations for my guests at The Founders Inn?
SWAN TERRACE LUNCHEON: The Lunch Buffet at the Swan Terrace in the Founders Inn has very limited seating still available. Please call 757.366.5777 or 757.366.5700 for reservations a.s.a.p. The Swan Terrace will also be open for dinner.
VIRGINIA BALLROOM: Graduates eat lunch free in the Virginia Ballroom of the Founders Inn and Spa on Saturday, May 4, 2013 when they are dining with a party of five or more full paying guests (adult guests). To avail yourselves of this offer, please make your reservation before May 3, 2013 by calling 757.366.5777. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer.
REGENT ORDINARY: The Regent Ordinary in the Student Center will be open from 7 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Commencement Day serving a variety of breakfast, beverage, and luncheon items. Reservations are not necessary. For additional information, please contact the Regent Ordinary by telephone at 757.352.4924 or via email at ordinary@regent.edu.
How do I order announcements and my diploma frame?
Commencement announcements and class rings can be ordered through Herff Jones . For information on ordering your diploma frame, go to the Regent Bookstore website and scroll to the bottom, then click on "Design Your Diploma Frame" for information on ordering diploma frames.
What are the dimensions of my diploma?
Doctoral and Juris Doctor diplomas are 15"x20". The diplomas for bachelor's and master's programs, the Ed.S., the LL.M., and all certificate programs are 11"x14". The A.A. diploma is 8.5"x11". All diplomas are printed in portrait (vertical) orientation.
Will I receive my diploma at commencement?
No. Degrees are posted after final grades are issued and verification of all graduation requirements has been completed. Final transcripts are sent to you as soon as you are cleared to graduate, and diploma orders are submitted on the last business day of each month. Diplomas are sent directly to the graduate from the printer and typically take 4-6 weeks from the date of the order to arrive.
I have other diploma-related questions. Where should I look?
Please visit the Registrar's Office website for more diploma information.
How may I let my friends and family back home know about my graduation from Regent University?
Submit the Graduation News Release online form.
What is the best way to stay in touch with the university after graduation?
You can reach the Alumni Relations office by phone at 757.352.4122 or by email. You can also stay connected by registering with the Regent online community.
