School of Law Commissioning Ceremony

Location: Library Plaza (Outside / Rain or Shine)
Date & Time: Friday, May 8, 2026, 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. EDT
Graduate Participants: All approved J.D., M.A., M.A. in Financial Planning, and LL.M. Graduates. (B.A. in Law Graduates, please refer to information found on the Commencement website.)
Graduate Arrival and Line-Up: 6:45 a.m. on the front steps of the Administration Building; academic regalia must be worn
Guest Seating: 7:15 a.m.

Congratulations! You have made it to graduation! We are excited that you have decided to join us for our Commissioning Service, and we look forward to meeting your families and friends.

To commission someone is “to entrust, or to give authority” or “to appoint or assign to a task or function.” Within the context of our graduation, Commissioning is a sacred and holy time of worship, consecration, reflection, prayer, and anointing.

This event will prayerfully commission you to serve the world as a Christian leader in your chosen field. The schedule includes:

• Dean’s welcome
• Presentation of Outstanding Student Awards
• Commissioning Address
• Formal reading of graduate names
• Hooding of graduates
• Faculty prayer of commissioning with each graduate
• Reception at the Communications Building Plaza from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

The service will be streamed live on this page beginning 8:00 a.m. EDT on Friday, May 8.

Commencement (also known as graduation) will be held Saturday, May 9 beginning at 5:00 p.m. EDT on the Library Plaza. This ceremony includes all graduates and faculty. Please view www.regent.edu/commencement for more information regarding Commencement.

View the Regent campus map and area hotels.

Arrival

Graduates should arrive at 6:45 a.m. for a group photo on the steps of the Administration Building. As soon as the picture is taken, the line-up will begin. Staff and Faculty Marshals will assist with the line-up. As we get closer to the event, approved graduates will be sent an email with additional details regarding the ceremony by Mary Bunch. Full academic regalia is required to participate in Commissioning. Please arrive wearing your academic cap, gown, and tassel and bring your hood. Your family and friends are invited; no tickets are needed for entry.

Parking

Parking will be available across campus, but we encourage you to park in the Communication Building parking lots (Lot L and K on the map). Due to various Commissioning ceremonies occurring throughout the day, please carpool if possible. View the Regent campus map.

All 2026 J.D., M.A., M.A. in Financial Planning, and LL.M. graduates previously approved for graduation by the University Registrar’s Office may walk, have their name read, and be hooded in the Friday Commissioning Ceremony. 

(B.A. in Law graduates, please refer to information found on the University Commencement website.)

The deadline for approved graduates to RSVP for Commissioning and/or Commencement is Sunday, April 5.  The final deadline to order regalia is Sunday, April 5.

Where to Order

Purchase your academic regalia through Oak Hall. Online ordering will open on February 5, 2026. Please note that only Oak Hall regalia may be worn by graduates for on-campus related commencement activities. 

Deadline to ship to Home: April 5, 2026
Deadline to ship to Regent: March 22, 2026

**Orders that graduates request to be shipped to Regent University will be available to pick up in the Welcome Center, Divinity Building Room 177 on the following dates:

Tuesday, May 5; 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 6; 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 7; 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Friday, May 8; 7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Graduates are strongly encouraged to pick up regalia prior to May 9. However, regalia may also be picked up on Saturday morning. Regalia will be available to pick up from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Welcome Center, Divinity Building Room 177 and then at the regalia station near the student line-up from 3 p.m.

Cost Overview

Master’s regalia package – $68+ (robe, cap, hood, and tassel)
Doctoral regalia package – $111+ (robe, tam, hood, and tassel)

Shipping, handling, and tax not included.

Oak Hall offers a variety of shipping options. See the Oak Hall website for details.

Graduates must wear all regalia for the service (cap, gown, tassel, and bring their hood). Gentlemen should wear button-down dress shirts and ties with dark trousers and dress shoes. Ladies should wear a dress, a skirt or dress pants and comfortable dress shoes. Please avoid wearing high heels. Please note that this service will involve extensive standing, walking across uneven brick pathways, and walking up stairs. Absolutely no sneakers, jeans, or t-shirts are permitted. Please be advised that men will need to remove their caps during prayer.

Graduates will not be permitted to carry anything—including purses, bags, umbrellas, or cameras—during the processional. Graduates should leave all belongings in their vehicles or with their guests. There is no place to store belongings prior to or during the service. Regent University is not responsible for lost or stolen belongings.

There are no ticket restrictions; therefore, physical tickets are not necessary, but graduates should include their guest count when completing the RSVP process for Commencement/Commissioning  Seating is on a first come first served basis for guests, but there will be ample seating. The ceremony will be held outside, so please plan accordingly.

The RSVP portal for registering for Commissioning offered a field to note if a graduate needed special accommodation. If special accommodation is needed that was not noted on the form, please contact Mary Bunch, marybun@regent.edu.