The dates are set, and Spring 2022 Commencement is coming! May 6th and 7th will be here before we know it, so this page is devoted to helping our seniors get ready. Keep reading for important dates and deadlines, exciting events, and a step-by-step guide through this process. We know our seniors have got this-we're just here to help! Click here to see information about each ceremony, and as always you can email us anytime with your Commencement questions at commencement@valdosta.edu.

Step by Step Guide to Getting Ready for Spring 2022 Commencement

How to Get to Graduation Day

Step 1:  Apply for Graduation: You will do this with the Registrar's office. The deadline to apply for Graduation to walk in the Spring 2022 ceremony is Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Click here for the link.  

Step 2: Register for Commencement to let us know you plan to walk: Keep a close eye on your valdosta.edu email starting on March 7. For those who have already applied for graduation, you will receive an email from MarchingOrder to register for Commencement. We are using MarchingOrder to ensure your name is properly pre-recorded and pronounced when you walk across the stage at Commencement. You can also upload a picture of yourself and create a profile for your virtual slide that will appear online. You can see an example of previous virtual slides here. The deadline to register with MarchingOrder is April 11. Here's what the MarchingOrder page just for Valdosta State University looks like:

Picture of the VSU Marching Order home page

Step 3: Attend Grad Finale: You can purchase your cap and gown in person at the VSU Bookstore during Grad Finale on March 9-10. If you are not able to attend, remember to order your cap and gown online as soon as possible. It will take several weeks for it to get to you, and you don't want it to arrive after Commencement.  

GRAD FINALE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Dates: March 9-10 on the sidewalk outside the VSU Bookstore

Grad Finale is the "one-stop-shop" for everything you need for Spring 2022 Commencement. You will be able to do the following when you attend:

  • Purchase cap and gown
  • Order grad announcements
  • Join the 1906 Society
  • Learn about job possibilities from Career Opportunities
  • Join the Alumni Association
  • Order your class ring
  • Purchase alumni gear

Mark your calendar to attend Grad Finale, and we will see you there!

Step 4: Celebrate and Attend Commencement: Don't forget to print your grad pass to bring to Commencement and get ready to celebrate your incredible accomplishment with your friends and family. 

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Commencement Calendar: Important Dates and Deadlines

February 10: EMPLOYER DRIVE-IN, 5:30pm-6:30pm, Student Union Suite #2218 & Microsoft Teams
February 15: Countdown to Commencement Begins!
February 15: Class Ring Day, 11:00am-4:00pm, VSU Bookstore with special graduate discount!
February 17: BLAZER PITCH (COLLABORATION WITH STUDENT DIVERSITY & INCLUSION) 6:00pm-8:00pm, Student Union Heritage Room
February 24: CAREER CONVERSATIONS, 1:30pm-2:30pm, Health Sciences & Business Administration
February 24: CODE REDINESS: PLANNING MY CAREER, 5:30pm-6:30pm, Student Union Suite #2218 & Microsoft Teams
March 1: Last day for Spring 2022 graduates to apply for spring graduation with the Registrar's Office
March 1: Deadline to submit alternate graduate attendance form (early walker form) to the Registrar’s Office  
March 2: EMPLOYER DRIVE-IN: 10:00am-12:00pm, Student Union Suite #2218 & Microsoft Teams
March 3: CAREER CONVERSATIONS, 10:00am-12:00pm, Pedestrian Walk West Hall
March 7: Graduates begin completing registration for MarchingOrder!
March 8: CAREER CARNIVAL, 12:00am-2:00pm, Palms Quad
March 9: Grad Finale, 10:00am-6:00pm, Bookstore Sidewalk
March 9: SPRING CAREER EXPO: PURSUIT OF A JOB, 2:00pm-5:00pm, Student Union Ballrooms
March 10: Grad Finale, 10:00am-6:00pm, Bookstore Sidewalk
March 15: FINAL DAY to order Class Rings in order to participate in the Class Ring Ceremony
March 23: CODE REDINESS: INTERVIEWS GET JOBS, 5:30pm-6:30pm, Student Union Suite #2218 & Microsoft Teams
March 28: Last day to order regalia (cap and gown) online
March 29: First FREE Grad Photo Day on the Front Lawn, 10am-Noon, no appointment-just show up
March 30: EMPLOYER DRIVE-IN: 5:30pm-6:30pm, Student Union Suite #2218 & Microsoft Teams
April 6: Second FREE Grad Photo Day on the Front Lawn 4pm-6pm, no appointment-just show up
April 7: VISION BOARD PARTY, 4:00pm-5:30pm, Student Union Meeting Rooms 3 & 4
April 11: Deadline to register in Marching

Order letting us know you plan to walk at Commencement
April 12: Third FREE Grad Photo Day on the Front Lawn 4pm-6pm, no appointment-just show up
April 12: CAREER CONVERSATIONS, 10:00am-11:30am, Education Center Jennett Hall
April 13: SPRING EDUCATION FAIR, 11:00am-2:00pm, Student Union Ballrooms
April 13: Last day to order graduation announcements online
April 18: Fourth and Final FREE Grad Photo Day on the Front Lawn 10am-Noon, no appointment-just show up
April 21: EMPLOYER DRIVE-IN: 5:30pm-6:30pm, Student Union Suite #2218 & Microsoft Teams
April 21: De-Stress Fest, 1:00pm-4:00pm, Front Lawn
April 29: Mayhem on Front Lawn at 6:00pm
May 2: VSU Official Class Ring Ceremony at the Front Lawn Fountain at 7:06pm
May 6: Last day for honor graduates to pick up honor medallions at Registrar’s Office before 3:00pm
May 6: Graduate School Commencement Ceremony, 5:00pm, The Complex
May 7: Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony, 7:00pm, Front Lawn

**Weather makeup days for the Grad Photo Days will be the next day. 

 

Glossary of Terms

Apply for Graduation: This is required before you can graduate and is done through the Registrar's office at VSU. The purpose of this is to double check and make sure all requirements for your degree have been met, allowing you to receive your diploma.

Register in MarchingOrder: When you register with MarchingOrder, you will be able to tell us how to properly pronounce your name. It will be recorded ahead of time and will be read out loud when you walk across the stage at Commencement. When you check in at Commencement, you will be given a card with your name on it and a code. That code will be scanned as you walk across the stage-ensuring your name is pronounced correctly. When you walk across the stage, your name will also appear on the big screens on the Front Lawn. In MarchingOrder, you will also be able to create your own virtual Commencement slide with a picture that you can share with your friends and family.  

Grad Finale: Grad Finale is a two-day celebration and a one-stop-shop for all your Commencement needs. This semester's Grad Finale is taking place on March 9-10 on the sidewalk outside the VSU Bookstore. You will be able to purchase your cap and gown on site, order your ring, join the 1906 Society, talk with Career Opportunities about a new job, and so much more. 

Fall 2021 Commencement on the Front Lawn at VSU