Commencement, May 11 2024

Graduating Seniors and Families, your big day is coming soon! We cannot wait to celebrate your accomplishment of completing a Westminster College education. We have a two-part celebration planned, including a traditional graduation ceremony at 2 p.m. in Champ Auditorium and your long awaited walk through the columns on the Hill immediately following graduation, signifying your entrance into the world as a college graduate ready to lead a life of service, significance, and success! See all of the details below!

Senior Salute:

Tuesday, April 23, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Location TBD
Mandatory event for all graduating seniors. You will pick up your cap and gown, meet with the Registrar’s office and business office, vote for Faculty of the Year, and more! Students who are unable to attend need to contact Kasi Lacey, President and Dean of Student Life, at Kasi.Lacey@wcmo.edu or call 573-592-5269.

Commencement Schedule : Saturday, May 11, 2024

• 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.: Alpha Chi Induction Ceremony (Invite Only) - Location Hermann Lounge
  • Alpha Chi National College Honor Society was founded in 1922 to recognize and promote academic excellence among college and university students of all disciplines, to encourage a spirit of service and leadership, and to nurture the elements of character that make scholarship effective for good.
• 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Baccalaureate - Location TBD
  • Held before the formal commencement, the Baccalaureate ceremony offers a more intimate space for reflection. It celebrates graduates' journeys, featuring music, readings, and speeches by students, ministers, and a keynote speaker. This interfaith celebration emphasizes gratitude for learning and inspires graduates of all traditions to use their knowledge for good.
• 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Commencement Luncheon at Backer Dining Room.
  • The cost is $10 for adults and $7 for children under ten. Graduating seniors are complimentary.
• 1:15 p.m. - Senior Class Picture at Westminster Hall
  • Immediately following photo, report directly to Historic Gym to line up
• 1:30 p.m. - Line-Up and Instructions from the Skulls of Seven
  • Location: Historic Gym.
• 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Commencement Ceremony at Champ Auditorium
  • Doors open at 1:00 for guests
• 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.: Columns Ceremony at the Columns on the Hill following Commencement.
  • Seniors will participate in a ceremony steeped in tradition at Westminster College: The Columns Ceremony tradition holds that students are officially welcomed to the Westminster community when they walk through The Columns on the day of their Freshmen Convocation Ceremony. Students do not pass through The Columns again until the day of their Commencement when they recess through The Columns – away from Westminster and out into the world as new alumni.
• Ceremony will be simulcast in Coulter Science Center Lecture Hall.
• Ceremony will be livestreamed at Westminster’s YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter accounts

Commencement Tickets

Given the size of our graduating class and capacity of Champ Auditorium, we will NOT issue tickets this year. Each student will have guaranteed seating for 6 close family members or guests. If space allows, additional guests may be seated in proximity. However, please plan accordingly if you have over 6 family members or guests. Live stream will be available in the Coulter lecture hall for overflow.

Diplomas

As noted in a communication sent by the Registrar’s Office, you were to complete the link and notify us of your intent to graduate. At the request of students, diplomas will include majors on the printed diploma to be mailed approximately 8-10 weeks after graduation. Please make sure your current address is on file with the Registrar’s Office.

Commencement Photography

GradImages Photography will be present during the Commencement ceremony to take a photo of each graduate receiving their diploma. Contact information for GradImages is 1.800.261.2576 or gradimages.com.

Graduation Fee

Upon completion of your notification to graduate form, you will be billed by the business office the graduation fee of $175 to cover graduation expenses.

Cap and Gown

The deadline to order the free Graduation Regalia is March 15. You will be able to order other items (announcements, diploma frames, etc.) after this deadline. Students who do not order their cap & gown package before the deadline will have to make special arrangements with the Bookstore and may not receive their items in time for Commencement.

To Order your Graduation Regalia go to herff.ly/wcmo and follow the steps below:

1. Click "Order Now" underneath the Cap & Gown option
2. Select an option to either pick up your Cap and Gown during Senior Salute at the Bookstore or select Ship Cap and Gown to Home for an additional charge charge that you will pay for on the site
3. The next screen allows you to view Graduation Packages to bundle extra items for a discount. Click on "Cap & Gown" to bypass the package options or "Order your Graduation Package" to view the five options. This is the screen where you can order Announcements, Diploma Frames and Class Rings individually.
4. If you clicked on the "Cap & Gown" option you will view a screen with pricing for stoles and tassels that you can order if you choose. Select "Graduation Regalia" for the free cap, gown and 2024 tassel
5. You will need to enter your Name, select the Bachelor degree option, enter your height and weight within the ranges given. You will note that the total for the Regalia items will be $0.00 if you have not selected to purchase any of the extra items. Click on "Add to Cart"
6. Click on "Proceed to Checkout"
7. You will need to enter the Billing and Shipping address information requested at Checkout to complete your order.

Please place your order for your cap & gown package as soon as possible. You can go back in and place separate orders for announcements, diploma frames etc. at any time until Commencement.

Caps and gowns will be available for pick-up at Senior Salute on April 23rd, unless you made arrangements to ship to home. Please contact the bookstore directly to see about ordering options at bookstoremgr@westminster-mo.edu or 573-592-5236 with any questions.

ADA seating and parking at Champ Auditorium is limited and will be available on request, please contact Kasi.Lacey@wcmo.edu.

If you have any questions, please email Kasi.Lacey@wcmo.edu at this time. We look forward to celebrating this important milestone in May. We wish you the best with the remainder of your semester.