College graduation ceremonies mark a new chapter in a graduate's life.
College graduation is an exciting event for students, their families and friends. It represents a transitional period that marks a milestone in the life of a student. At college ceremonies, the school's president, head administrators and department of education give students recognition for their academic achievements. Because a graduation is such a special event, planning the ceremony should begin as soon as the graduation date is set.
Instructions
1. Choose a location. Use a school auditorium for small to mid-sized classes. For larger classes, rent a concert hall or theater. Consider the number of family members and guests who might attend when scouting for a location.
2. Create and deliver tickets as well as supplemental information like parking instructions. Allow students to pick up their tickets or get them via mail. Depending on the size of the class and the venue being used, you may have to limit the number of tickets allocated to each graduate.
3. Prepare a list of speakers and entertainers. Arrange student, faculty and guest speeches. Have the students and audience sing a commemorative song, such as the Star Spangled Banner. Arrange a performance by the school band and choral department.
4. Prepare a graduation program. In presentation order, list each speaker, entertainer, award recipient and graduate's name. Include motivational poems and reception information in the program.
5. Arrange designated seating. Seat faculty on the stage and have students occupy the rows in front. Use large signs, bows or ribbons to separate graduate seating from guest seating.
Assign graduates to seats based on their specific areas of study, i.e., college of engineering, arts & sciences, etc. as well as alphabetical order by last name. Guest seating can either be on a first come, first served basis or each person may have an assigned seat, depending on your preference and the venue.
6. Hire a photographer. Seat the photographer on stage and have him take pictures of graduates as they receive their diplomas. These can be used in college marketing materials as well as offered to students and their families either for free or for a slight fee.
7. Rehearse for the ceremony. Schedule a date for students to meet at the graduation location to review marching and seating procedures. You want to ensure the ceremony looks planned rather than random.
8. Plan a reception. Have a designated refreshment table and provide juice, cake and light snacks for students, guests and faculty.
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