Below is information on the School of Business Administration commencement ceremony from 2012. Information will be updated about the 2013 ceremony as it comes in.
 

Eligibility to Participate

Because there is only one commencement ceremony per year, undergraduate students are eligible to participate in the May 2012 commencement ceremony if they meet any of the following requirements:

• Earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in December 2011
• Completed all degree requirements by May 11, 2012
• A student needing up to 12 hours to complete all requirements during Summer 2012 (a student in this category must have the Assistant Dean confirm by April 1 that the student will complete all requirements during Summer 2012).

While students completing degree requirements in Summer 2012 may participate in the May 2012 ceremony, their degrees will be formally conferred as of August 2012 after they have completed all degree requirements.

GSB students completing their degree in Fall or Winter 2011 quarter; Spring or Summer 2012 quarter are eligible to participate in the May 2012 commencement ceremony. 

Student Speaker

Candidates interested in delivering the Student Commencement Speech should apply by Friday, March 30, 2012. The student should be a part of the graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 12, and the speech should be three to five minutes in length (approximately 700-850 words). Ideally the speech should reflect on the experiences of graduates at a Jesuit university. Interested candidates should file a letter of intent, along with a draft of their speech, to Dr. Susan Ries in 220 Maguire Hall (undergraduates) or Pamela McCoy in 204 Maguire Hall (GSB students). Please include a phone number and  your luc email address where you may be contacted during the semester. The Commencement Committee will notify the selected student in early April.

Confirming your registration to Participate in the Commencement Ceremony

An e-mail will be sent directly to your LUC account from "Loyola University Chicago" commencement@luc.edu with instructions for confirming that you have told us you plan to participate in the commencement ceremony. The e-mail will also include the opportunity for you to verify your personal information, including your name for your diploma. This data will be included in the commencement program, on your transcript, and on your diploma.

You MUST check your Loyola e-mail account and complete this on-line verification in order to verify your graduation information for the commencement ceremony.  

Graduate Instructions – Day of Ceremony

Graduates wear their caps and gowns to the ceremony and proceed to the Rambler Room in Centennial Forum Student Union to get their seating card. Undergraduate students that are graduating with laudatory status will also pick up a special commemorative cord that they may wear with their cap and gown.

In the preparation area, candidates will be given a name/seating card. Keep this card with you at all times during the ceremony. It is essential and you will use it to find your assigned seat and also carry it on stage for the correct announcement of your name. Please pick up your seat assignment card between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. You should print the phonetic spelling of your name on the card.  This is an especially important task to ensure that your name is pronounced correctly.

Purses and other items should be given to family members to hold during the ceremony, since there will be no area in which they can be stored nor will you return to the same seat after crossing the stage.

Graduates must be in their seats in the Gentile Arena by 9:45 a.m. The ceremony will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.

Admission to Ceremony

The doors to the Gentile Arena will open at 9 a.m for all guests. The doors will close at 9:45 a.m to begin the ceremony. Guests that arrive late will be asked to wait outside until the processional has been completed. The ceremony will begin promptly at 10 a.m and will end at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Tickets are required for guests of graduates, but not for graduates. Each participating candidate can redeem up to a total of four (4) tickets. Each graduate will be able to select their guests tickets after registering to participate in their commencement ceremony. Graduates will need their Loyola student ID number to complete their order. After completing their order, graduates will receive an email confirmation with directions to print out their tickets. Guests will NOT be allowed into Gentile Arena without the ticket print-outs.

Tickets will only be available to graduates who will be participating in the commencement ceremony. 

Due to the size of our ceremony, extra tickets are not available.  Participating graduates who need extra tickets should check with other graduates who may not need all of their tickets.

GETTING TO CAMPUS

Graduates and their guests are strongly encouraged to use public transportation whenever possible.   Loyola is most easily accessible via the "El," or elevated train. On the Red line, the Loyola stop drops you off directly across from campus, very close to the Gentile Arena.

Both the 147 and 151 buses also have many stops close to campus, including ones at Winthrop Avenue and directly across from campus at the Loyola "El" stop on the Red Line. Please visit www.transitchicago.com for additional public transportation information.

PARKING

Parking is free, but extremely limited. Due to general city traffic and limited resources, please expect lengthy delays when arriving and departing campus. Loyola's Campus Safety works closely with the Chicago Police Department to manage traffic during Commencement weekend. Please adhere to all instructions given by these officers as they strive to ensure the safety of all our graduates and their families.

Parking passes are issued to students for their guests attending the College of Arts & Science ceremonies and the School of Business Ceremony. Each graduate receives ONE parking pass for the main parking structure on the Lake Shore Campus. This pass will only admit ONE vehicle to the structure. Vehicles without parking passes WILL NOT be allowed access to the main parking structure. Parking passes for the School of Business will be distributed for the 2013 ceremony at TBD date and time. Details regarding distribution of parking passes will be sent to student's LUC email account.

Important Contacts

*SBA Contact Robin Keyes; rkeyes@luc.edu; 312.915.6113 
*GSB Contact William McMorris, wmcmorr@luc.edu, 312.915.6127