AP Graduation FAQ Sheet

COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES ARE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019 AT
6:00 P.M. IN THE CONVOCATION CENTER.

BEFORE GRADUATION

CEREMONY TICKETS

For December Graduates

Tickets are not required for the December Ceremony, but each student must complete a Graduation
Update Form in order to participate in the ceremony. You must complete the form found at the link
below and return it to the Alumni Office in the Alumni House.

For May and August Graduates

Each degree candidate who has indicated they will participate in the ceremony will receive 8
tickets. Tickets will be available in the Alumni House, Monday-Friday between April 17, 2020 - May 1,
2020 from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. You must complete the form found at the link below and present the form
in person.

Graduate Update Form

SENIOR CELEBRATION BRUNCH

Graduation Brunch for Parents and Family

On Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 10:30 am, the university will host the Senior Celebration Brunch in
the Convocation Center Practice Gyms.

An invitation to this event has or will be sent to graduating seniors and their families from the Office of
Alumni Relations. The brunch will give students and their invited guests the opportunity to view the
Convocation Center, meet with faculty, and spend part of a very special day together. There will be
opportunities for guests to have photos taken of graduates and their faculty members during this event.

Graduates receive a free Brunch ticket. Additional Brunch tickets are $10 per person ($5 for children
ages 2-6). These tickets are purchased in advance from the Alumni Relations Office in the Alumni House.
Space is limited, so please purchase family tickets in advance using any of the below methods:

▪ Call the Office of Alumni Relations at 803.641.3408.

▪ Mail your check (payable to Aiken Partnership) to Alumni Relations - 471 University Parkway,
Aiken, SC 29801. Please enclose this form.

▪ Brunch tickets can be purchased at the Alumni House on the USC Aiken campus; the address is
471 University Parkway, Aiken, South Carolina 29801.

IS THERE A PRACTICE OR INFORMATION SESSION PRIOR TO THE GRAUDATION CEREMONY?

On Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 11:30 am, immediately following the Senior Celebration
Brunch, graduates and their guests are invited to learn a little bit about the Commencement
ceremony that night.

This short 20 minute information session will take place on the floor of the Convocation Center and
will feature information about photography opportunities, the order of the program, and other
relevant information to help make the ceremony as smooth and stress free as possible. Graduates
can also work with the person who will be reading names to make sure his/her name is pronounced
correctly.

For more information about this session, please contact Ahmed Samaha, the Vice Chancellor of
Student Affairs, at ahmeds@usca.edu or 803-641-3411.

SENIOR CLASS GIFT

Graduating students have the opportunity to participate in the traditional Senior Gift.

It is a wonderful way to stay connected to USC Aiken while receiving information on career
opportunities and other ways to be involved.

With a $25 donation, graduates will receive an Alumni T-shirt, a special gift and one year membership to
the Alumni Association. To participate in the Senior Class Gift, complete this form and bring both the
form and your donation to the Alumni Relations Office in the Alumni House.

THE GRADUATION CEREMONY

WHERE DO I CHECK-IN PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY, AND WHAT TIME SHOULD I ARRIVE?
Degree candidates should enter the front side entrance of the Convocation Center as marked with
green arrows.
MAP
Please note the candidate entrance, seating and line-up locations all designated in green. The
candidate Check In area is in black.
All degree candidates (as well as guests) will be participating in a security check, and candidates
should arrive at 4:30pm to allow enough time to complete the process and allow you to check in by
the 5pm deadline. By 5 p.m., you should already be wearing your cap and gown and be prepared to
begin the line-up.
5 p.m. is the deadline for checking in - not a suggested time or arrival.
If you miss the Information Session, make sure you know your degree name and approximately
where you will be in the order of degree candidates.

WHERE DO GUEST ATTENDING GRAUATION PARK, AND WHAT TIME SHOULD THEY ARRIVE?

There is one area of the parking lot designated "by invitation only" for members of the Platform
Party.
For May Commencement, all guests need a ticket for entry. If they are bringing children, each child
(including babies) must have a ticket as well.
Parents and guests should use the main front doors leading into the lobby.
Guests must be on time and seated no later than 5:45 p.m. The doors to the arena area will close at
5:50 p.m. for the processional. The ceremony will begin at 6:00 p.m.

WILL THE CEREMONY HAVE A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER FOR DEAF/HARD OF HEARING QUESTS?

If a member of your party needs a sign language interpreter for hearing impairment reasons, please
contact Ahmed Samaha, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, at ahmeds@usca.edu or call 803-641-
3411. A request must be made by November 15, 2019 for an interpreter to be present.
If an interpreter is requested, there will be a special area of the Convocation Center offering
unobstructed views of the sign language interpreter. If a member of your party needs to be seated in
this section, someone else in your group may accompany that person; however, due to the limited
amount of seating in this area, not everyone in your party can be accommodated in this
section.

SOME OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS CANOT ATTEND THE CEREMONY. CAN THEY WATCH IT ONLINE?

Family and friends who are unable to attend can still be part of the event by watching a live stream
of the entire ceremony. By the evening of December 12, there will be a link to the broadcast on the
home page of our website: www.usca.edu. This live stream will begin about 15 minutes prior to the
start of the ceremony.

Parents who are unable to attend may send their graduate a special letter or message through our
Parents Rand Family Relations Office. Messages may be sent either through email
(parents@usca.edu) or via US Postal Service using the following address:

USC Aiken
471 University Parkway
Parent and Family Relations
(your graduate's name)
Aiken, SC 29801

Unfortunately we will not be able to deliver items other than letters or cards. Please include your
graduate's first name, last name, and middle initial and submit it to the Alumni Office by December
1st. If they will be attending the ceremony, we will make sure it is delivered on the day of graduation

CAN GUEST BRING FOOD AND BEVERAGES?

Food and beverages are strictly prohibited.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR TO THE GRADUTION CEREMONY?

Students receiving bachelors or master's degrees wear black gowns and caps. The color of your
tassel is determined by your degree. These items should have been purchased at Grad Finale.

Women are strongly encouraged to wear flat or very low-heeled shoes. Some women wear dresses
while others wear dress slacks. Men generally wear dress slacks, dress shirt and tie, and dress
shoes.

WHAT CEREMONY ETIQUETTE SHOULD MY QUEST BE AWARE OF?

Noise Reduction
Please turn off your cellular phones and/or pagers. Cowbells, air horns, whistles, and other loud
artificial noise makers are not allowed.

Families are asked to withhold applause or loud celebrations during the announcement of graduate
names so that we don’t prevent any family’s ability to hear clearly, and to refrain from using any
noise making items or from causing distractions that would prevent others from enjoying the
ceremony. We’ll join together to congratulate all of the graduates collectively after all names have
been read.

As a courtesy to other audience members, please be aware that sound reverberates in a gymnasium
and that even the slightest noise is magnified. Please keep movement to a minimum.

We respectfully ask that younger children not be brought to the ceremony at all since they can
become restless and disruptive. Also, no baby strollers are permitted inside the Convocation Center.

Photography
Please do not to step into the aisle during the processional or recessional or rush across the stage in
order to take photographs. The marshals will be instructed to send guests back to their seats if they
attempt to do this. There will be a photographer taking photos of each graduate during the
ceremony.

WILL THERE BE A PHOTOGRAPHER TO TAKE PHOTOS DURING GRADUATION?

During Commencement, professional photographers from Grad Images will take photographs
throughout the evening. Multiple individual shots of graduates will be taken during the ceremony,
which graduates will have the opportunity to purchase at a later date. The Alumni Office is pleased
to provide a complimentary photograph of graduate which will be mailed approximately 4 weeks after
the ceremony.

Additional photos will be available for purchase online at www.gradimages.com.

AFTER GRADUATION

LIFETIME EMAIL FOR ALUMNI
Graduates, as you finish your senior year and join the ranks of the Alumni, be sure to watch your student
email account for instructions to setup your @alumni.usca.edu email account! You will receive a "free"
USC Aiken Alumni email address that never changes, even when you change jobs or mail providers. It
should arrive within just a few weeks of graduation.
Regular student email accounts are removed after one year of non-activity as a student, but once you
switch to your Alumni account, it’s yours for life!
See more details about your lifetime email provided by the Help Desk.

DIPLOMAS AND TRANSCRIPTS

MOST RECENT GRADUATING CLASS

Upon verification of graduation of each student, the USC Columbia Registrar’s Office orders
diplomas for the entire USC system. Diplomas are typically mailed within three months after you
graduate. Please allow time for your diploma to arrive after your graduation. You can verify your
diploma address by viewing your submitted graduation application in Self Service Carolina. If you
never received your diploma or it was damaged in transit, please contact our registrar’s office at 803-
641-3550 or registrar@usca.edu

ALL GRADUATES

For more information or to receive a duplicate or replacement diploma, please click here.
To access official transcripts, please click here.

CONTACT US

Location: Alumni House
Phone: 803-641-3408
Email: alumni@usca.edu