Important Information Email - Doctorates

Thank you for submitting your attendance to the Fall 2022 Graduate Commencement Ceremony taking
place on Friday, December 16th at 7:00 P.M. in Hilton Coliseum. We look forward to celebrating with you
and your guests! If your plans have changed and you no longer plan to attend, we ask that you email us
at [email protected], so our attendance numbers stay accurate.

Please review the information below, and on our website:
https://www.graduation.iastate.edu/masters-and-doctoral, for important event details:

Date, Time, and Location:
• Friday, December 16th, 2022, at 7:00 P.M. in Hilton Coliseum
• Doors will open for guests at 5:30 P.M.
• It is anticipated that the ceremony will last no longer than two hours.

Parking:
• Graduates and guests are encouraged to park in any of the parking lots around Hilton
Coliseum, with the exceptions of lots B1, C1, and the East Ramp, which are reserved.
• Handicap parking is available in lot B2.
• A parking map is available online here: https://www.fpm.iastate.edu/maps/

Tickets and Guests:
• Tickets are not required.
• Guest seating is unlimited – please invite everyone who wishes to celebrate your
significant achievement!

Check-in/Line-up:
• You may begin arriving for check-in at 5:30 p.m., but plan to arrive by no later than 6:15
p.m.
• Your assigned check-in location will be in the Scheman Building (located to the north
and west of Hilton) on the 100-level, which is the middle-level of the building. You will
then find your assigned seat in Benton Auditorium.

Academic Attire (e.g., Caps, Tassels, and Gowns):
• Doctoral graduates are required to wear: The official Iowa State University doctorate
regalia (i.e., Doctoral gown, Doctoral hood, and Doctoral tam). The tassel should be
worn on the left side.
• Hoods:
o The Office of the Registrar will provide each doctoral candidate with a doctoral
hood to use during the ceremony.
▪ If you use one of the doctoral hoods provided by the Office of the
Registrar during the ceremony, you will need to return the hood to the
Office of the Registrar staff on stage immediately after the ceremony.
Failure to do so will result in a charge to your U-Bill of $170.00 for the
replacement costs of the hood and a hold will be placed on your
university record.
▪ If you will be bringing your own doctoral hood or would like to borrow
your hood after the ceremony, please contact Abbie Suntken in the

Office of the Registrar via e-mail at [email protected] before 4:30
p.m. on Wednesday, December 14th, 2022.
Accommodations:
• Graduates needing special assistance (e.g., wheelchair seating, sign language
interpreter, captioning services, service animals, etc.) prior to, or during, the ceremony
should contact Rachel Blair, [email protected], by December 14th.
• Special accommodation seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.
• Handicap parking is available in lot B2.
• Guests needing a handicap accessible entrance and/or elevator should utilize Hilton
Coliseum’s west entrance, located under the catwalk between Scheman and Hilton.
• A sign language interpreter will be available.

Ceremony Process:
• After check-in, graduates will proceed to the line-up area.
• Please complete the photography portion of the card you were given at check-in prior to
the start of the ceremony.
• During the ceremony, graduates will be led to the photography area and then led across
the stage by a Faculty Marshal. Photographers will use a flash when taking photos.
• After crossing the stage, graduates will be led back to their original seats.

Diploma Tubes:
• The President and/or Provost will hand you a diploma tube on stage during the
ceremony.

Additionally, we kindly ask that you forward this email to guests who will be joining you at the
ceremony so that they have access to this important event related information as well.

We are excited to celebrate your accomplishments with you!

Thank you,

Graduation Office

Office of the Registrar

214 Enrollment Services Center

email: [email protected].

website: www.graduation.iastate.edu/

phone: 515-294-1840