Commencement

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Information for Faculty and Staff

The UMMC Commencement services proudly recognize graduating students for the current academic year (August graduates, December graduates, and May graduates), as well as honor faculty who have contributed to the education mission.

  • All full-time faculty participate in UMMC Commencement unless participating in patient care activities.
  • All staff are encouraged to participate by supporting the UMMC Commencement Committee with event operations. Students not participating in graduation services may volunteer.

The UMMC Commencement ceremony begins promptly at 10 a.m. and should end shortly after 12 p.m. (noon).

Faculty preparations

Regalia

Faculty orders for purchasing regalia are processed through an online form emailed to all faculty in December. Purchase orders must be completed using the online form by December 19, 2025. Purchased regalia should be picked up from the UMMC Bookstore (located in the Norman C. Nelson Student Union).

Faculty orders for renting regalia are processed through an online form emailed to all faculty in February. Rental orders must be completed using the online form by May 1, 2026.

Rented regalia should be picked up in the Norman C. Nelson Student Union on Friday, May 15, 2026, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. If a faculty member cannot pick up their regalia, they must ensure someone picks it up on their behalf.

Professional appearance

All faculty should wear the approved regalia for their degree. All three pieces, cap or tam, gown, and hood, are required.

All faculty are expected to dress professionally under the academic regalia (e.g., dark-colored dresses or slacks and dark-colored dress shoes).

  • Mortarboards sit straight on the head, not at an angle.
  • Tams are worn horizontally so that they are parallel to the ground and sit about an inch above the ears.
  • Tassels should always hang over the left front of the mortarboard or tam. 

Note. Rented regalia should be returned to the Bookstore personnel in the Trade Mart - Exhibit Hall C immediately following the UMMC Commencement ceremony.

Check-in and robing

The Platform Party and all faculty should enter the Mississippi Coliseum using the Midway (south) entrance.

  • The Platform Party robing is to the right at the southeast-end in the Gray Room.
  • Faculty, including Hooders and Honors Faculty (i.e., faculty being recognized for academic year honors), robing is to the left at the south-end in the Mississippi Trade Mart Exhibit Hall C.

The Platform Party and all faculty must be lined up in their regalia by 9:30 a.m.

Processional

The Platform Party will line up in their designated area behind the Platform. A Faculty Marshal will lead this section into the Arena from the southeast entrance (upstage left of the Platform).

All Hooders will line up in their designated area behind the Platform. A Faculty Marshal will lead this section into the Arena from the northeast entrance (upstage right of the Platform).

All Honors Faculty* will line up in their designated area in the Trade Mart Exhibit Hall C. A Faculty Marshal will lead this section into the Arena from the southwest entrance through the south tunnel. The Honors Faculty, includes the following individuals:

  • Dr. Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professorship (Class of 2025-2030 only),
  • The Academy for Excellence in Education (2025-2026 honorees only),
  • The Norman C. Nelson Order of Teaching Excellence (2025-2026 inductees only), and
  • the 2026 Regions Bank TEACH Prize recipient.

*Honors Faculty who will serve as Hooders, should line up with the Hooders section.

All remaining Faculty, including current Endowed Chairs, regardless of rank or membership to honor societies or organizations, will line up in the Trade Mart Exhibit Hall C. The Faculty Senate Marshal and Faculty Marshal(s) will lead this section into the Arena from the south tunnel through the southwest entrance, two-by-two (following the Honors Faculty). Faculty will process into the Arena down the center aisle (from the back of the Arena towards the Platform) and file into their sections on either side of the aisle.

Processional Map

All must remain standing until after Faculty Marshal on the Platform gives the signal. 

Ceremony participation

School by School, the graduates will be led to the Platform to receive their diploma cover and/or hood.

Hooders, led by the Faculty Marshal, will stand and walk to the Platform (upstage right) and enter from the stairs to hood their graduates. After hooding, the Hooder will exit from the stairs (upstage right) to return to their seat.

Hooders should NOT exit the downstage stair of the Platform, as these stairs are designated as graduate walking paths.

Recessional and regalia return

All faculty, including Hooders and Faculty Honors, will follow the instructions of the Faculty Marshals to exit the Mississippi Coliseum safely. The Platform Party leaves the Arena first. Then, the recession is in the following order simultaneously:

  • The Hooders sections will exit through the left aisle toward the upstage of the Platform, through the northeast exit roll door and into the Trade Mart Hall B/C.
  • The Faculty sections will follow the Honors Faculty section through the back of the Arena turning left into the south tunnel and through the Trade Mart Hall C side entrance.

All sections will be led to the Trade Mart Exhibit Hall B and C (same location as robing and line-up).

Recessional Map

Note. All rented regalia must be returned to the UMMC Bookstore personnel in the Trade Mart Exhibit Hall C immediately following the ceremony and no later than 1 p.m.

Staff and student preparations

Staff and students not participating in graduation ceremonies as a graduate, and who are interested in serving before, during, or after UMMC Commencement, should sign up through GivePulse.

Professional appearance

All Event Helpers and Student Volunteers are expected to dress professionally following the UMMC Professional Appearance policy.

If participating in the UMMC Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 22, 2026, Event Helpers and Student Volunteers are asked to wear all-black clothing and comfortable shoes.

Check-in area

All Event Helpers and Student Volunteers should enter the Mississippi Coliseum using the Midway (south) entrance. The check-in area is to the right (passing the back of the Platform) at the Mississippi Street (north) entrance in the Red Room.

All should check in at least 30 minutes prior to their designated time.

A "May I Help You?" button will be provided at the check in, and should be worn during the UMMC Commencement ceremony.

Check-out

All Event Helpers and Student Volunteers should return their "May I Help You?" button in the Red Room after their designated time ends.

All are welcome to join graduates in the Trade Mart after all School sections have safely exited the Arena and into the Trade Mart.

UMMC Commencement Home

For more information, please contact the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs by phone at (601) 984-5009 or by email at AcademicAffairs@umc.edu.