WESTERN NEW ENGLAND UNIVERSITYA Celebrationof Achievement

UNDERGRADUATECOMMENCEMENT

2017

Dear Graduates and Parents,

Commencement is a milestone in the

life of each of our graduates. We at

Western New England University

recognize the importance of this

event and invite you to campus May

19-20 to celebrate our graduating

students’ academic accomplishments.

It is an opportunity for parents, families, friends, faculty,

and staff to reflect with pride upon the growth that has

occurred in our students during their years at Western

New England University. I look forward to welcoming

you to campus for Commencement 2017.

Sincerely,

Anthony S. Caprio

President

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, May 19, 2017Senior Awards CeremoniesInvitation only

3:30 p.m.Seniors will wear their gowns (no caps) and their honor society regalia.

College of BusinessSleith Hall, Wood Auditorium

College of Arts and SciencesRivers Memorial Hall

Saturday, May 20, 20179:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Food Services OpenCampus Center Food Court

10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon College of Engineering Senior AwardsCeremony and Order of the Engineer InductionRivers Memorial Hall

1:00 p.m. Graduates check in for CommencementAlumni Healthful Living Center, Multipurpose Room

1:00 p.m. Doors Open for GuestsAlumni Healthful Living Center

2:00 p.m. Commencement CeremonyAlumni Healthful Living Center (Ticket required)

COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION

Invitations and TicketsInvitation distribution begins April 5 in the campus bookstore. Youcan pick them up anytime prior to Commencement. The Blue andGold Campus Bookstore hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to5:00 p.m.; Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Each graduating senior candidate is provided with a maximum of five tickets. Additional tickets are not available dueto space constraints.

Caps and Gowns for UndergraduatesCaps and gowns will be available for purchase at the campus book-store starting April 5. The cost for an undergraduate cap, gown, andtassel is $32. You can pick it up any time prior to Commencement.The Blue and Gold Campus Bookstore hours are Monday-Thursday,9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; and Saturday,11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Commencement Check-in and Ceremony EtiquetteGraduating seniors are advised to report to the Alumni Healthful Living Center between 1:00 and 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 20. They should enter the campus by way of the access road next to the Church in the Acres on Wilbraham Road and enter the buildingthrough the rear door of the Multipurpose Room. Parking is availablein the lot behind the Alumni Healthful Living Center. Graduating sen-iors must check in and should be dressed in their caps and gowns, aswell as appropriate attire. Only graduates who check in will havetheir names read during the ceremony. There will be no rehearsal.

Graduates who arrive after the procession has begun will notreceive their diplomas on stage. They must sit in the guest seat-ing area and may obtain their diplomas after the ceremony. Asa courtesy to all graduates and their families, please plan to remain throughout the entire Commencement proceedings,which generally run 2-2 1/2 hours.

Diplomas and HonorsGraduating seniors will receive their actual diploma on stage. If youdo not attend Commencement, your diploma will be mailed to yourhome address two to three weeks after Commencement. You mayarrange to pick up your diploma by contacting Rebecca Sargent in Student Administrative Services at 413-796-2080.

Honors are awarded to undergraduate students for superior scholasticachievement. Students are awarded honors if, in addition to satisfying all other requirements for the degree, they have completed a mini-mum of 60 credit hours at the University and have earned the required grade point average.

Cum Laude requires a grade point average of at least 3.30.Magna Cum Laude requires a grade point average of at least 3.60.Summa Cum Laude requires a grade point average of at least 3.80.

Students who graduate with between 45 and 59 credit hours com-pleted at the University and who have a grade point average in thosecourses of 3.50 or higher graduate “with Honors.”

Any honors designation will be on the diploma, printed in the pro-gram, and announced when the diploma is awarded. Undergraduatedegree candidates who qualify for honors will be given their honorcords at Commencement check-in.

PhotographsPhotographs will be taken of each graduate as they receivecongratulations from President Caprio. Log on to www.events.life-touch.com/westernnewenglanduniversity to preregister youremail address. As soon as your Commencement photos are processedyou will receive an email from Lifetouch with instructions for viewingand purchasing your photos online.

Family and GuestsGuests must have tickets and enter through the main entranceof the Alumni Healthful Living Center. Those without tickets willnot gain entrance. Doors open at 1:00 p.m. The ceremony will beginpromptly at 2:00 p.m. and will last approximately two and a halfhours. Seating will be in chairs, not bleachers.

Financial ObligationsThe deadline for settling all accounts at the Student Administrative Services Office in order to receive a diploma at Commencement is Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Ceremony Participation EligibilityAll August 2016, October 2016, February 2017, and May 2017 grad-uates are eligible to participate in the Commencement ceremony.Graduates are asked to notify Student Administrative Services at 413-796-2080 immediately if they change their mind about participatingin the Commencement ceremony.

Graduating seniors who will be within six credits of graduation as ofMay 20, 2017, may be eligible to participate in the Commencementceremony. A Participation Request form must be sent to the Dean’s office prior to March 31, 2017.

Special ArrangementsGuests or graduates in need of special arrangements must contact the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development at 413-782-1203. There will be a limit of one family member sitting with aguest who requires special accommodations.

Accessible parking near the Alumni Healthful Living Center is limitedto vehicles with designated license plates or placards. You may dropoff elderly guests in front of the Alumni Healthful Living Center. The University does not provide wheelchairs for guests. Drop-off of elderly guests does not require calling the Office of Student Activi-ties and Leadership Development if no special seating is required.

Assisted listening devices are available for use during Commence-ment. Please contact Bill Arnold, senior manager of Media Services, at 413-782-1639 to reserve a device.

ParkingParking is available at various locations on campus. Guests will be directed to parking areas as they approach campus. As a convenience to guests, shuttle service vans circle the outer campus parking lots on a continuing basis for one hour before and one hour after the ceremony.

AccommodationsFor families traveling, we are pleased to open our “home” to our fam-ilies by making accommodations available in our air-conditioned Com-monwealth Hall residence facility the night of Friday, May 19, 2017.The fee is $60 per room. Each room has two single beds. Check-in will be conducted in the Commonwealth Hall lobby from 1:00-2:30 p.m.and 5:00-7:00 p.m. Checkout will be Saturday from 10:00 a.m.-12:00noon and 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Video StreamingThe Commencement ceremony will be streamed live on the University website starting at 2:00 p.m. on May 20, 2017, atwne.edu/commencement.

Important Telephone NumbersBlue and Gold Campus Bookstore 413-782-1284College of Arts and Sciences 413-782-1279College of Business 413-782-1231College of Engineering 413-782-1272Student Administrative Services 413-796-2080

HOUSING RESERVATION RSVP

Graduate’s Name_________________________________________

q Yes, my family would like to take advantage of on-campusaccommodations at Commonwealth Hall for the night of Friday, May 19, 2017.

____ Number of rooms required

____ Number of guests

$60 per room

x ____ (# rooms) = _____________(total)

Reservation Name_______________________________________ ___

Confirmation address:______________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Phone:____________________ Email:_________________________

Please make check payable to Western New England University andmail your housing reservation and payment by April 25, 2017, to:

Sean Burke, Residence LifeWestern New England University1215 Wilbraham RoadSpringfield, MA 01119

wne.edu/commencement

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