Commencement Ceremony

CHECK-IN:
10 a.m. Ceremony: Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. for graduates and guests.
2 p.m. Ceremony: Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. for graduates and guests.

GUEST ATTENDANCE: There are no tickets required and no limit to number of guests per graduate.

LIVESTREAM: MSSU KGCS-TV will offer a live telecast and stream of the ceremonies. The link will be posted on the website on the Commencement Website the day prior. You may purchase a copy of the ceremony by contacting Maddy West at west-m@mssu.edu.

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS: GradImages will be taking professional pictures for purchase.

Reserved seating: Graduates who are hard of hearing, with limited mobility, mobility impaired, or need special seating accommodation should contact Chris Mitchell, Coordinator of Disability Services at disabilityservices@mssu.edu at least one week before the commencement ceremony.

Commencement ushers will assist and seat guests who are hard of hearing, mobility impaired, limited mobility, or needing special seating accommodations. 

young Gym Mini-stage and photo booth offerings (optional): 
Candidates may take pictures with faculty or individual pictures at a mini-stage set up in Young Gym. If you want a picture with a faculty member on the mini-stage, it may be helpful to plan ahead and notify the faculty member. Also, Young Gym has multiple photo backdrops with MSSU logos for personal pictures with family. Graduates will be limited to 3-5 minutes at the photo booths, so plan photo configurations with guests ahead of time to maximize allotted time. Commencement staff will be present to assist.

10 a.m. Ceremony: Photo booth opens from 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
2 p.m. Ceremony: Photo booth opens from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Photo booths will also be available at the end of the ceremony for graduates.
 

 

YOUNG GYM - CHECK-IN AND PRE-CEREMONY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Check-in starts at:
   •  8:30 a.m. for morning ceremony
   • 12:30 p.m. for afternoon ceremony
2. Graduates will pick up their name card from the Check-in table (Station 1) in Young Gym. Please don’t fold or wrinkle your name card.
3. Graduate Name Announcers will be at the Check-in station for those whose names may require assistance in correct pronunciation. If you want to ensure the correct pronunciation of your name, visit with the Name Announcer.
4. Pick up and complete the Graduate Employment Survey at Station 2.
5. Mirrors will be available in different locations in Young Gym for your convenience. 
6. Graduates will be organized by colleges forming two processional lines starting at: 
   • 9:30 a.m. for morning ceremony
   • 1:30 p.m. for afternoon ceremony
7. Plan on walking into Leggett & Platt without large visible items in hand. Consider leaving your personal items wit family, friends, or locked away in your vehicles. Commencement programs will be on your seats in Leggett & Platt.
8. Commencement staff will be present to guide the formation of the processional lines and to your seats in Leggett & Platt. 

PROCESSIONAL & RECESSIONAL ORDER:

1. Mace bearer
2. Platform party
3. Faculty
4. Gonfalon carrier for Master's level degrees
5. Master's degree candidates
6. Gonfalon carrier for Undergraduate level degrees
7. Bachelor's degree candidates 
8. Associates only degree candidates

CEREMONY INSTRUCTIONS:

1. You will process into Leggett & Platt in the two-line formation with the Gonfalon carriers ahead of each college, through the center aisle in Leggett and Platt to the graduate seating section. Graduate seating is arranged into two sections with 10 seats per row. You will sit to the left or right sections accord to the processional lines. 
2. When at your seat, remain standing till all graduates are at their seats and follow the President’s instructions.
   
   Diploma Receiving Time:
   
   
3. When it is time to receive your diplomas, Commencement staff will give directions on   when to move to the platform. When instructed, take your name card with you. (Please note that you will only be receiving diploma covers with information. Actual diplomas will be mailed out after grades are posted, degree requirements verified, and degrees conferred).
4. At the platform, the Name announcer will collect your name card and announce your name and any academic honors noted before you move up the platform.
5. When your name is announced, walk up the platform, receive your diploma cover from a member of the Board of Governors, shake hands with the President and GradImages photographer will take a picture. (If you prefer to not shake any hands, don’t extend your hand. That will be the cue you don’t want to shake hands.) 
6. After your picture with the President, continue to the bottom of the ramp to have your individual graduation picture taken by GradImages.
7. Masters graduates only: When called to the platform, walk up the ramp with your hood draped on your right hand. You will be met by two Deans who will hood you. The Dean of your college will be in-front to drape the hood on you. The other dean will assist from behind to ensure the hood is properly draped on your back. Depending on height, you may have to bend a little for the dean to drape the hood over you. After hooding, shake hands with the Dean of the college, receive your diploma cover, shake hands with the President, go down to the bottom of the ramp to have your individual graduation picture taken, and return to your seat. 
8. After taking your picture at the GradImages station, move to your seat guided by Commencement staff.
   
   Recession Time:
   
   
9. At the end of the ceremony, you will exit orderly, the same way you came, under the direction of Commencement staff.
10. The platform party and faculty will form a “spirit tunnel” at the far end of Leggett and Platt for graduates to walk through. Commencement staff will be on hand to assist you.
11. You will exit through the spirit tunnel back into Young Gym.

President's Honor:

President’s Honor is awarded to baccalaureate degree candidates who have studied their junior and senior year at MSSU, earned a minimum of 45 credit hours, with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. 

Eligible candidates may be recognized in their last semester at MSSU and during Commencement, however, actual award and notation on transcript will be after degree requirements have been satisfied.

Latin Honors Eligible Recipients:

In recognition of superior scholarships, the University awards honors to associate degree and baccalaureate degree graduates. Honors listed below are not earned until courses are completed, graded and posted on the student’s permanent record. Courses below the 100 level are excluded from this calculation.

Graduation Honors: Associate Degree - The student must have completed a minimum one half of the hours required for the degree in residence at Missouri Southern State University. The cumulative GPA required to receive:

First Honors	3.90-4.00
Second Honors	3.80-3.89
Third Honors	3.70-3.79

Latin Honors: Baccalaureate Degree - Eligibility for any one of the following three honors requires the candidate to study the junior and senior years at Missouri Southern and earn a minimum of 45 hours of MSSU credits:

Summa Cum Laude	3.90-4.00
Magna Cum Laude	3.80-3.89
Cum Laude	3.70-3.79

Commencement Ceremony Participation - Eligible students may be recognized and/or included in the Commencement ceremony based on the last completed semester cumulative GPA. The final earned honors will be determined and posted on the student’s transcript at the end of the semester when final grades have been posted and the cumulative GPA meets the required criteria.

optional purchase of professionally taken commencement photographs:

For your convenience, arrangements have been made with GradImages for a professional photographer to record the moment you are awarded your diploma.

• You will receive a passport-size, full-color proof in the mail approximately one week after the ceremony. There is no obligation to purchase, and you will have the option of ordering several enlargement packages at very reasonable prices.
• GradImages/GradTrak guarantees complete satisfaction with your photograph or you will receive a full refund, no questions asked.

GradImages contact information:
Toll free number: 800-261-2576
Email: giservice@gradimages.net.