COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND 2013:

For Candidates Completing Degrees in December 2012; May, June or August 2013

Please note that Commencement Weekend is held once each year in May and includes both Bachelors and Masters Candidates. 

Wednesday, May 8 - Graduation Practice & Alumni Bash
Friday, May 10 - Sending Ceremony & Reception
Saturday, May 11 - Commencement

*If you plan to participate in the May 2013 Commencement Ceremony and have not applied for graduation, please see your advisor immediately!

ELIGIBILITY:
If, for some reason, you will not be able to complete your degree requirements as planned, please contact your advisor to change your expected graduation date. You may participate in only one Commencement ceremony, and your name will appear in only one Commencement booklet. Changes in graduation date that are submitted after the publication of the Commencement booklet in early spring may preclude you from being listed in future booklets. Students completing degree requirements by August 17, 2013 may participate in the May 2013 ceremony provided they have nine or fewer hours (twelve or fewer hours for Avila Advantage graduates) to complete during the summer. If you have participated in a previous ceremony for your current degree, you are not eligible to participate again.

NOTE:
If applicable, a Perkins Loan exit interview must be completed by April 30, 2013. Interviews may be scheduled by calling the Business Office at (816) 501-3741.

Questions regarding diplomas should be directed to the Registration and Student Records Office at 816-501-2410. 

Graduation Practice

Wednesday, May 8, 2013
4 p.m.
(Student Check-in begins at 3:45pm)
Mabee Fieldhouse

All Bachelor and Master Degree candidates participating in the commencement exercises are REQUIRED to attend this practice session.  Caps and gowns are not worn.  
 

Sending Ceremony & Reception

Friday, May 10, 2013
6 p.m.
Jeanne Hamilton Olofson Plaza
(Inclement weather location is the Mabee Fieldhouse)

The Sending Ceremony is our baccalaureate celebration that all graduates, Bachelor’s and Master’s, are encouraged to attend with families.  All participants will receive a special gift medallion during the ceremony.  The ceremony celebrates our Avila Heritage and has become an important part or our Avila tradition.  Graduates process into this ceremony as a class.  The 35 minute ceremony is followed by a big reception (food, beer and wine are served) where it has become common that families have the opportunity to meet faculty and staff. 

Graduates are asked to dress business casual, no caps and gowns. Graduates should meet in the Goppert Lobby at 5:30 p.m.

Please plan to make this Avila celebration a part of your graduation weekend.   

There are no tickets required for the Sending Ceremony, but we do request that graduates submit a reservation. A request for your RSVP will be sent to the graduates’ student email accounts and posted here in March. Questions regarding the Sending Ceremony should be directed to Campus Ministry at 816-501-2423.

Preliminary Information – Please check back for updates! 
Please continue to check back for updates!
GRADUATION APPLICATIONS FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING IN COMMENCEMENT WERE DUE NOVEMBER 15, 2012.  IF YOU PLAN TO WALK AND HAVE NOT SUBMITTED YOUR APPLICATION, PLEASE SEE YOUR ADVISOR IMMEDIATELY! 
Cap and Gown Orders
CAP AND GOWN ORDERS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 15. 

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER:
Log into MyAU on the Avila website home page or at https://myau.avila.edu/ics/

• Click on Academic in the purple ribbon  
• On the left side of the screen, click on Student Advising Info
• On the right side of the screen, under GRADUATION INFORMATION,  click on Commencement Participation Form
• Complete and submit the online form

Your order will include a gown, hood, cap and black tassel to be worn at Commencement.  All of these items are yours to keep.  There is no additional charge for these items as it is included in the $100 graduation fee billed to the student accounts of all graduating students in their last term. 
Notification will be sent to your student email account and posted here when caps and gowns are ready for pick-up in the Bookstore in April.  The Bookstore will also have some optional purple/gold souvenir tassels available for purchase at that time.  The purple/gold tassels are souvenirs only, not to be worn at Commencement. 

Commencement Ceremony

Saturday, May 11, 2013
11 a.m.
Independence Events Center
19100 East Valley View Parkway
Independence, Missouri 64055
Directions/Parking

No guest limits or tickets required.

Please allow two hours for the ceremony. 

Questions regarding the Commencement Ceremony (including cap/gown questions) should be directed to Brenda Ayers in the Academic Affairs Office at brenda.ayers@avila.edu or 816-501-3758.

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS:

GRADUATES UNABLE TO ASCEND OR DESCEND STAIRS:    There are stairs in the gathering area and to access the stage.  If you need assistance, please contact Brenda Ayers in the Academic Affairs Office (816-501-3758) prior to March 1, 2013. 

GUESTS UNABLE TO ASCEND OR DESCEND STAIRS:    There is no need for advance notification.  Enter the EAST ENTRANCE for assistance.  There is a small section of accessible seating on the floor level where guests will be seated on a first come first served basis. Then staff will direct to seating on an upper level via an elevator.  One additional guest may accompany the person needing accessible seating.

FOR ALL OTHER REQUESTS FOR SPECIAL SERVICES (such as sign language interpreting):   Please contact Sharon Depperschmidt at 816-501-2427 or by Sharon.Depperschmidt@avila.edu by March 1, 2013 to ensure availability. 

Graduation Honors

Graduation honors are awarded for baccalaureate degrees only. Honors for the first
baccalaureate degree will be based on all work completed, including transfer work. Honors
for the second baccalaureate degree will be based on Avila University work only. Students
must have completed at least 64 hours of coursework at Avila after the completion of the
first degree to be eligible for honors.

Graduation honors are based on the cumulative grade point average as follows:
Summa cum laude ............. 3.900 – 4.000
Magna cum laude............... 3.700 – 3.899
Cum laude .......................... 3.500 – 3.699
Honors announced at the graduation ceremony will be based on the work completed the fall
semester prior to May graduation. If a student did not attend the fall semester, the
announced honors will be based on the grade point average from the last semester of
attendance prior to the fall semester.

Official honors will be recorded on the student’s diploma and transcript. Official honors are
based on the final grade point average after the last semester of coursework is completed.
Official honors may be different than those announced at graduation ceremony if a
student’s grade point average changes the status during the last semester of coursework.

Photography

A photographer from GradImages® will be present at the Commencement Ceremony. After the ceremony, proofs and ordering information will be sent to the mailing address and email address that you supply on the Commencement Participation Form (see the Commencement Ceremony tab for instructions to complete this form).  You will have the option to purchase prints from GradImages®.

Announcements

A representative from Kansas City Balfour will be in the Marian Center Lounge on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 from 10am to 2pm if you wish to order announcements at your expense.

You may also order announcements by phone or online – see the attached flyer. 

Class Rings

A representative from Kansas City Balfour will be in the Marian Center Lounge on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 from 10am to 2pm if you wish to order a class ring.  If you cannot be present on this date, please contact Mike McClanahan from Kansas City Balfour at 913-681-2421.