Baccalaureate Mass, Saturday, May 16, 9:00 a.m., St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
Annual Commencement Exercises, Saturday, May 16, 1:00 p.m., Hill Auditorium
Reception immediately following Commencement Exercises, Ave Maria School of Law
Guest Count: Students will be asked when picking up regalia for an updated guest count for Commencement Weekend events. Any subsequent changes to those counts must be communicated to studentaffairs@avemarialaw.edu. Guests will not need a ticket to attend the Commencement Exercises.
Regalia pickup and return:- Candidates will pick up their cap and gown at Student Affairs. Hoods will be presented during the commencement ceremony.
- All regalia must be returned following the Commencement Ceremony to Room 270 by 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 16.
Directions: See the link above for a map to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and Hill Auditorium.
Baccalaureate Mass:- Participants in the Baccalaureate Mass on Saturday, May 16, should report no later than 8:30 a.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church.
- Candidates will gather in Parish Hall just north of the church. Candidates should not bring valuable items such as purses as there will be no place to secure them during Mass.
- A Musical Prelude will begin at 8:45 a.m. and Mass will begin at 9:00 a.m.
- During the Baccalaureate Mass, gentlemen should remove their caps at the end of the Opening Hymn and replace them at the end of the Mass at the beginning of the Recessional Hymn.
- The doors to Hill Auditorium open at noon on Saturday, May 16.
- All Candidates for Graduation should report no later than 12:15 p.m. (45 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony). Candidates should proceed up the stairs to the mezzanine lobby. The Student Marshal will arrange candidates in alphabetical order and distribute name and photo cards. Candidates should not bring valuable items such as purses as there will be no place to secure them during the ceremony.
- The Student Marshal will lead candidates to the seating in the auditorium. Candidates should remain standing until after the Invocation. Gentlemen should remove their caps during the National Anthem, the Invocation, and later during the Benediction.
- When it is time for each candidate to approach the stage, the Student Marshal will indicate when a particular row should stand. Candidates proceed to the right to access the stage, hand the photo card to the photographer's assistant, and hand the name card to the announcer. Then each candidate proceeds to the hooding table, then to the Chairman of the Board of Governors, and then to the Dean (when a photograph is taken). Finally, each candidate should then pause at the bottom of the exit ramp for a second photograph before proceeding to their seat.
- At the end of the ceremony, the Platform Party will exit first. The Student Marshal will then lead the candidates from the auditorium to the lobby area.
- Reception refreshments will be at Ave Maria School of Law.
- Parking is available in both the south and north lots, along Commonwealth Drive, in the parking lots at 2100 and 2200 Commonwealth Drive, and across Green Road at Cleary University.
- The library and classrooms will be open for family tours. Memorabilia will be available for purchase in the Bookstore.