The 2026 Commencement Ceremony will be held Saturday, May 2, 2026, at the Gaetano M. Cecchini Family Health and Wellness Complex. Review the ceremony schedule, event details, and find answers to common questions as you prepare for graduation.
Celebrate your accomplishment with a live DJ, photos with friends and family, and a free gift from the Alumni Association.
Auxiliary Gym
Walsh University is committed to fairness and serving the Common Good. To support graduates and families of varying sizes, Commencement ceremonies will feature open seating. Tickets will not be required.
Guests are asked to:
Seating is first come, first served. Overflow seating will be on the 2nd floor of Alumni Arena in the Cecchini Center — Room 250 A/B.
There is no formal rehearsal for Commencement. We ask that all graduates meet at the Cecchini Center in the Auxiliary Gym. All graduates will enter at the South Entrance near the Birk Center. Upon arrival, you will check in and be directed to the appropriate area. Approach the stage to have your name read aloud during the ceremony. Marshals will be on site to distribute honor cords and to orchestrate the lineup for the procession and seating.
Walsh University will be allowing open seating at this year's Commencement Ceremonies. Although tickets will not be required, we ask that you are respectful of other graduates and do not bring an excessive number of guests beyond your immediate family/loved ones. We expect an average of 5 guests per graduate. Seating is first come, first served. Overflow seating will be on the 2nd floor of Alumni Arena in the Cecchini Center — Room 250 A/B.
Graduates should plan to arrive one hour before the ceremony, when doors to the Cecchini Health and Wellness Center open. Seating for guests is on a first-come, first-served basis. Fifteen minutes prior to the start of the ceremony, we will restrict admittance into the Alumni Arena to allow the graduates to process in. For security reasons, all bags will be subject to search.
Access campus through the West Gate entrance via South Cavalier Drive. Parking guidance will be provided by campus law enforcement personnel upon arrival.
Attendees requiring handicap parking access should proceed as directed and follow posted signs to the designated parking area located in Lot N.
Though the time varies depending on the length of speeches, it is safe to anticipate 2–3 hours.
Undergraduate Students
Academic attire includes a maroon academic gown, Walsh stole, and mortarboard (cap). Gowns should be clean and pressed. Graduating seniors may wear stoles representing honors earned, approved campus organizations, or country of origin, as well as tasteful cap adornments expressing love for family, respect for others, and well wishes for the future. Students may not display political or ideological messages through face coverings, cap art, sashes, jewelry, or other personal adornments.
Graduate Students (Master’s, Clinical, and Doctoral)
Academic attire includes a maroon academic gown, discipline-specific hood, and mortarboard or beret-style cap. Graduate students must also refrain from displaying political or ideological messages.
Because gowns are polyester, do not iron directly on the fabric. Turn the gown inside out, place a white towel over it, and iron on a warm setting, avoiding prolonged contact in one area.
Doctoral Candidates – Hooding
Doctoral candidates will be hooded during the commencement ceremony. When your name is announced, carry your hood over your arm, proceed to the first available faculty member, and hand them your hood. Face the audience while the hood is placed over your head and onto your shoulders, then turn to thank the professor and exit the stage.
Hoods for Graduate Candidates
Graduate candidates wear their hoods upon arrival. Volunteers will be available to assist.
Additional Attire & Appearance Guidelines
Face coverings, if worn, must be simple and free of political or ideological messaging. While there is no official dress code for clothing worn under the gown, professional attire is recommended.
Arrival & Personal Items
Graduates must arrive wearing their cap and gown. Do not bring personal items to staging rooms; they are not monitored, and Walsh is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Leave purses and belongings in a secure location before arriving at the auxiliary gym. Graduates do not return to staging rooms after the ceremony.
Graduates will line up single file. Marshals will direct you into your seats. When your degree is announced, you will come forward. Upon entering the stage, you will hand off your name card and process across the stage to receive your diploma cover. Actual diplomas will be mailed to you in early June upon certification of all graduation requirements. Only graduates are permitted to process across the stage.
GradImages has been engaged to photograph each graduate as diplomas are presented. Information regarding the purchase of photographs will be forwarded to all students and their families following commencement.
The Office of Campus and Community Programs:
Stephanie Wilder | 330.490.7117 | swilder@walsh.edu
The Office of Academic Affairs:
Kathie Gray | 330.490.7123 | kgray@walsh.edu
The Baccalaureate Holy Mass is a celebration that honors the graduating class.
Absolutely not. Any religious affiliation is welcome.
All are welcome (including family members), and no tickets are required. There is no special seating for Mass. You will sit with your guests.
