Commencement FAQ
In order to keep everyone informed, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions regarding Commencement Weekend.
Please read through the FAQs before contacting the College, as they will provide a more timely/immediate answer. You can start by choosing a question from one of the sections below, or by skipping down to view all questions.
General Commencement Questions
- What if I cannot attend?
- Can I return my cap and gown?
- When will we receive official invitations and be able to register for Commencement events?
- I need an official transcript for my job/graduate school, how do I get one?
- Where can I stay and eat in the Ripon area?
- Do I need a ticket to attend the Commencement ceremony?
- Where is the Commencement rain location?
- Where can I park?
- Is accessible seating and parking available?
- What’s the policy on honor cords?
List of FAQs
We’ll miss you! Graduates who cannot attend will be listed in absentia in the program, and their diplomas will be mailed to the address on file. The ceremony will be livestreamed on the Ripon College YouTube Channel for families and friends who would like to tune in.
Caps and gown are provided by the College to graduates free of charge, so there is no need to return your cap and gown following the ceremony.
When will we receive official invitations and be able to register for Commencement events?
As details are finalized, updates will be posted to ripon.edu/commencement. By early April, the Office of Constituent Engagement will send invitations and begin accepting online registrations.
I need an official transcript for my job/graduate school, how do I get one?
The Office of the Registrar will send a complimentary official transcript, with the degree posted, to all graduates, most likely in the first part of June. After that, additional transcripts are available by request from the Office of the Registrar. More information is available at: https://ripon.edu/transcripts
Where can I stay and eat in the Ripon area?
Click here for a list of lodging and dining options in the area.
Do I need a ticket to attend the Commencement ceremony?
There are no tickets for the Commencement ceremony. Seating is first-come, first-served. While seating will be available outdoors, there are also plenty of grassy areas, and guests are welcome to bring blankets or lawn chairs. If the ceremony is moved indoors, seating will be more limited; so guests should plan to arrive early.
Where is the Commencement rain location?
Commencement will be held on Sunday whether it rains, sleets or snows. Sunday’s 1 p.m. ceremony is traditionally on the lawn of Harwood Memorial Union, but should there be inclement weather, the ceremony then will be moved inside the field house in Willmore Center, located at 400 Union Street. Further updates on the day will be found on our Facebook page.
Free parking is available on the streets surrounding the Union; however, spots will fill fast and early. Click to view our Campus Map. Off-street parking, denoted on the map by a P, is available in lots behind Smith Hall, on Thorne Street, at the corner of Seward Street and Woodside Avenue and off Ransom Street across from East Hall. Accessible parking, denoted on the map with an H, is available near the Union, outside Pickard Commons and at Evans Admission Center. Accessible parking also will be marked on Seward Street. If the ceremony is held inside Willmore Center, free parking is available in the lot and adjacent streets.
Is accessible seating and parking available?
Accessible seating and parking is available for the Commencement ceremony. Please ask an usher if you need special assistance. Individuals requiring special assistance should call the Office of Constituent Engagement at 920-748-8126 to ensure appropriate accommodations.
What’s the policy on honor cords?
The College provides College honor cords (summa cum laude, magna cum laude and cum laude) and Phi Beta Kappa stoles. All departmental honor cords, Greek stoles and other accouterments (within reason) are allowed during the ceremony. Those items, however, will not be provided by the College or listed in the program.