Graduates
Everything you need to know before walking across the stage. From approved academic attire and graduation invitations to stadium directions and guest accommodations, this section helps graduates and their families get ready for a smooth and memorable Commencement day at Georgia Southern. Find details on caps and gowns, seating, photos, and how to volunteer to help make the event a success.
Academic Attire
Caps and gowns are required, and only academic attire approved for the ceremony may be worn. The University Honors Medallion as well as stoles—which include, but are not limited to, Honors Society scarves/cords and Sorority/Fraternity scarves—are approved graduation attire. We suggest candidates wear dark flat shoes, dark dresses or dark pants with their graduation gowns.
Tassels
For undergraduate students, tassels should be worn on the right side of the cap hanging over the right eye. At the ceremony, the President will ask you to move your tassel to the left side of the cap during the ceremony.
For graduate students, tassels should be worn on the left side of the cap hanging over the left eye. The mortarboard of the cap should be parallel to the ground.
Invitations and Commemorative Items
Diploma frames and other commemorative items are available at the University Store in the Student Union on the Armstrong Campus. You may also purchase merchandise online at the University Store’s website.
Invitations, thank you notes, and certificates can be ordered through Printing and Postal Services, on the corner of Arts and Science Drive or on the Printing and Postal Services online webstore.
Class rings can be ordered on the Herff Jones website.
Enmarket Arena in Savannah
Enmarket arena is a 9,500-seat arena that is bringing a new era of music, sports and entertainment experiences for Southern Georgia, utilizing the most innovative features to attract the world’s most sought-after performers. As the home of ECHL Savannah Ghost Pirates hockey team, Savannah will see an insurgence of hockey and other sporting events.
620 Stiles Ave,
Savannah, GA 31415
Academic Attire
Caps and gowns are required, and only academic attire approved for the ceremony may be worn. The University Honors Medallion as well as stoles—which include, but are not limited to, Honors Society scarves/cords and Sorority/Fraternity scarves—are approved graduation attire. We suggest candidates wear dark flat shoes, dark dresses or dark pants with their graduation gowns.
Tassels
For undergraduate students, tassels should be worn on the right side of the cap hanging over the right eye. At the ceremony, the President will ask you to move your tassel to the left side of the cap during the ceremony.
For graduate students, tassels should be worn on the left side of the cap hanging over the left eye. The mortarboard of the cap should be parallel to the ground.
Accessibility
Candidates who need accommodations during the graduation ceremony due to limited mobility should contact the Student Accessibility Resource Center (SARC) at 912-478-1566.
On the day of the ceremony, they may also speak with a Guest Services representative upon arrival. ADA representatives will assist them with getting to their seat.
Candidate Arrival
Candidates should arrive to Enmarket Arena one hour prior to the ceremony.
Parking
Enmarket Arena Lot J is available for guests and graduates on a first come, first serve basis. Once Lot J is full, guests and graduates should use parking lot G (see diagram). Lots A and D are not available for guest or graduate parking. Parking is free and a pass is not required.
Photography
A professional photographer from GradImages will take a picture of you as you cross the stage. A proof of this picture will be emailed to you at your Georgia Southern email address and mailed to your home address so that you may decide if you wish to purchase these photos.
If you preregister, you can get 20% off of your purchase.
Name Cards (Stage Pass)
A Stage Pass will be sent to you through Tassel. You MUST have the electronic Stage Pass accessible on your cell phone or a printed copy of the Stage Pass before entering Enmarket Arena seating area. A printed copy is highly recommended. If you do not have the Stage Pass when you arrive at the ceremony, please see a staff member at the Candidate Check In table near the Candidate entrance. During the ceremony, you will present your Stage Pass to the scanner in front of the stage so your name can be read as you cross the stage. If you choose to use your cell phone to present your Stage Pass, make sure it is fully charged before you arrive. You can save it to your phone (make sure to turn your brightness all the way up and do not enlarge the QR code). We strongly encourage you to bring a printed copy of your Stage Pass in case anything happens to your cell phone.
Guests & Family
Commencement is not only a celebration for graduates but also for the families and friends who have supported them along the way. This section provides everything you need to plan your visit, from stadium entry and seating to parking, accessibility, and local accommodations. You’ll also find details on photography, livestream options, and ways to make the day comfortable and enjoyable as you cheer on your Eagle.
Travel, Food and Lodging
We are excited to welcome families and guests of our graduates for our annual commencement ceremonies. Guests may learn more about our communities on our visitors page. Our out of town guests can view lodging and dining options through Visit Savannah.
Ticket Information
Each guest, regardless of age and including currently enrolled students, will need a ticket to enter Enmarket Arena for the Savannah ceremony. Students who chose to attend the Savannah Commencement ceremony were able to reserve a limited number of tickets for their guests through Tassel and have been emailed a link with login information to their student account.
Pictures
A professional photographer from GradImages will take a picture of your graduate as they cross the stage. A proof of this picture will be emailed to graduates Georgia Southern email addresses and mailed to their home address. Graduates can preregister for photos and receive 20% off if they decide to purchase.
Enmarket Arena in Savannah
Enmarket arena is a 9,500-seat arena that is bringing a new era of music, sports and entertainment experiences for Southern Georgia, utilizing the most innovative features to attract the world’s most sought-after performers. As the home of ECHL Savannah Ghost Pirates hockey team, Savannah will see an insurgence of hockey and other sporting events.
620 Stiles Ave,
Savannah, GA 31415
Venue Policies
Enmarket Arena’s policies, including the arena’s clear bag policy, will be in effect for the Savannah ceremony. Large bags, backpacks and purses are not permitted at Enmarket Arena. Clutches are permitted at 4.5″x6.5″ or smaller. All bags above this size MUST BE CLEAR and no larger than 14″x14″x6″ with a 2-pocket maximum. Clutches and clear bags are subject to search. Diaper bags and medical bags are permitted, but subject to search.
Please visit Enmarket Arena’s A-Z guide for complete information on the venue’s policies.
Accessibility
Visitors with accessibility concerns are strongly encouraged to arrive early to the ceremony. All guests, including ADA visitors, will enter through the main entrance at the front of the venue through the security checkpoint. Wheelchairs will not be available at the venue. Please come with a wheelchair if one is needed.
Additionally, guests may contact the Student Accessibility Resource Center for guest-related accessibility questions at 912-344-2572 or sarcsav@georgiasouthern.edu.
Guests Requiring American Sign Language
American Sign Language interpreting is available. The interpreter will be visible on the big screen from all seating areas.
Ticketing
All guests, regardless of age and including currently enrolled students, are required to have a ticket for entry to Enmarket Arena. There will be no charge for tickets.
Graduates that reserved guest tickets can print the tickets for their guests or email the tickets through the Tassel system. If you are emailing the tickets to guests and sending multiple tickets to one email address, we recommend printing each ticket to expedite your entry into the ceremony.
Guests can either present a printed ticket (recommended) or display the ticket on their mobile device to be scanned. Each ticket contains a unique barcode that can only be scanned once. For this reason, it is important to print the entire PDF file to distribute multiple tickets rather than making a copy of the first page.
Graduates will not need tickets. Their cap and gown is their ticket.
Guest Parking, Entrance and Seating
Graduates and guests driving to Enmarket Arena should plan to arrive early. Parking is first come, first serve in Lot J. Once Lot J is full, guests and graduates should use parking in Lot G. Parking is free and no pass is required. Parking in Lot D is for arena staff only.
Guests may enter Enmarket Arena through the main front entrance. Tickets are required for entry. Guests and graduates will not be allowed to hold or reserve seats for other guests. Graduates will enter the arena through a side entrance. See candidate seating section for additional information.
Enmarket Arena’s policies will be in effect for the commencement ceremony, including the clear bag policy. Please familiarize yourself with Enmarket’s A to Z guide prior to the ceremony. Balloons are strictly prohibited, and other items not allowed into the ceremony include: Noisemakers, selfie sticks, outside food/drinks, posters.
Gates/doors open 1 hour prior to the start of each ceremony. Please note that the ceremonies begin promptly at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. with a processional.
Concessions
Concessions will be available for food and drink purchases.
Faculty & Staff
Commencement is made meaningful through the dedication of Georgia Southern’s faculty and staff. As volunteers and participants, you help create an experience that allows our graduates to truly soar beyond. Your guidance, support, and presence embody the spirit of Georgia Southern—celebrating student achievement while ensuring a seamless and memorable ceremony for graduates and their families.
Help Us Host Commencement
As Commencement is a respected University-wide event, the Commencement Committee is currently seeking faculty and staff volunteers to serve as hosts and candidate assistants for each ceremony.
As a Commencement Host, your primary tasks will be to greet guests, assist with guest seating and post-ceremony departure.
As a Candidate Assistant, you will need to ensure that students are in the correct college seating area, ensure each student has a Stage Pass, and that college rows have an equal number of students, in addition to other assigned duties throughout the ceremony.
Help Us Host Commencement
As Commencement is a respected University-wide event, the Commencement Committee is currently seeking faculty and staff volunteers to serve as hosts and candidate assistants for each ceremony.
As a Commencement Host, your primary tasks will be to greet guests, assist with guest seating and post-ceremony departure.
As a Candidate Assistant, you will need to ensure that students are in the correct college seating area, ensure each student has a Stage Pass, and that college rows have an equal number of students, in addition to other assigned duties throughout the ceremony.
Parking
Everything you need to know before walking across the stage. From approved academic attire and graduation invitations to stadium directions and guest accommodations, this section helps graduates and their families get ready for a smooth and memorable Commencement day at Georgia Southern. Find details on caps and gowns, seating, photos, and how to volunteer to help make the event a success.
Graduates and guests driving to Enmarket Arena should plan to arrive early. Parking is first come, first serve in Lot J. Once Lot J is full, guests and graduates should use parking in Lot G. Parking is free and no pass is required. Parking in Lot D is for arena staff only.
Guests may enter Enmarket Arena through the main front entrance. Tickets are required for entry. Guests and graduates will not be allowed to hold or reserve seats for other guests. Graduates will enter the arena through a side entrance. See candidate seating section for additional information.
Enmarket Arena’s policies will be in effect for the commencement ceremony, including the clear bag policy. Please familiarize yourself with Enmarket’s A to Z guide prior to the ceremony. Balloons are strictly prohibited, and other items not allowed into the ceremony include: Noisemakers, selfie sticks, outside food/drinks, posters.
Gates/doors open 1 hour prior to the start of each ceremony. Please note that the ceremonies begin promptly at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. with a processional.
Enmarket Arena in Savannah
Enmarket arena is a 9,500-seat arena that is bringing a new era of music, sports and entertainment experiences for Southern Georgia, utilizing the most innovative features to attract the world’s most sought-after performers. As the home of ECHL Savannah Ghost Pirates hockey team, Savannah will see an insurgence of hockey and other sporting events.
620 Stiles Ave,
Savannah, GA 31415
Live Webcast of Commencement
The commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live on the University’s Facebook page and an embed of the livestream will also be placed on the main commencement page during the time of the ceremonies. The Facebook Live event will begin approximately 5-15 minutes before the ceremony. Due to technical constraints, some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) do not permit the use of their systems to transmit such broadcasts. Should you not be able to view the broadcast, please contact your local ISP.
Decorum
Commencement is a special and significant occasion in your life. Many of your family and friends will come from a long distance to witness this memorable ceremony. Our faculty, staff and administrators have planned the program and arrangements with every consideration to make this an impressive and enjoyable event for all candidates and spectators.
Please follow these decorum guidelines for Commencement:
- Arrive an hour before the ceremony.
- Remain quiet and in your seat except when going to the stage or being recognized by your dean and the President. You are not allowed to leave before the ceremony concludes.
- No smoking.
- No alcoholic beverages.
- No balloons.
- Umbrellas are permitted, please bring a poncho in case of rain.
- Wear proper graduation attire. Candidates should wear dark, flat shoes and dress attire with graduation gowns.
- A stole associated with an honor society, a student organization/group represented on campus, or a department of Georgia Southern University may be worn at the commencement ceremony.
- Cell phone ringers must be turned off during the Commencement ceremony and only text messaging is allowed during the ceremony.
- No gathering for group photos during the ceremony.
- No use of selfie sticks or noise makers such as cowbells, horns, megaphones, etc. will be allowed.
- Other items not allowed into the ceremony include: Outside food/drink, posters
- Do not engage in other disruptive behavior during the ceremony.
Featured Commencement Ceremony Speakers
Tuesday, May 13
10 a.m. Ceremony
Hemant Goel
Read Hemant’s Biography
Hemant Goel is a distinguished veteran of the health care software industry with four decades of experience.
Goel is president and CEO of FinThrive, a health care financial software company headquartered in Plano, Texas. FinThrive supports more than 4,000 hospitals and clinics across the U.S., employing nearly 2,000 individuals in the U.S. and India. Over the past decade, FinThrive has assisted hospitals in recovering more than $12 billion from insurance companies, processing an excess of $6 billion in hospital claims annually on behalf of the institutions it serves.
Prior to this, Goel served as CEO of Capsule Technologies, a company specializing in critical care device connectivity, serving 37 countries globally. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Capsule Technologies swiftly developed ventilator surveillance software to help health care professionals monitor patients without entering their rooms and offered this technology free of charge to any hospital in need. This innovation garnered widespread recognition in the health care industry, earning Hemant and his team the “Healthcare Heroes” award.
Born in India, Goel relocated to the U.S. six months after earning a mechanical engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in 1985. He later obtained his MBA from Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina in 1992.
Wednesday, May 14
10 a.m. Ceremony
Younghoe Koo
Read Younghoe’s Biography
Georgia Southern alumnus Younghoe Koo (’17) is the placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons, a position he’s held since 2019 that’s brought him recognition as one of the most prolific scorers in the NFL.
He became the first Eagle football player to be named a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, annually presented to the top U.S. college football placekickers. He was the program’s first Football Bowl Subdivision All-American and set a career record for career field goal percentage.
Koo is sixth on the NFL’s all-time leaderboard in field goal percentage and is one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. He’s a record-setting player, known for the most made field goals in a single season with 37, and is the first player in franchise history to make at least eight field goals of at least 50 yards without a miss.
He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2020 after leading the league in scoring that year. He continues to be one of the Falcons’ most proficient scoring players and has been named National Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week and Month on multiple occasions.
Koo has a passion for giving back to both the Korean and American communities and hosts an annual youth football camp. He also serves as the face of Positive Athlete Georgia, an organization that recognizes high school athletes who serve their communities in the most positive ways.
Thursday, May 15
10 a.m. Ceremony
Brig. Gen. Vincent E. Buggs
Read Vincent’s Biography
Retired Brig. Gen. Vincent E. Buggs (‘90) is the founder and CEO of Embrace the Power and Power Pony Express Sports LLC, where he works to mentor and train individuals to achieve their personal and professional goals. He has received numerous awards over his 30-year military career, including the Legion of Merit, Joint Service Awards, Distinguished Star from El Salvador and the Polish Bronze Medal.
Buggs holds a master’s degree in global history from the American Military University and a master’s in strategic studies from the U.S. Air War College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in German from Georgia Southern.
Diplomas/Transcripts
Diplomas will be mailed to the graduates at their diploma mailing address or their permanent home address. Please remember to update your diploma address in WINGS to an address that will be valid eight weeks after completing all degree requirements. If there is no diploma address, the diploma will be mailed to the current mailing address. Diplomas should be mailed six to eight weeks after graduation for students who have applied for graduation and completed all requirements.
When applying for employment, transcripts should be used instead of diplomas. Three weeks after graduation, if requirements are complete, graduates may request a transcript with the degree conferred.
Ceremony Archives
You can view the archives of past commencement ceremonies on the archives section of the main commencement page.
View Ceremony ArchivesPhotography
A professional photographer from GradImages took a picture of you as you crossed the stage. A proof of this picture was emailed to you at your Georgia Southern email address and mailed to your home address. See the email and mailed items to purchase the photos directly from GradImages.
Commemorative Items
Diploma frames and other commemorative items are available at the University Store in the Student Union on the Armstrong Campus. You may also purchase merchandise online at the University Store’s website. You can order a class ring here.
