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Savannah Commencement Ceremonies

Saturday, December 16, 2 p.m.

Enmarket Arena in Savannah

Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m.

Enmarket Arena in Savannah

colleges of Arts and Humanities, Education, Science and Mathematics, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Business, and Engineering and Computing

Saturday, May 13, 3 p.m.

Enmarket Arena in Savannah

colleges of Health Professions and Public Health

It’s time to RSVP for Fall Commencement! Graduates: Look for the form in your MarchingOrder account!

Home > Fall 2023 Commencement > Savannah Commencement Ceremonies
Before the Ceremony
During the Ceremony
After the Ceremony

Prepare for the Ceremony

Apply for Fall 2023 Graduation Through WINGS by Aug. 25 >

Graduate Information

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

Directions to Enmarket Arena

Guests and Family Information

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

Students who choose to graduate in either Savannah ceremony at Enmarket Arena will be able to reserve up to 13 tickets for their guests. Guest ticket information will be emailed to graduating students through their Georgia Southern email account closer to the ceremony date. Each guest, regardless of age and including currently enrolled students, will need a ticket to enter Enmarket Arena.

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

Directions to Enmarket Arena

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.

Faculty and Staff Information

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 GradPass, and that college rows have an equal number of students, in addition to other assigned duties throughout the ceremony. 

Learn more about volunteering for commencement.

Sign Up to Volunteer

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

Directions to Enmarket Arena

During the Ceremony

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.

Commencement Program

A commencement program listing the names of all candidates will be placed in the candidates’ seats at the ceremony. A digital program is available below as well. 

Download the Commencement Program (2 MB PDF)

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.

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

Directions to Enmarket Arena

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.

Enmarket Arena Parking Map

Candidate Information

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 912-344-2572.

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. 

Enmarket Arena Parking Map

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.

Enmarket Arena Parking Map

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.

Preregister for Photos

If you preregister, you can get 20% off of your purchase.

Candidate Seating

Seating for Enmarket Arena ceremonies will begin an hour before the ceremony. Graduates will enter through a separate entrance and security checkpoint on the far right of the building  to get to their seats. Staff members will help direct you to your seat in the seating area. Please note that Enmarket Arena’s policies apply to the Commencement ceremony, including the clear bag policy.  Please visit Enmarket Arena’s A-Z guide for complete information on the venue’s policies. 

Note: Guests will enter through the main entrance and security checkpoint. All guests, regardless of age and including currently enrolled students, must have a ticket to enter. 

Enmarket Arena Seating Diagram

Name Cards (GradPass)

A GradPass will be sent to you through Marching Order. You MUST have the electronic GradPass accessible on your cell phone or a printed copy of the GradPass before entering Enmarket Arena seating area. A printed copy is highly recommended.  If you do not have the GradPass 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 GradPass 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 GradPass, 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 GradPass in case anything happens to your cell phone.

Guest and Family Information

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.  

More information on accessibility at Enmarket Arena.

Enmarket Arena Parking Map

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 MarchingOrder 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 ceremony begins promptly at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, with a processional. 

Concessions

Concessions will be available for food and drink purchases. 

Featured Commencement Ceremony Speakers

Mayor Van R. Johnson, II 

Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m.

Mayor Van R. Johnson, II 
Read Mayor Johnson’s Biography

Purpose, Passion and People are the core principles that guide and drive the life of the Honorable Van R. Johnson, II, the 67th Mayor of the City of Savannah, Georgia. 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, but with strong Savannah roots, Mayor Johnson is a graduate of the New York City Public School System and has earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Savannah State and Georgia Southern University. 

As a former radio talk show host, political commentator and former author of local weekly columns, Mayor Johnson has distinguished himself as an independent, thoughtful and passionate voice on current events. 

As a nationally certified Human Resources and Georgia certified Law Enforcement professional, Mayor Johnson has utilized his unique skill set as a sought-after trainer, speaker and consultant in these areas. 

In 2004, Mayor Johnson was elected as the First District Alderman on the Savannah City Council. He has been re-elected 3 times by the citizens of the District with an average of 75% of the total vote. During his tenure on Council, Mayor Johnson has served as Mayor Pro Tem and Vice Chairman. He has consistently used this sacred platform to advocate on behalf of the least, the last and the lost and to promote inclusion and equity for all of Savannah’s citizens. He is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Georgia. 

Mayor Johnson has also demonstrated leadership nationally as only the 4th elected official from Savannah to serve on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities. He also recently served as Chair of the Advisory Board of the National League of Cities, becoming the first Savannahian to hold such an office. 

Mayor Johnson is nationally recognized as an innovator and thought leader in the areas of youth development and engagement through his service of over 23 years as the Director of the Chatham County Youth Commission. Since that time, he has assisted cities and counties across the country in developing governmental youth leadership programs, to include co-founding the Savannah Youth Council in 2004. 

Locally, his service has been dedicated to children, youth and families. He has served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Wesley Community Centers of Savannah, past Board Chair of the Chatham County Department of Family and Children Services in addition to numerous local non-profit organizations. He is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the International Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi and numerous other social and civic organizations. 

Mayor Johnson’s leadership and humanitarian efforts have been recognized including being conferred the Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Savannah State University, 2017 Savannah Martin Luther King Observance Day Parade Marshal, 2017 Savannah Black Heritage Festival honoree, 2017 Association of County Commissioners of Georgia Civic and Community Service Award Recipient, the 2017 James P. Simms Public Service Award by the King Tisdell Cottage Foundation and the 2016 Savannah State University Fellow.

Rebecca King, MHA

Saturday, May 13, 3 p.m.

Rebecca King, MHA
Read King’s Biography

Rebecca King, MHA (’15, ’17) is currently a state lobbyist for the American College of Surgeons (ACS) based in Washington, DC where she advocates on behalf of more than 75,000 surgeons and their patients in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In her role, she empowers surgeons to engage state legislators on a wide variety of health policy issues such as Medicaid expansion, surgical quality and safety, physician payment, medical liability reform, cancer screenings and prevention, state trauma system funding, and many more.

Rebecca is a Double Eagle and attributes much of her success to her professional involvement with Campus Recreation and Intramurals (CRI) while a student at Georgia Southern. Since graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Master of Healthcare Administration, she has had incredible opportunities that range from optimizing a surgical service line of a $2.5 billion healthcare system to designing and implementing national patient health education programs.

Prior to transitioning her career to government affairs, Rebecca managed an employee wellness program for a national cancer research institute in Bar Harbor, Maine as well as managed the National Health Service Corps program for a 9-hospital healthcare system in upstate New York where she first began as a healthcare administrative fellow.

In addition to her work with the ACS, she is actively involved with the premier networking organization, Women in Government Relations, where she completed the Judy Schneider Policy Fellowship, and is Co-chair of the Georgia Southern DC Area Alumni Network.

After the Ceremony

Ceremony Archives

You can view the archives of past commencement ceremonies on the archives section of the main commencement page.

View Ceremony Archives

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. 

Order Commemorative Items
Order Class Ring

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.

Photography

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.

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