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In-person Graduation

In-person Celebration for Sanford Graduate Programs – 2021

When: Wednesday, May 5th at 9:00 AM (EST); student arrival times between 8:15 – 8:30 AM (arrival instructions will be sent to each student)

Who: Graduating students, faculty, and staff working the event may attend. Friends and families may watch the live stream. 

Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium. Live stream will take place on the Sanford YouTube channel. For those unable to access YouTube, a Zoom Webinar live stream will be available (click here for webinar info).

Logistics:

  • Tickets: Seats will be assigned in alphabetical order within MIDP, MPP, and PhD Programs. Participating students will receive an e-ticket from the Duke Athletics Ticket Office.
  • Parking: The Science Drive Garage has been reserved for student parking for the in-person event. You may also park in the lot where you have a pass. Please arrive in enough time to walk to Cameron Indoor Stadium. Those who need handicapped accessible seats and handicapped accessible parking (ADA), please contact Genille Anderson no later than Monday, April 26.
  • Belongings: No backpacks are allowed; small purses are acceptable. Please bring your own, non-disposable water bottle.

Regalia: 

  • Graduation regalia (caps, gowns, and hoods) are required for the in-person event.
  • Please watch this instructional video to learn how to wear graduation attire.  You’ll want your hood to look like the photo above; feel free to watch this brief, hood-centric video.
  • Dual degree students have the option to drape their partner program’s hood over their arm during the ceremony.
  • If you opted to rent regalia from Sanford, you should have received an e-mail to sign up for a pick-up time from Mitch.
  • Regalia will be distributed Wed (4/28) – Tues (5/4) in the Rubenstein bubble room RH 160.
  • If you have not already, please use this link to sign up for a pick-up time. Regalia should be returned to the MPP program no later than one week after the 5/5 in-person ceremony.

Sanford Graduate gift pick-up: 

  • Those who rented regalia can pick up gifts at the same time as the graduation attire.
  • Those who purchased regalia from Duke Stores can sign up for a time to pick up the gift here.
  • Remote MPPs will receive their gift via mail to their same address provided for their diploma.

Safety protocol:

  • Masks and social distancing will be required at the event.
  • Everyone attending the event will need to submit their SymMon information the day of the event and, prior to entry, present their cellphone showing that they are cleared to be on campus.
  • Students may not linger on campus all day; you may come to the time-limited event and must then leave campus.
  • If you are returning to Duke for the graduation celebration, you are encouraged to isolate for 7 days upon arrival; see the CDC guidelines.
  • If you are returning to Duke for the graduation celebration, Duke will not administer Covid or surveillance testing to you.
  • Students who have been in the surveillance testing schedule this semester will be expected to continue surveillance through the remainder of the semester.
  • Although Duke has not mandated vaccination, you are encouraged to schedule a vaccine at Duke (https://covidvaccine.duke.edu/) or any other location.