Commencement Weekend Schedule

Frequently Asked Questions Commencement Homepage

2026 Commencement Weekend Schedule (Tentative)

President's Reception, Breakfast, Baccalaureate & First Gen pinning ceremony (marked with *) require registration. Registration coming soon.

Friday, May 1

10 am - Noon: Graduate Portraits; Old Main lawn/rain location; Smith Hall

2:30-3:30 pm: College Scholars Cording Ceremony (For students in the College Scholars Program); Meiley-Swallow Theatre

3:30 pm: Dessert Reception Following College Scholars Cording Ceremony; Meiley-Swallow Lobby

4:30-5:30 pm*: First Gen Pinning Ceremony; Wentz Concert Hall

5:30-6:45 pm*: President’s Reception; Wentz & Madden Lobbies

7-8:15 pm: MANDATORY Rehearsal for students; Wilde Res/Rec Center

Saturday, May 2

9-10 am: MOT Pinning Ceremony; Wentz Concert Hall

1:30-2:30 pm: DPT Ceremony; Wentz Concert Hall

Sunday, May 3

(Note: There will not be a separate Graduate Program hooding ceremony this year - they will combine those ceremonies into the main ceremony at 10 am)

7:30-9 am*: Breakfast; Kaufman Dining Hall

8-8:30 am*: Baccalaureate; Koten Chapel

8:30 am: Doors Open; Wilde Res/Rec Center

9 am: Graduate Line-Up; Merner Field House

9:40 am: Processional; Merner to Res/Rec

10 am: Ceremony begins; Wilde Res/Rec Center

1-3 pm: The Center for Global Education Graduation Reception; Stevenson Hall

* The planned schedule of events is subject to change and will be updated as necessary.

Alumni Resources

Even after graduation, you're still an important part of the North Central family. We welcome you back on campus anytime, especially during Homecoming and other annual alumni events. Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal.