DC Metro 2013 Commencement Ceremony Information

2013 DC Metro Commencement Ceremony: Saturday, June 29, 2013 at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott at 10:00am

WHO:  Any student who has completed the coursework for and received approval from the appropriate Associate College Dean for graduation from an Associate, Bachelor's or Master's degree program. Please note that we do not recognize those who have earned Certificates at the ceremony.

LOCATION: Crystal City Gateway Marriott 1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Arlington, VA  22202   
If you are interested in staying at the hotel the night before the ceremony, we have a block of rooms available at a discounted rate of $119 per night. Reservations for the event must be made by the individual attendee directly by calling 1-800-228-9290 or 703-920-3230 and reference the DeVry University group rate. Reservations must be made by June 9, 2013 to guarantee room availability. After this date, any remaining rooms in the block will be released, and reservations will be accepted on a space-and rate-available basis at the DeVry University group rate.

RSVP: To have an accurate count of graduates for the ceremony, we ask that you RSVP. This is important for all planning purposes and future communications and event updates. Students with approved Petitions to Graduate will receive a link to an online form to complete from their program Dean - this link will be a part of the general approval email that you will receive.

GUESTS:  The ceremony is not a ticketed event. Guest seating is first-come, first-served, and anyone seen saving many seats will be politely asked to discontinue. We recommend that you invite no more than around 6 guests so that each student may have family and friends to support them at the event.

STUDENT SPEAKERS:  Every year we seek two dynamic student speakers - one to represent DeVry University and one to represent Keller Graduate School of Management.  Please contact Jen Cadman if you meet the criteria below and are interested in applying to be a student speaker.

DeVry/Keller DC Metro graduate with:

Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for DeVry University graduates

Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 for Keller graduates

Must have graduated between August 2012 to June 2013.

  
PROGRAM: In order to be listed in the program, please complete and submit your Petition to Graduate prior to May 1, 2013. You can get this form from your Student Success Coach. Programs will be available for all guests and graduates on the day of the ceremony. If necessary, program edits will be made after the ceremony and reprints mailed to students who request an edit. You can request an edit by completing a form at the ceremony Check-In desk.

CAP AND GOWN INFORMATION: For regalia (cap, gown, tassel, hood), announcements and ring purchasing, please order through Jostens using the links below.  For Associate and Bachelor's degree candidates, you must have a cap, gown and the appropriately colored tassel for your degree program. For Master's degree candidates, you must have the Master's cap, gown, the appropriately colored hood for your degree program and standard tassel.

For DeVry University graduates (undergraduate degrees)

For Keller Graduate School graduates (master's degrees)

HONOR CORDS: If you earn honors, you will receive an honor cord to wear at the ceremony. You must earn a CGPA of 3.5 or better as an undergraduate student or a 3.7 or better as a graduate student to be recognized for honors. Recognition for honors will be announced with your name during the ceremony. Please see below for additional details. 

1.  You must stay for the entire ceremony. This means that you will stay seated in the section designated for graduates, with the exception of when it is your turn to walk across the stage.

2.  Please do not have side conversations during the ceremony.

3.  Please do not invite guests to sit with you in the graduate section.

4.  Please ask your guests to also stay seated and limit side conversations for the duration of the ceremony.