Celebrate Together

Physician Assistant White Coat Ceremony

• Thursday, May 15, 2025, White Coat Ceremony 10 AM, Pinning 12 PM
  Munley Theatre, Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts

Nursing Pinning Ceremony   

• Friday, May 16, 2025, at 2:30 PM
  Latour Room, Nazareth Student Center

Location: Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts, Munley Theater 

Tickets Not Required.

The celebration of the Eucharist to ask God’s blessing on our graduates has been a Marywood tradition since 1919. Faculty, graduating students, families, and guests are invited to participate. Graduating students and faculty should wear their academic attire. All guests are asked to be seated in the Munley Theatre by 11:45 a.m., so that Mass can begin promptly at 12 p.m.

Those who have a role in the liturgy (lectors, extraordinary ministers, etc.) should meet near the stage of the theatre by 11:15 a.m. in the Sette LaVerghetta Center.

Any graduating student with a relative who is a priest or permanent deacon may forward his name to Sister Catherine Luxner, IHM, Vice President for Mission Services, who will invite him to participate in the liturgy. Contact Sister Cathy at luxner@marywood.edu.

Location: Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre Township, PA  

Tickets Not Required.

To accommodate the families and guests of our graduates, Marywood University is proud to offer all Commencement Weekend activities as “Open to the Public,” requiring no admittance tickets.

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Doors to the arena will open at 11:30 a.m. for both students and their family and guests. Students and guests will use the arena’s East Gate to enter the arena. Seating for family and guests is general seating in the lower bowl of the arena.

Students are asked to use the designated door (far right) to enter the arena. Once in the arena, they will be directed to the lower event level to prepare for the procession lineup.

Once on the lower event level, students must register with their respective college. Each student will receive a color-coded placement card and be directed to the procession staging area for their respective college.

Please Note: Graduating students MUST be in full academic attire (gown, hood, cap with tassel, and any university issued honor cords or pins if applicable) upon arrival as there are no robing locations available on the event level.

Caps and gowns will NOT be available at Commencement and must be ordered online through the link provided under the Cap and Gown section of Commencement website.

Graduating students will start lining up for the ceremony at Noon in the corridors of the event level. 

The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. and will last approximately 2.5 hours. Graduates are expected to remain for the entire ceremony out of courtesy for your fellow classmates.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, graduates will immediately exit the area through the West Gate.

Medalists

Medalists will be recognized during their respective Hooding Ceremony on May 16, 2025. Photos for additional publicity will be taken prior to the Commencement Ceremony on May 17, 2025.

Medalist Publicity, Photos, and Information:

• All medalists will be recognized on the University website in a news story (published following the Hooding and Honors Ceremonies) that announces the medals/medal recipients. No individual photos accompany this announcement.
• Additional external publicity for medalists is voluntary; those who wish to receive additional publicity must complete an information form (see buttons below).
• Medalists who wish to have photos taken for additional publicity for their accomplishments are asked to report on Commencement Day to the front of the stage area at the arena by 12:15 p.m. Staff members will be on hand to assist and organize this process. Please be prompt, as we have a very limited time for the photo session!
• Once photos are taken, you may return to your place in the lineup for the Commencement ceremony.
• Post-Commencement Publicity: Photos will be used on University social media and to accompany releases to the student's newspaper(s) of choice. This process usually takes several weeks following Commencement.

Medalists who would like additional publicity are asked to complete the appropriate information form by April 25, 2025.

Undergraduate Medalist Form

 GRADUATE & DOCTORAL MEDALIST FORM

Mohegan Sun Arena Useful Information:

The arena is a smoke-free facility. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the arena and adjacent parking lots. The use of air horns, inflatables, laser pointers, and confetti items are strictly prohibited. The arena will perform a bag security check of all guests entering the arena. More information about the arena’s policies and accommodations, including its entrance bag check policy, can be found on the Mohegan Sun a-z guide.

Due to the arena’s bag check policy and the lack of secured storage areas in the event level, graduating students are discouraged from bringing any bags with them on the day of the ceremony. If you must bring a bag, you are strongly encouraged to leave it and any other such personal devices with your guests in the stands.

To accommodate your guests, arena concession food stands will be open for cash or credit card sales. No alcoholic beverages will be sold during the ceremony.

Mohegan Sun Accommodations for the Disabled:

Assistive Listening Devices
Assistive Listening Devices are available for guests with hearing disabilities for Mohegan Sun Arena events. We ask guests with this need to please arrange for this service in advance of the event by calling the arena at (570) 970-7600 or questions@mohegansunarenapa.com. 

Mohegan Sun Arena Disability Seating:
Wheelchair seating is located on the main concourse level and does not involve any stairs. Wheelchair accommodations can be arranged on the day of the ceremony by contacting one of the arena ushers upon entering the facility. Individuals are allowed one guest to be seated with them in this section, and arena staff will provide a chair for the guest on an as-needed basis.

Application

Before you submit your application to graduate, make sure you have met with your advisor to make certain all degree requirements have been or will be met, prior to graduation.

How to Apply

Eligible students can apply for graduation using the MarywoodYOU Portal. Please ensure that the way you major(s) and minor(s) are listed on your application is correct. If there are any discrepancies, or if you have any questions, please contact the Registrar's Office via email at record@marywood.edu

Graduation Fee

Please be aware that when you submit your graduation application, a fee of $275 will be added to your bill. This fee will immediately be reflected on your account.

Additional Information

• It is the responsibility of the student to apply for graduation through the Marywood portal by the appropriate deadline.
• If you applied to graduate in the past, but did not graduate, you must meet with your academic advisor and reapply for graduation.
• The University Commencement ceremony is held in May only. Information will be emailed to students who apply for May graduation, as well as students who graduated the previous August and December.

Special Considerations 

Please note that individual colleges and the University Registrar determine whether or not official graduation requirements have been met. Some students may need to meet additional requirements to graduate and receive a diploma, but have been permitted to participate in this presentation with special considerations. Individuals who find themselves in this situation must complete a Petition to Walk at Commencement Out of Term form to request walking accommodations under this Special Consideration. Only students who have not met the academic course requirements to receive their official degree should complete the form.

Students who have completed their degree requirements in August 2024 or December 2024, or those who are expected to complete degree requirements in May 2025, are already registered to participate in Commencement activities. However, being listed in the presentation does not officially indicate graduation from Marywood University as part of the Class of 2025.

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If you have any questions, please contact the Dean of your College.

Diplomas

On the day of graduation, students will receive their padded diploma cover as they cross the stage after their name is read. Diplomas will be mailed to all graduates who have successfully completed their course of study following the ceremony. Diplomas will be mailed to the address the student provided when registering for commencement.  (Please allow up to 4-6 weeks to receive your diploma.)  

When filling out the Diploma Name field on the Graduation Application form, keep in mind that the requested name may only be some variation of the student's legal name listed on the official academic record. For example: Student John Adam Smith may request his diploma name as John A. Smith, John Adam Smith, or John Smith. If your legal name needs to be updated, you can submit a Change of Name form along with appropriate documentation

Program Books 

Official printed Commencement program booklets will be available on the day of Commencement at the arena doors. In addition to printed commemorative program books, a digital PDF program book will be available through this site on Commencement Day.

The program booklet, in addition to listing graduating students by Degree Level and Major, will also recognize Student Honors and Honor Societies. Recognition also will include the names of students who receive Academic and Student Life Medals.

General Parking

Hoodings: Friday, May 16, 2025, Marywood Campus Safety Officers will be available to assist with parking for all on-campus ceremonies. Disabled parking will be honored and accommodated with the use of a state-issued disabled parking license plate or a disabled parking placard, displayed on the vehicle’s rear view mirror.  

Commencement: Saturday, May 17, 2025, Mohegan Sun Arena staff will assist with parking at the arena. Doors to the arena will open at 11:30 a.m. Disabled parking is available near the arena's West Gate and can be accessed using a state-issued license plate or disabled parking placard.

Accessibility Accommodations

The University will provide an American Sign Language interpreter for all ceremonies. Limited seating, separated from the general seating area, will be available to allow unobstructed viewing of the interpreter. 

Special seating accommodations for the physically impaired are available for the Hooding and Commencement Ceremonies.

Seating for the Commencement Ceremony at the Mohegan Sun Arena will be located on the interior ring of the main concourse overlooking the arena floor. This seating area is for the individuals with limited mobility, along with one guest, and is managed by Mohegan Sun Arena Staff on the day of the event. 

Local Lodging

The Scranton-Wilkes Barre area is a beautiful place to stay. 

check out Local hotels 

Commencement Photos

Marywood University will utilize Legacy Photographics to capture the excitement and the special moment of each student as they walk across the stage at the Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Legacy Photographics will take two pictures for each student. These pictures will be the moment that the student is presented their diploma cover on stage as well as a portrait photo of the student in front of a university banner.

After 3-5 days following the commencement ceremony, Legacy Photographics will email proofs of the pictures to each student using the students m.marywood.edu email account. Students may decide to purchase a photo package directly from Legacy Photographics at that time. 

To avoid excessive movement, all other individual photos of the student on stage, and immediately following, will only be permitted from the seated location of their individual guests.

Graduating Student Portraits

Legacy Photographics will be on Marywood's campus on Tuesday, April 22, and Wednesday, April 23, 2025, offering professional head shots portraits for graduating students. The sitting is free, and students will receive proofs of the pictures, which they can choose to purchase if desired. To schedule a time to sit for photos, visit Legacy Photographics.  

Citation in Honors

Students who complete the honors degree will receive the Citation in Honors and recognition on their official transcripts. To graduate with the Citation in Honors, students must:

1. Complete a minimum of 21 honors credits.
   • 4 honors seminar courses that meet core curriculum or liberal arts requirements
   • 2 honors courses in the student’s major
   • 1 honors course elective OR a third course in the student’s major
2. Complete a 3-credit honors thesis in their major.
3. Achieve a 3.5 QPA by the semester preceding graduation

Graduating students who meet the above requirements will be recognized for their achievement at their respective Hooding Ceremony and will be hooded by their honors thesis advisor.

Honor Societies

The University recognizes the accomplishments of students who have been inducted in discipline-specific honor societies, as well as broader national or international honor societies that include students from across the University, with members from each College. The Commencement Program will contain a listing of these honor societies and the names of students who have been formally inducted into them. 

Medalists

Medalist photos for publicity will be taken prior to the Commencement Ceremony on May 17, 2025.

Medalist Publicity, Photos, and Information:

• All medalists will be recognized on the University website in a news story that announces the medals/medal recipients. No individual photos accompany this announcement.
• Additional external publicity for medalists is voluntary; those who wish to receive additional publicity must complete an information form (see buttons below).
• Medalists who wish to have photos taken for additional publicity for their accomplishmets are asked to report on Commencement Day to the front of the stage area at the arena by 12:15 p.m. Staff members will be on hand to assist and organize this process. Please be prompt, as we have a very limited time for the photo session!
• Once photos are taken, you may return to your place in the lineup for the Commencement ceremony.
• Post-Commencement Publicity: Photos will be used on University social media and to accompany releases to the student's newspaper(s) of choice. This process usually takes several weeks following Commencement.

Medalists who would like additional publicity are asked to complete the appropriate information form by April 25, 2025.

Undergraduate Medalist Form

 GRADUATE & DOCTORAL MEDALIST FORM

A NOTE ABOUT PUBLICITY: While the names of all student medalists will appear on the University’s website, additional publicity is optional; if you do not complete the online publicity form, no other publicity (except Marywood’s website listing) will be given.

Contact Sheryl Lynn Sochoka, Director of Communications, sochoka@marywood.edu or 570-340-6087, if you have questions or concerns regarding medalist publicity.

Be In Demand

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