Saturday, May 11, 2024, 10 a.m.
Commencement will be held outside rain or shine under a large tent. We recommend that you dress comfortably for the weather and wear shoes suitable for walking on grass.
Saint Joseph’s College is proud to be a tobacco-free campus.
Note: Pets are not allowed at commencement- only leashed service animals. Please do not leave dogs in your car.
Commencement Events Schedule and Details
Commencement events will be streamed live over the Internet for friends and family members of the graduating class who cannot attend. See links below for each event.
Baccalaureate Mass
Friday, May 10, 10:45 a.m. - LIVESTREAM LINK
Please join us for the opening of the Commencement celebrations with Baccalaureate Mass on Friday, May 10. Mass will take place outside under the tent behind the Alfond Center. Students and faculty will robe and march in procession for Mass. There will be no assigned seating for family and friends. Tickets are not required. If you have requested special needs parking for Saturday, please bring that parking pass with you to park as needed on Friday.
Nursing Pinning Ceremony
Friday, May 10, 1:30 p.m. - LIVESTREAM LINK
The Nursing Pinning Ceremony will also take place on Friday, May 10. The ceremony will take place outside under the tent behind the Alfond Center. There will be no assigned seating for family and friends. Tickets are not required. If you have requested special needs parking for Saturday, please bring that parking pass with you to park as needed on Friday.
Commencement Exercises
Saturday, May 11, 10:00 a.m. - LIVESTREAM LINK
Commencement will take place outside under the tent behind the Alfond Center. Students and faculty will robe and march in procession. Tickets are required for guests. If you have requested special needs parking, please bring that parking pass with you to park.
Moving out - Saturday, May 11
Campus Safety recommends families of students who live on campus plan to start moving after 2 p.m. once campus traffic has reduced. Please be considerate of the traffic flow following the ceremony when parking and moving out of the resident halls. Graduating students will need to be out of the resident halls by 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 11.
Caps and Gowns
On-campus students must order their caps and gowns by March 3, 2024 @ 11:59 p.m. EST through https://buildagrad.com/sjc. Students can pick them up at the “Senior Send-Off Fair” - April 16 + 17 in Baggot Street. Students must have their student ID to get their cap and gown. If students are unable to attend the fair, they must pick up their regalia from Shanna Webster, Academic Center for Excellence Office (located on 3rd floor of Alfond Hall Office #325).
Online graduates should apply for graduation through the Registrar’s Office and should order their caps and gowns by March 3, 2024 @ 11:59 p.m. EST through https://buildagrad.com/sjc. Caps and gowns for online students will be shipped directly to them.
Accessibility
If you need to make arrangements for accessibility seating and parking, you will need to contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@sjcme.edu or 207-893-7798 no later than April 26th regarding accessible parking and seating for guests with limited mobility. Please note: Special seating is limited to the individual with the mobility issue and one family member. You will need to show your special passes.
Diplomas
Each graduate will be handed a Saint Joseph's College diploma cover during the ceremony. It will contain a blank diploma with a congratulatory message instructing the graduate that their diploma will be mailed to them once they have been cleared by the Office of the Registrar and Student Accounts.
Parking
The road that the College is located on, Whites Bridge Road, can get backed up on the morning of Commencement. You could experience some delays. Be sure to give yourself enough time. We suggest that you arrive on campus as early as you can. We recommend that you arrive before 9 a.m.
Parking will be available on campus. Due to the considerable need for parking, we ask that you and your guests carpool to campus on Saturday. This will help to improve our parking and traffic situation. You will enter the campus from Whites Bridge Road. As you proceed there will be staff to show you the way. Please do not stop your car to ask questions at the entrance, as this will bring the traffic flow to a halt.
Memorabilia
Class Rings and Graduation Announcements
Graduation from college is one of the most important achievements students will experience in their life — a milestone to share. Saint Joseph’s College and Balfour have partnered together to offer custom class rings and personalized graduation announcements. To order now, visit balfour.com or call 1-866-225-3687.
Join the tradition and order your Saint Joseph’s class ring! Show your school spirit and carry a piece of Saint Joseph’s with you wherever you go. Order by March 13th for guaranteed graduation delivery!
Campus Store
Buy your graduate - or yourself - some SJC swag. We've got hoodies, t-shirts, pennants, alumni merchandise, SJC mom and dad shirts and more. We're taking online orders for graduation that can be picked up either the day before graduation or graduation morning.
Honor Your Family
Walking across the stage at Commencement is a powerful moment for a graduate and family. Would you like to honor your family with a gift that supports students?
Commencement Photos
Photos will be taken throughout the day, including during the ceremony. Students will be notified when pictures are available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Valedictorian, Online Student Speaker, and Student Speakers
Hailey Anderson
Valedictorian, Class of 2024
Hailey Grace Anderson, a Biology/Pre-PA major with a Chemistry minor from Beverly, Massachusetts, excels academically and athletically at Saint Joseph's College. She is the Vice President of the Delta Epsilon Sigma chapter and a two-year captain of the Women's Basketball Team, contributing to back-to-back GNAC conference championships. She is also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Kendra Rickwald
Online Speaker, Class of 2024
Kendra Rickwald will graduate from the online program at Saint Joseph's with a Bachelor of Science this May 2024. Kendra is a native Californian, though she feels Maine is "magical" and visits at every opportunity. She began her collegiate return at SJC in 2018 and has been balancing her responsibilities as a student, family CEO, and mother of three. After graduating, Kendra plans to apply the skills and insights she has learned towards patient advocacy and continuous quality improvement, focusing on women's health. Kendra is grateful that she experienced a profound integration of her faith and education as an online student. The online offerings, both in and out of class, helped her to participate in and feel part of the St. Joseph's community.
Schedule
Social Media
Share your achievements with other Saint Joseph’s students, families, and alumni during Commencement by using the hashtag #SJCMEgrad on Facebook and Instagram.
Celebrate with us!
Instagram: @saintjosephscollege
Facebook: @SaintJosephsCollegeOfMaine
Getting Here
Academic Regalia
Academic hoods worn at today’s Commencement are trimmed with velvet of various colors to represent degrees earned in the following fields of study:
White • Arts, Letters, Humanities
Light Brown • Business Administration, Management
Crimson • Communications, Journalism
Midnight Blue • Criminal Justice
Light Blue • Education
Dark Brown • Fine Arts
Purple • Law
Lemon Yellow • Library Science
Green • Medicine
Pink • Musical Arts
Apricot • Nursing
Dark Blue • Philosophy
Sage Green • Physical Science
Dark Blue • Political Science
Peacock Blue • Public Service
Golden Yellow • Science
Citron • Social Work
Scarlet • Theology
The hoods are lined with the official color or colors of the institution that conferred the degree. Saint Joseph’s College graduates wear white and blue.