Commencement 2023
Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m.
Keep checking back as this page will update often as the Commencement date nears.
About Commencement 2023
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.
Baccalaureate Mass
Friday, May 12, TBA
Please join us for the opening of the Commencement celebrations with Baccalaureate Mass on Friday, May 12. Mass will take place outside under the tent.
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.
Live Stream of Commencement Exercises
Commencement exercises will be streamed live over the Internet for friends and family members of the graduating class who cannot attend the May 13 ceremony. Baccalaureate Mass and Nursing Pinning will be live on May 12.
Note: Commencement will be broadcast live and available for viewing in the Alfond Center Gymnasium (no tickets required).
Moving out - Saturday, May 13
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 13.
Caps and Gowns
On-campus students must order their caps and gowns by March 1 through https://buildagrad.com/sjc. Students can pick them up at the “Senior Send-Off Fair” on April 11 + April 12 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 1 through https://buildagrad.com/sjc. Caps and gowns for online students will be shipped directly to them.
Tickets
Only guests with tickets will be admitted into graduation. Please make sure to have your tickets in hand.
On-Campus Graduates
Graduation tickets will be also be distributed to campus students at the “Senior Send Off” Fair (April 11-12). Students MUST present a proper ID to receive tickets (SJC Student ID is accepted). If students are unable to pick up tickets at the fair, tickets are available in the Registrar’s Office following the fair.
Each campus student will receive a limited amount of guest tickets for seating under the Commencement Tent.
Guests without tickets are welcome to watch the ceremony at the satellite viewing in the Alfond Center Gymnasium. No limit to guests in this area and no tickets are required.
Children under the age of four (4) don’t need tickets, if they are going to share a seat with an adult.
Online Graduates
Online graduates will have tickets mailed to them by mid-April.
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.
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
Barksdale Photo, a private company, will be taking photos of the graduates as each receives his/her diploma. Graduates will receive an email directly from Barksdale Photo. This email will include your password for your order!
Frequently Asked Questions
Valedictorian, Online Student Speaker, and Student Speakers
The College will announce the 2023 valedictorian, online student speaker, and other student speakers closer to Commencement. Please check back.
Tentative Schedule - check back later
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.