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 Program

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

Class rings from BalfourGraduation 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

SJC hoodieBuy 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.

Place an order online

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?

Honor your family

Commencement Photos

Photos will be taken throughout the day, including during the ceremony. Students will be notified when pictures are available.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Commencement ceremony begins promptly at 10 a.m. Because traffic on the road leading to campus will be heavy, we encourage guests to arrive early. We recommend that you arrive before 9 a.m. The tent is opened for seating starting at 8 a.m.

Students may invite up to nine (9) guests to the on-campus ceremony.

Saint Joseph’s College Campus Safety personnel will direct all guests to available parking locations on campus. Due to the large volume of vehicles expected, carpooling is strongly recommended.

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.

Yes, Blossoms of Windham will be on campus selling flowers.  You can pay with cash or electronically by Square.  A table/kiosk will be setup near the entrance of the tent.

Valedictorian, Online Student Speaker, and Student Speakers

Schedule

Thursday, May 9

  • 1 p.m., Graduation rehearsal (under the tent)

Friday, May 10

  • 9:30 a.m., Champagne Brunch (Pearson’s Café)
  • 10:30 a.m., Student line-up for Baccalaureate Mass processional with faculty (Alfond Center, wear cap and gown)
  • 10:45 a.m., Baccalaureate Mass (under the tent)
  • 11:45 a.m., Senior Class Photo (on lawn behind Xavier Hall)
  • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Campus Tours (meet at the Alfond Center reception desk)
  • 1:30 p.m., Nursing Pinning Ceremony (under the tent)

Saturday, May 11

  • 7:30–9:30 a.m., Continental Breakfast for College Community and Guests– (Pearson’s Café)
  • 8:00 - 9:30 a.m., Professional Head Shots (Alfond Hall first floor)
  • 9:15 a.m., Graduation line-up (along the walkway, behind Alfond Hall, wear cap, gown and hood)
  • 10 a.m.–Noon, Commencement (under the tent)

Friday, May 10

  • 10:30 a.m., Line up for Baccalaureate Mass processional with faculty (Alfond Center, wear cap and gown)
  • 10:45 a.m., Baccalaureate Mass (under the tent)
  • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Campus Tours (meet at the Alfond Center reception desk)
  • 1:30 p.m., Nursing Pinning Ceremony (under the tent. If participating—advance notification required.)
  • 3:30 p.m., Welcome Reception for Online Degree Program students and their guests – Online faculty and staff will be in attendance (RSVP. Reception in Baggot Street in Heffernan Hall.)

Saturday, May 11

  • Starting at 7:30 a.m., Continental Breakfast for College community and guests (Pearson’s Café)
  • 7:30 - 8:30 a.m., Robe for Commencement (Alfond Hall, rooms 110 for online undergraduate-level students and 116 for online graduate-level students)
  • 8:00 - 9:30 a.m., Professional Head Shots (Alfond Hall first floor)
  • 9:15 a.m., Line up for Commencement (along the walkway, behind Alfond Hall, wear cap, gown, and hood)
  • 10 a.m.–Noon, Commencement exercises (under the tent)

Friday, May 10

  • 10:45 a.m., Baccalaureate Mass. Faculty and students will robe and march in procession. (under the tent, no ticket required)
  • 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Campus Tours (meet at the Alfond Center reception desk)
  • 1:30 p.m., Nursing Pinning Ceremony (under the tent, no ticket required)

Saturday, May 11

  • Starting at 7:30 a.m., Continental Breakfast for College community and guests (Pearson’s Café)
  • 8 a.m., Tent open for early seating (ticket required)
  • 10 a.m.–Noon, Commencement exercises begin (outside, under the tent, ticket required)
  • 10 a.m.–Noon, Commencement exercises broadcast and available for viewing in the Alfond Center (no ticket required)

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

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.