Commencement

Commencement is a very exciting time of year. Sure, your student has just started school at Chico State, but the next few years are going to breeze by! Chico State has one of the best matriculation rates for the entire CSU, so you can pretty much count on your student graduating within the next five years. And it isn’t too early to begin planning for your student’s commencement ceremony.

Our first word of advice – book your hotel space early. Most hotels open reservations one year in advance, and believe it or not, they are fully booked within days. To determine your student’s graduation date, check the Commencement Website at http://www.csuchico.edu/alumni/commencement/. There are two undergraduate ceremonies each year, with half the colleges walking on Saturday, and the other half walking on Sunday.

Participating in the Commencement Ceremony is a two-step process for students. First, students are required to apply for graduation by May 15 of the year prior to graduating (for a spring graduation). Commencement ceremonies are only held in spring each year. Summer and fall graduates are asked to walk in the spring ceremony following their graduation date. For more information on applying for graduation, please refer to the Evaluations Website at http:// Once a student has applied for graduation, the next step is to register to walk in the ceremony. This ensures that the student’s college is aware the student is planning to participate in the ceremony, and reserves a seat for the student. Students can go to the Commencement Website to register to participate in their ceremony.

Seating inside the stadium for families and guests is first-come, first-served. There are no tickets for the undergraduate ceremonies, but tickets might be required for some of the special ceremonies in which your student might participate – please refer to the Commencement Website for more information on special ceremonies.

Because Commencement takes place in late May, in Chico, we recommend that you prepare for very hot weather. It is recommended that the very elderly, or people susceptible to heat and direct sun, not attend the ceremony. There is essentially no shade available inside the stadium, and umbrellas are not allowed in good weather due to the potential for view obstruction. Water is sold in the stadium with the proceeds going to scholarships, but you are welcome to bring your own water into the stadium.

Most of the questions you have related to Commencement are answered on the Commencement Website at http://www.csuchico.edu/alumni/commencement/, but do not hesitate to call the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations (and Commencement) at (530) 898-6472 if we can be of assistance.