Fall 2023 Recognition Ceremony

East Carolina University – Spring 2023 Commencement

Please read this message completely and share with your guests attending on May 5, 2023. We will continue providing updates about events leading up to graduation day on the ECU Commencement Website.

This communication includes information about the university ceremony, college ceremonies, guest tickets, and more. It will also address many of the questions we have received from graduates and guests. Again, please read this message entirely.

University Ceremony

The University Ceremony is Friday, May 5, 2023 at 10am inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. If you haven’t already, please complete the University Commencement RSVP form to help us prepare for the ceremony (Please use your ECU email on the RSVP).
This ceremony does NOT require guest tickets. Graduates should arrive no later than 9:30am to be able to participate in the processional. You will receive detailed information about when and where specifically to report about one week before the ceremony (around April 29^th).
This ceremony includes a processional of all graduates into Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and is the only ceremony Chancellor Philip Rogers presides over. Dr. Rogers will provide a welcome address to all graduates and families. There is also a keynote address and messages from the faculty and SGA President. Each academic dean formally presents graduates from each college (and you stand together) to the chancellor which is followed by the official turning of tassels and the collective singing of the ECU Alma Mater.
The University Commencement Ceremony will last about 75 minutes and will be live streamed for those unable to attend. The live stream link will be activated on the morning of May 5^th from the https://commencement.ecu.edu website.

College / Department Recognition Ceremonies

ECU will host college / department specific recognition ceremonies along with the University Commencement Ceremony. These college ceremonies will take place on May 5-6, 2023 in various indoor locations across campus. The complete list with time and location of each college ceremony is listed on the https://commencement.ecu.edu home page.
Guest Tickets ARE REQUIRED for all college/department recognition ceremonies and these tickets are limited to specific number of guest tickets per graduate. The details about the number of tickets allocated per ceremony will come directly from the college or department.
Does everyone need a ticket for the college ceremony?
- Yes, every person older than three years of age must have a guest ticket. Exception -any child three years of age and under must sit on the lap of another guest and will not have their own seat.
Where do I pick up my tickets?
- Some colleges and departments will pick up tickets from the Central Ticket Office (CTO) and others will be picking them up from your college/department (see below for details).
- For those picking up from CTO (again see below) the ticket office is open March 27 – April 21 on Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. only. You will need your ECU 1Card or a Photo ID as well as your name, the time of your ceremony and the name of the college /department (e.g., Business, Biology, etc.). The deadline for ticket pickup is April 21 at 5pm.
- NOTE! If graduates don’t claim their assigned tickets by the April 21st at 5pm deadline, those tickets may be re-distributed to other graduates within the same college.
Distance Education Only Students – Contact your specific college directly to find out the process for picking up your guest tickets if you are a DE-Only student.

Tickets Available for Pick-Up at the Central Ticket Office:

The only colleges with tickets available at the Central Ticket Office are:

College of Fine Arts and Communication
College of Business
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – Psychology / Neuroscience
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – Math / Chemistry / Physics
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – History / African and African American Studies (AAAS) / Foreign Languages and Literature / Philosophy / Religious Studies
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – Anthropology / Sociology
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – Biology
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – Criminal Justice

Tickets NOT Available at the Central Ticket Office

These colleges / departments are communicating directly with graduates about the ticket pickup process. Graduates from these colleges below SHOULD NOT go to the Central Ticket Office:

College of Education
Brody Sciences
Brody Medical
College of Engineering and Technology
College of Nursing
College of Health and Human Performance
College of Allied Health Sciences
Dental Medicine
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – University Studies
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – Economics
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – English
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – Political Science
Thomas Harriot Arts and Sciences – Geological Sciences / Geography

What if I forget to pick up my tickets?

Any guest tickets not picked up (unclaimed) by the April 21^st at 5pm deadline, not including DE-only students, will be returned to each college/department. The unclaimed tickets may be redistributed to other graduates who have already picked up tickets, but that process will be announced after April 22nd by each respective college. You will NOT be able to pick up tickets at the Central Ticket Office after April 21^st at 5pm.

Extra Guest Tickets

The only way to receive additional guest tickets, beyond your allotment, is through the re-distribution of unclaimed tickets. The process for each college/department is unique to that college/department and will be communicated directly to graduates. Be advised the number of unclaimed tickets available for re-distribution will not be known until after April 21^st. See communications from your college/department for details.

SPECIAL NOTES!

You MAY NOT pick up tickets for anyone other than yourself.
Selling, buying, duplicating, or trading tickets for the ceremonies is completely prohibited and may result in your tickets being revoked.

What if I am a DE-Only student?

For Distance Education only students (students who don’t take any on-campus classes and may not come to campus before the day of the ceremony) – Each college has provided a list of DE-only students and those ticket allotments will be held aside and not re-distributed. Additional information will come directly to graduates from each individual college / department.

For specific questions about your college/department process visit Commencement.ecu.edu and scroll down to the section entitled “Contact List by Ceremony” and click the link to your college / department.

Live Stream

There will be a live stream link for the University Commencement Ceremony which will be posted online on Friday, May 5, 2023 at 10am.

There will not be a live stream or recording for the individual college recognition ceremonies unless otherwise communicated by the individual college/department.

Guests Requiring Accommodations / ADA Accommodations

Any guests requiring specific accommodations for the university ceremony or any college ceremony should go to the Commencement.ecu.edu website and click the purple button labeled “Accommodations.”

This link has been active since February 1st and must be completed no later than May 1st. The link will be deactivated at this time.

I am confused by the RSVP process

There was a university RSVP form that was sent to all students who applied to graduate through the Registrar’s Office. Graduates are sent reminder emails until they have completed the form through the April 14^th deadline. This is for the university ceremony only, not the college recognition ceremonies.

If you completed the RSVP for the university ceremony, this doesn’t count as a RSVP for you for your college ceremony. Your college should be sending you specific details about that ceremony. If you aren’t sure, please see the contact list below – click your college name – and submit your question.

Parking Information

For the University Commencement Ceremony, all ECU parking lots around Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium will be open and free of charge for graduate and guest parking. Carpooling for guests and graduates is strongly encouraged. Guests with valid state-issued handicapped permits or plates requiring accessible parking should park in the DMV Placard Required area between Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and Minges Coliseum.

ECU Police and event staff will assist with parking guests and graduates. Click here for directions to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium from outside of Greenville.

For the college ceremonies, all ECU parking lots will be open for use. Do not parking in a handicapped space without having a valid state-issued handicapped permit. The parking garage next to the student center will be open and free on May 5-6.

More parking information will be shared later in April.

Graduates Walking on Stage / Reading of Names

ECU doesn’t read the names of graduates nor have graduates walk across the stage during the University Ceremony. With more than 4,000 graduates each spring/summer, it is simply not feasible to read each graduate’s name and have them walk across the stage.

The reading of names/walking on stage for undergraduate and master’s students typically happens during the college and departmental ceremonies.

How long will the ceremony last?

The University Commencement Ceremony lasts about 75 minutes. The college recognition ceremonies will last about one hour and 15 minutes to one hour and 30 minutes.

Dowdy Student Store / Caps and Gowns

The Dowdy Student Store, located in the Main Campus Student Center, will be open throughout graduation week. Click here for more information about caps and gowns.

Once again, please check the ECU Commencement website frequently for updates. Also, feel free to share this information with your guests attending the ceremony. For additional questions, contact Commencement@ecu.edu.

Contact List by Ceremony

Below is a list of the contact persons for each college or department ceremony. If you have a question about a specific college or department ceremony, click the link below to contact that person directly:

For the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, click on the contact below for the specific departmental contact: