2025 SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Saturday, May 17, 2025聽

 

The 2025 Spring Commencement ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 17,聽 at 10:00 a.m. in the QU Football Stadium – rain or shine.

In the event of severe weather, the ceremony will be moved to Pepsi Arena in the Health and Fitness Center, and degree candidates will receive an email and text alerting them of the location change.

Degree candidates are responsible for informing their guests and providing them with severe weather tickets to enter Pepsi Arena.

 

FRIDAY, May 16

8:00 a.m. 鈥� 4:30 p.m.聽 聽 聽 The Hawk Shop QU Bookstore hours

11:00 a.m. Champagne Brunch – Main Dining Room, Student Center

  • Hosted by Alumni Services. All degree candidates are welcome at no cost. Guests are welcome at $10.00 per person. For more information, contact Alumni Services at 217-228-5434, ext. 3450

12:00 – 4:00 p.m. Festival on Friars Field

  • Fun activities on the grassy field east of Francis Hall for degree candidates and their families.

2:00 p.m. Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences Pinning

  • The Crossing, 150 S. 48th St. (48th and Maine Sts.), Quincy, IL.
  • For more information: https://www.brcn.edu/parents-current-students/commencement-information

5:00 p.m.聽 Baccalaureate Mass

  • Francis Solanus Chapel 鈥� Francis Hall (FRH)
  • Degree candidates are to wear their gowns (no caps, stoles or hoods) and sit with family.聽 All are welcome.

SATURDAY, May 17

9:00 a.m. 鈥� 2:00 p.m. 聽Hawk Shop QU Bookstore hours (merchandise will also be available at the stadium)

9 a.m.聽 Degree Candidates, Faculty, and Cabinet line-up for Commencement Procession

  • QU Stadium – Baseball north entrance (18th & Sycamore Sts.)
  • Full academic attire must be worn.
  • Assistant Marshals, Dr. Scott Luaders and Dr. David Kirchhofer, will assist you with line-up and guide you during the ceremony.
  • (Severe Weather Location: Three-Court Area, HFC – enter through the west doors.)

10:00 a.m.聽 Commencement

  • Gates to the football stadium open at 9:00 a.m. for guests.
  • Severe weather location: Pepsi Arena, (HFC) – TICKETS REQUIRED)
  • (Severe weather entrance/parking for those with disabilities: 20th & Oak Sts.)

Live streaming of the ceremony will be available on the 暗TV Youtube Channel, link will be provided closer to event.

 

COMMENCEMENT PARTICIPATION AND STUDENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS

  • Participation in the Commencement ceremony is dependent upon clearance by the University Registrar following a review of the degree candidate’s academic record.
  • Degree candidates must be within 2 courses of completing their undergraduate degree to participate in the commencement ceremony.
  • Degree candidates should have applied for graduation by March 1.
  • Degree candidates who apply after the March 1 deadline will be charged a late fee of $100.
  • All tuition, housing, food, fees, interest, library fines, and parking tickets should be paid in full by April 15.
  • Exit Loan Counseling for degree candidates with student loans should be completed by April 15.
  • Diplomas will be mailed during the summer to each eligible graduate at the address provided on the graduation application. Diplomas are not distributed on stage.
  • Commencement is a formal ceremony. Any degree candidate impaired by drugs or alcohol will not be permitted to participate and may be removed from the premises.

 

GRADUATION WITH HONORS

Prior to the Academic Year 2020-21, students who maintained a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at 3.40 on all 暗TV courses completed for a baccalaureate degree are eligible for graduation with honors as follows:

Cum Laude聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 3.40 to 3.54 GPA 聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥撀� 聽 聽 Silver Cord
Magna Cum Laude聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 3.55 to 3.74 GPA 聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥撀犅犅犅犅犅犅燝old Cord
Summa Cum Laude聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 3.75 to 4.00 GPA 聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥� 聽聽聽聽聽聽Bonaventure Medal

Beginning in the Academic Year 2020-21, students who maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.60 on all 暗TV courses completed for a baccalaureate degree are eligible for graduation with honors as follows:

Cum Laude聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 3.60 to 3.74 GPA 聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥� 聽聽聽聽聽聽Silver Cord
Magna Cum Laude聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 3.75 to 3.89 GPA聽 聽 聽 聽 聽鈥撀� 聽 聽 Gold Cord
Summa Cum Laude聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 3.90 to 4.00 GPA 聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥� 聽聽聽聽聽聽Bonaventure Medal

These honors distinctions will be noted on the student鈥檚 transcript and the diploma. All graduation requirements must be completed prior to Commencement for honors to be announced at Commencement.

Refer to the online Academic Catalog: https://catalog.quincy.edu/

 

HONOR CORDS AND STOLES

Honor cords are worn by those who graduate with University honors, as noted above. Cords are also worn by members of academic honor societies, the Honors Program and other approved organizations.

All undergraduates wear stoles that have the QU seal. Those who have completed degrees through Blessing-Reiman College of Nursing and Health Sciences will wear a stole with both the QU and BRCN seals. Undergraduates affiliated with a Greek organization that meets academic standards for membership may wear a stole representing a fraternity or sorority.

The stoles and cords noted above are approved by the University and are the only ones allowed to be worn at Commencement.

 

PRESIDENT鈥橲 HONORS COLLEGE

The President鈥檚 Honors College promotes academic excellence through critical thinking, original research, exceptional writing, and public presentation of scholarship. Those students who have fulfilled the requirements of the Honors College will be announced at Commencement. Graduation from the Honors College will be noted on the undergraduate鈥檚 transcript.

The President鈥檚 Honors College began the Academic Year 2022-23 and grew out of the Honors Program.

President’s Honors College: /academics/honors/

 

SERVICE LEARNING HOURS

Undergraduate degree candidates must have all Service Learning hours completed by Friday, May 9th.
For questions contact Sara Phillips, Experiential Learning Specialist, at phillsa@quincy.edu.

 

CAPS AND GOWNS

Academic apparel order information is submitted through the Graduation Application.
All caps and gowns will be available for pick up with severe weather tickets beginning at noon on Monday, May 12, in the Registrar鈥檚 Office during business hours. Pick up times are:

Monday聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 May 12聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽12:00 p.m. 鈥� 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday 鈥� Thursday聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 May 13-15聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 8:30 a.m. 鈥� 4:30 p.m.
Friday聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽May 16聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 8:30 a.m. 鈥� 12:00 p.m.

 

GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS

To order announcements, and select 鈥湴礣V鈥� from the list, the graduation date (only one choice) and your degree.

 

CLASS RINGS & DIPLOMA FRAMES

to order class ring and/or a diploma frame.

 

COMMENCEMENT PHOTOGRAPHS

Professional photographers will be taking graduates’ photographs. More details coming.

 

GRADUATION NEWS RELEASE

The Office of Community Relations (Francis Hall, Rm. B-37) will release a list of graduates to each student鈥檚 hometown newspaper.

If you wish to opt-out of this news release OR have your graduation announcement published to another hometown/community newspaper, please contact the Office of Community Relations at communityrelations@quincy.edu.

 

SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION (severe weather tickets, location, etc)

In the event of severe weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors to Pepsi Arena in the Health and Fitness Center. Degree candidates will receive an email and text alerting them of the location change.

Degree candidates are responsible for informing their guests.

  • Each degree candidate planning to participate in commencement will receive seven (7) severe weather tickets for guests for entry to Pepsi Arena
  • No tickets will be mailed. Participants may pick up severe weather tickets along with their caps and gowns in the Registrar’s Office (Francis Hall 130) beginning at noon on Monday, May 12, during business hours (see under “Caps and Gowns”)
  • Guests without a severe weather ticket will be able to watch the ceremony in the Hall of Fame Room in the Health & Fitness Center.
  • Reserved seating in Pepsi Arena is available for those with disabilities; please contact Mary Betts in the Academic Affairs Office at 217-228-5432, ext. 3300. Facilities for the Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement are handicap accessible.
  • Everyone, including infants and toddlers, must have a ticket to gain entry to the ceremony if held in Pepsi Arena.聽

 

TICKETS & HANDICAP ACCESS

No tickets are required for guests to enter QU stadium. The stadium is handicap accessible. Look for the signs/parking attendants.

 

HOTEL INFORMATION

Some area hotels extend a special rate for families attending Commencement Weekend. Please make sure to mention QU Commencement when reserving rooms.

For a full listing of area accommodations, visit the Quincy Area Convention and Visitors Bureau website at .

Questions regarding Commencement can be directed to:

Registrar鈥檚 Office, 217-228-5432, ext. 3970,

email registrar@quincy.edu

or

Academic Affairs Office, 217-228-5432, ext. 3300,

email commencement@quincy.edu