When and where is Commencement?
Commencement 2025 is Saturday, May 17, at 9:00
a.m., in Young-Wise Memorial Stadium, weather permitting.
Please note that high heels/spike heels are not allowed on the football field or track. They will damage the artificial turf and could cause injury to the wearer. Much of the guest seating is on the field, so we must require all attendees follow this rule. Guests in heels will be asked to sit in the bleachers.
In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be in the Wellness and Athletics Center Event Gym at 9:00 a.m., on Saturday, May 17. Graduates will receive four (4) tickets for the Event Gym ceremony. Seats for additional guest without tickets will be available in the
Recreation Gym where the ceremony will be livestreamed on a large screen. Students and faculty will process and recess through the Recreation Gym so guests may see graduates before and after the ceremony. The final decision on whether we will use the Inclement Weather Plan will be shared on Hendrix
College social media and www.hendrix.edu by 4:00 p.m., Friday, May 16.
The Commencement ceremony will be livestreamed
for out-of-town guests to view.
How long is the Commencement ceremony?
The procession of students begins outdoors at 9:00 a.m., and the ceremony lasts approximately 2.5 hours.
Please add extra time to your trip to allow for traffic on campus and parking.
Can I bring snacks to the ceremony?
Outside food and drinks are not allowed in the stadium and gymnasiums. Guests will be asked to dispose of them before entering the stadium and gyms. Bottled water will be available for guests.
Where should I park?
Guests may park in all of the campus parking lots. ADA parking is available at the Wellness and Athletic Center.
View the parking map.
When will students be notified if they are not
eligible to participate in the ceremony?
Students who fail to meet more than two degree requirements cannot participate. Students who cannot participate will be notified by Friday, May 16.
Students who have failed to satisfy two or fewer degree
requirements may request permission from the Registrar to participate in the ceremony. However, students will not receive their diploma until their degree requirements are completed.
Students may not be allowed to participate due to misconduct or behavior not conforming to the standards of propriety congenial to the College's heritage and aims, as well as to the laws of the state and nation.
Students with unresolved accounts with the Business Office will not receive their diploma. The Business Office number is 501-450-1333.
Do I need tickets for Commencement?
Guests will not need tickets for seating in Young-Wise Memorial Stadium. If the ceremony moves indoors for inclement weather, students will receive four (4) tickets for guests to sit in the Event Gym. Seats for guests without tickets will be available in
the Recreation Gym where the ceremony will be livestreamed, and students will process and recess through that gym. The livestream also will be available online. Live.
Are pets allowed?
Only service animals will be allowed at the Commencement ceremony.
How does seating work?
Seats are on a first-come, first-served basis. The four stadium gates will open at 7:30 a.m., where seating will be available on the field and in the stadium bleachers.
Please note that high
heels/spike heels are not allowed on the football field or track. They will damage the artificial turf and could cause injury to the wearer. Much of the guest seating is on the field, so we must require all attendees follow this rule. Guests in heels will be asked to
sit in the bleachers.
If the ceremony moves indoors, doors to the Wellness and Athletics Center lobby will open at 7:30 a.m., for guests to line up for the Event Gym. Doors to the Event Gym will open at 8:00 a.m., for seating on the floor and in the bleachers. Doors to the Recreation Gym will open at 7:45 a.m.
Can we take photos and videos during the
ceremony?
We kindly ask guests to please enjoy your graduate’s moment from your seating area, knowing that:
- There will not be space available beside the stage for taking personal photos.
- Image magnification screens will be above the stage to enhance viewing.
- A professional photographer will take individual photos of each graduate after they leave the stage. In addition, Hendrix has other professional photographers covering the full event. All photos will be available as free downloads from the the week after Commencement.
What should I do if I have a guest who has
special needs?
ADA accessible parking is reserved in the Wellness and Athletics Center parking lots.
View the parking map. Guests using wheelchairs may sit in the stadium bleachers in front of the first row of seats. There is a ramp on the north side of the bleachers at the stadium. If the ceremony moves indoors, there are seats in the Event and Recreation Gyms that will be available for guests in wheelchairs or with walkers. Please email
rsvp@hendrix.edu or call J.J. Whitney at 501-450-1358 with additional questions.
Graduates who need accessibility assistance or a sign language interpreter should contact Julie Brown at 501-505-2954 or brownj@hendrix.edu by Monday, March 31.
How can my student order a cap
and gown? Graduation announcements? Diploma frames?
Official Hendrix graduation caps, gowns,
customized announcements, and diploma frames will be available for
purchase in-person or online from the Spirit Store. Master of Arts in Accounting students who only need a hood should stop by the Spirit Store.
When must my student move out of student
housing?
Graduates must be checked out of Hendrix College housing by 8:00 p.m., on Sunday, May 18. Students may make a Late Stay Request if they cannot be out by noon on May 18, by completing a Late Stay Application located on Housing’s site, or emailing Housing@hendrix.edu no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 25.
Where should I stay and where should I eat?
Information about area lodging and dining is provided on our
Conway Hotels & Restaurants page.
Is there someone I can contact regarding additional
questions?
Questions about Commencement can be sent to
commencement@hendrix.edu.
Past Ceremonies
View the 2024 Commencement Ceremony (May 11, 2024)
View the 2023 Commencement ceremony (May 13, 2023)
View the
2022 Commencement ceremony (May 14, 2022)