Commencement

Dear Parents and Families,  

As Saint Anselm College approaches its 130th Commencement on Saturday, May 20, 2023, it is my sincere hope that it will be a memorable time in your family. With this letter, I offer you a personal invitation to attend the Senior Honors Convocation, Baccalaureate Mass, the Commencement Exercises, and the events surrounding them.

On Friday, May 19th at 3:00 p.m. on the College Quadrangle, the Senior Honors Convocation will recognize the academic achievement of individual members of the undergraduate graduating class.  Immediately following the Honors Convocation, Abbot Mark and the Benedictine monks will concelebrate the Baccalaureate Mass. You are cordially invited to participate in this Mass with us to thank God for his many blessings during your student’s time at Saint Anselm College. In the event of inclement weather, the Senior Honors Convocation and Baccalaureate Mass will be held in the Thomas F. Sullivan Arena with admission of family members and guests by ticket only.  The College will also provide, on a first-come, first served basis, access to closed-circuit viewing of these events at several locations on campus.

On Saturday, May 20th, Commencement Exercises will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.  Weather permitting, these Commencement Exercises will take place outside on the College Quadrangle.  In the event of inclement weather, the Exercises will be held in the Thomas F. Sullivan Arena with admission of family members and guests by ticket only. We ask that graduates go to the Registrar’s Office with their College ID starting on Monday, May 1st, to receive three tickets. The College will also provide, on a first-come, first-served basis, access to closed-circuit viewing of the Commencement Exercises at several locations on campus.  

You will find additional information on this webpage.  We look forward to celebrating these happy events with you.  

All the best,

Mark W. Cronin, Ph.D.
Academic Dean and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

In the event of inclement weather, the College will hold the Senior Honors Convocation, Baccalaureate Mass, and Commencement Exercises in the Thomas F. Sullivan Arena, with admission by ticket only. To those with proper college identification, the Registrar's Office will issue three tickets starting on Monday, May 1. The College will also provide, on a first-come, first served basis, access to closed-circuit viewing of these events at several locations on campus. Tickets are not required if we are able to hold events outside and we do not restrict the number of guests for outside events.

Check out these resources for area dining.

For those with accessibility concerns who may require handicapped parking, please request a parking pass by emailing Heather Arsenault in Campus Safety and Security.

Upon arrival at the campus you will be directed to the appropriate area for drop-off by the Quad prior to parking. Handicapped parking is available in the Visitor Parking Lot across from the Church. Vehicles without an official handicap placard or license plate will need a college parking pass that can be displayed on the driver’s side dashboard of your automobile.

Handicap parking is not guaranteed. Arrive as early as possible to secure parking as it is available on a first come basis. In most cases, you will be able to drop the guest off at the Quad and then proceed to regular parking. Please be aware that the ground may be uneven in areas and you may need to provide walking assistance to your family member. Golf carts will be available in the area to transport guests.

Handicap seating will be signed on the aisle perimeters to accommodate easy access for wheelchairs, walkers and family members but it is not mandatory that you sit in those areas. Seating is available on a first come basis. If seating is not clearly visible, please ask a college representative for assistance.

Handicap restrooms are located on either side of the Quad in the Goulet Science Building, Joseph Hall, and Poisson Hall as well as the Coffee Shop, and the lower level of the Church (accessible by elevator).

Honors Convocation and Commencement will have American Sign Language interpreters. We encourage families to contact the Registrar's Office if you require this accommodation.

See a campus map for location of parking lots and buildings

Seniors Honors Convocation and Baccalaureate Mass will be simulcast in the following locations on campus: Goulet Science Center's Perini Lecture Hall, and the Roger and Francine Jean Student Center's Melucci Theater. In the case on inclement weather, it will also be simulcast in The Dana Center's Koonz Theatre.

Commencement Exercises will be simulcast in the following locations on campus: Coffee Shop, Goulet Science Center's Perini Lecture Hall, The Dana Center's  Koonz Theatre, and the Roger and Francine Jean Student Center Melucci Theater.

Live online video will be provided of the commencement ceremony for those unable to join us on campus.

Information regrading Cap and Gown and Class Ring ordering will be sent via email by the Bookstore in mid-February.

• The Campus Bookstore will be open 9am-5:30pm on Friday, May 19 and 8:30am-2pm on Saturday, May 20. 
• The Coffee Shop and Gallo Café will be open from 8am-2pm on Saturday, May 20.

Senior Honors Convocation is an undergraduate student event in which graduating students, faculty, and members of the monastic community participate. Academic Awards are conferred and students inducted into honor societies are recognized. The President also announces the awards to the Summa Cum Laude graduates. Family and friends are welcome and encouraged to attend. Honors Convocation is typically just under an hour long.

Immediately following the Senior Honors Convocation, Abbot Mark and the Benedictine monks concelebrate the Baccalaureate Mass. There is just a brief musical interlude between events. Family and friends are invited to participate in this Mass with us to thank God for his many blessings during your student’s time at Saint Anselm College.  There is a reception with light refreshments for families and guests as well as faculty and staff of the College immediately following the Mass.

For families looking to make plans for after the Commencement Exercises, please note that the ceremony is typically just over two hours long. After students process out of the event, they will need to pick up their diploma from the Carr Center. 

For questions regarding Honors Convocation, Commencement and scheduling, please contact the Academic Dean’s Office.

For ticketing information, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

For accessibility accommodations and parking, please contact Heather Arsenault in Campus Safety and Security.

All other questions are best directed to the Academic Dean’s Office.

Friday - May 19, 2023

SENIOR HONORS CONVOCATION

3:00 P.M.  COLLEGE QUADRANGLE (weather permitting, rain location Thomas F. Sullivan Arena)

All members of the graduating class will assemble at 2:30 p.m. in the Carr Center.  If the weather is inclement, graduands will assemble in Thomas F. Sullivan Arena using the rear entrance that is located across from the Grappone Stadium.
The cap and gown are worn for the convocation.  The hood is not worn on this occasion. Honor society cords, medals, medallions or other paraphernalia are not to be worn.  The procession to the College Quadrangle (or within Thomas F. Sullivan Area) will begin at 2:50 p.m.

BACCALAUREATE MASS 

Immediately following the Honors Convocation, the Baccalaureate Mass will be celebrated on the College Quadrangle (weather permitting, rain location Thomas F. Sullivan Arena).  Parents and guests are cordially invited to attend both the Convocation and the Mass.

If inclement weather forces the College officials to decide on an indoor Honors Convocation and Baccalaureate Mass, three tickets for the Thomas F. Sullivan Arena will to be available to each member of the graduating class. These tickets will be released only to Undergraduate Seniors.  Please inform relatives and friends that admission to the Thomas F. Sullivan Arena will be by ticket only.  Simulcast of the ceremonies will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis at several locations on campus.

RECEPTION

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE BACCALAUREATE MASS –CARR CENTER    

Graduands, parents, guests, faculty and staff are invited to attend a reception.  Light refreshments will be served.

Saturday – May 20, 2023

COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

SATURDAY MORNING

The list of names of graduands and their places in the line of march will be emailed to you and posted in the Carr Center.  It is the responsibility of the graduands to note their rows and their places in the rows.  Graduands wear cap, gown and hood.  Check out this video for a tutorial on how to put on your hood. Honor society cords, medals, medallions or other paraphernalia are not to be worn. 

9:00 a.m.

Graduands will assemble in the Carr Center.  The presentation of diplomas will require that the graduands be arranged in a strictly alphabetical order.  An administrator will be available to establish the order of march and to verify that everyone is properly attired in cap, gown and hood, and in the proper place.  If the weather is inclement, graduands will assemble in Sullivan Arena using the rear entrance that is located across from the Grappone Stadium.

9:50 a.m.

The Commencement Exercises will begin at 9:50 a.m. with the procession to the platform area.  Marshals will escort the graduands to the seats reserved near the front of the stage.  There are two moves that assure the success of the graduation ceremony:

1. each graduand moves into the row designated by the marshal;
2. each chair in each row is filled.

Following the Commencement Address, marshals will guide the graduands, row by row, to a station near the platform. As the Dean announces each name, the graduand comes forward be recognized by the President of the College and returns to the designated chair. Marshals will guide the graduands throughout the process

Post- Commencement Exercises

After the recessional, students may proceed to the Carr Center to pick up their physical diploma. 

Saturday – May 20, 2023

CRIMINAL JUSTICE GRADUATE HOODING CEREMONY

8:00 A.M. - 9:00A.M. CAMPUS GREEN (weather permitting, rain location Dana Humanities Center 1D)

Students should wear or have their caps and gowns. RSVPs will be required by May 1st and the Criminal Justice department will communicate regarding ticketing information should the event have to be moved indoors. Light refreshments will be served.  

EDUCATION GRADUATE HOODING CEREMONY

8:00 A.M. – 8:45 A.M. DAVISON HALL, PRESIDENTIAL DINING ROOM

Students should wear or have their caps and gowns. Light refreshments will be served.  

COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

The list of names of graduands and their places in the line of march will be emailed to you and posted in the Carr Center. It is the responsibility of the graduands to note their rows and their places in the rows. Graduands wear cap, gown and hood.  Check out this video for a tutorial on how to put on your hood. Honor society cords, medals, medallions or other paraphernalia are not to be worn.

9:00 a.m.

Graduands will assemble in the Carr Center. The presentation of diplomas will require that the graduands be arranged in a strictly alphabetical order. An administrator will be available to establish the order of march and to verify that everyone is properly attired in cap, gown and hood, and in the proper place. If the weather is inclement, graduands will assemble in Sullivan Arena using the rear entrance that is located across from the Grappone Stadium.

9:50 a.m.

The Commencement Exercises will begin at 10:50 a.m. with the procession to the platform area. Marshals will escort the graduands to the seats reserved near the front of the stage. There are two moves that assure the success of the graduation ceremony:

1. each graduand moves into the row designated by the marshal;
2. each chair in each row is filled.

Following the Commencement Address, marshals will guide the graduands, row by row, to a station near the platform. As the Dean announces each name, the graduand comes forward be recognized by the President of the College and returns to the designated chair. Marshals will guide the graduands throughout the process.

Post-Commencement Exercises

After the recessional, students may proceed to the Carr Center to pick up their physical diploma.

If you will be commissioning into military service after graduation, we ask that you inform the Academic Dean’s Office (dean@anselm.edu) so that we can make an acknowledgement as part of the graduation ceremony. 

Following the Commencement exercises on May 20th at 2:30pm, Saint Anselm College will host a commissioning ceremony for members of the Class of 2023 who have completed the ROTC program and are commissioning as military officers. The ceremony will take place at the Veteran’s Memorial on the college quadrangle. (Rain location TBD.) If you are a graduating senior who is commissioning into the military and would like to be commissioned at this ceremony, please contact Fr. Francis McCarty, O.S.B. (fmccarty@anselm.edu) for more information.

Please check back for the "Line of March" information in the days just prior to Commencement.