Students
Who is eligible to participate in the Sociology Graduation Celebration?
All undergraduate and graduate students who graduated in Autumn 2023 or Winter 2024 are eligible. Students who apply to graduate in Spring 2024 or Summer 2024 by the deadline (3rd Friday of Spring quarter) are also eligible to participate.
How do I know if I have applied to graduate?
Check your MyUW for your graduation date. If none is listed, then you did not apply.
Do I have to wear a cap and gown to the Sociology Celebration?
Yes. Order your cap and gown on the UW Commencement website (even if you are not attending Commencement you still need to purchase your cap and gown for the sociology celebration from that website).
How many guests will I be able to bring?
Our event is intended for graduates and their immediate family/friends. We will try our best to give each student the number of tickets they requested on our online registration form. However, if evenly distributed, each graduate would receive 5-6 tickets, so PLEASE request only what you will actually need. If some graduates do not take their full allotment of tickets, we will make the extras available to students who want additional tickets.
NOTE: All guests need tickets, except infants. Toddlers are NOT infants; they should have their own seat.
Where do I pick up my tickets?
Tickets and additional information for the evening including a map will be distributed in 245 Savery. You can have someone else pick up your ticket envelope for you if needed.
What if one of my guests does not have a ticket?
Guests without tickets will NOT be admitted to Meany Hall prior to 7:00 pm. After that time, guests without tickets may be seated if space is available (determined by Meany Hall staff).
One of my guests uses a wheelchair. How do we let you know?
When you sign up, there is a place on the registration form to request wheelchair seating. If you don’t request wheelchair seating at the time you register for the Graduation Celebration, staff at Meany Hall may not be able to accommodate a guest in a wheelchair the evening of the event.
Why do students have to show up so early?
We need to check you in and verify your name card information. It also takes quite a while to get everyone lined up and get all graduates ready for the processional into the Meany Hall auditorium.
Where are students supposed to show up?
At the northeast corner of Meany Hall (top of the stairs on Red Square) is an entryway that goes down to a small urban courtyard and the Studio Theatre. Students check in at the Studio Theatre and then wait there until the processional begins. NOTE: the Studio Theatre is not a secure place for purses, wallets, and other valuables. Leave your valuables with family members prior to checking in with us.
I want to sit next to my friends during the ceremony, can I do that?
Yes. Just be sure to sign in with the people you want to sit with. We are not seating students alphabetically.
If I attend this event and/or UW Commencement, have I graduated?
No. Attending the graduation celebration and/or Commencement has nothing to do with your degree being awarded. Your degree will be awarded once all your degree requirements have been met. Be sure and check the information the UW Academic Records & Graduations Office sent you when you applied to graduate.
Once you have completed all your requirements, verify that your degree has been awarded by checking your unofficial transcript through MyUW.
Will I get my diploma during the ceremony?
No. Diplomas will be mailed to students once they have graduated officially (see next question). Diplomas are mailed approximately 3-4 months after the degree has been awarded.
Guests
Where is Meany Hall?
Meany Hall is located on the UW campus across from By George/Odegaard, close to 15th Street and NE Campus Parkway (directions to Meany Hall).
Where should we park?
The UW parking facility closest to Meany Hall is the Central Plaza parking garage. However, parking may be scarce that day. If you and your guests wish to park on campus, then you MUST order and pre-pay for parking permits. Do that at the UW Commencement website at the same time you order your cap and gown.
NOTE: If guests exit the parking garage on the Meany Studio Theatre level (C1), they will have to climb several sets of stairs to reach the Meany Hall auditorium. For easy access to the auditorium, please follow signs for Meany Hall/Meany Theater which will take guests via ramps to an elevator that goes directly to the lobby level of Meany Hall. Ramps leading to these elevators are available on levels C2, C3, C4, and C5 of the Central Plaza Garage.
Attendees and guests can also use the Pay-by-Phone app to pay for parking the day of the event. NOTE: download the app ahead of time—there is no cell service in the Central Plaza garage! The location number for the Central Plaza Garage is 123211. There is no guarantee that there will be tickets available when you arrive at the Central Plaza Garage.
When can family and friends get into Meany Hall?
The doors to the Meany auditorium open at 6:00 pm for guests.
Are seats pre-assigned?
There is open seating only, except for guests in wheelchairs.
Are children welcome?
Children are welcome but must have a ticket, except for babes in arms. Please note that fire code regulations prohibit balloons, car seats/carriers, and strollers in the auditorium. If you bring any of those items, you will need to leave them in the lobby of Meany Hall during the formal portion of the event.
What is the protocol for taking pictures?
Before and after the event, you and your guests are welcome to take pictures; however, due to the seating configuration of Meany Hall, it is impossible to take pictures during the ceremony without impacting other audience members. For this reason we ask you to NOT take pictures during the ceremony. GradImages is responsible for professional photography during the ceremony.
What happens if we show up late?
We cannot guarantee seating for late arriving guests, even if they have tickets. Graduates must check in between 5:00 and 6:15 pm to participate in the ceremony. The doors to the main auditorium open to guests at 6:00 pm; the ceremony begins promptly at 7:00 pm.
Still have questions we haven't answered?
Email asksoc@uw.edu