AHS Convocation 2024

The College of Applied Health Sciences Convocation will be held on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in the State Farm Center.

The ceremony will be live-streamed for individuals who are unable to attend in person. 

Where

State Farm Center, 1700 S. Fourth St. Champaign, IL 61820

Please make note of State Farm Center’s clear bag policy.

Registration

To participate in the AHS Convocation Ceremony on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. please complete the online registration form.

Guest tickets are not required for the AHS Convocation Ceremony. 

To learn more about participating in the University-wide Commencement on Saturday, May 11 at Memorial stadium please visit this link.

Check-In

Graduates should arrive at 12:30 p.m. to the tunnel on the east side (Fourth Street) of the State Farm Center. It is critical that you arrive on time in order to assemble the processional. Late arrivals will not be accommodated. 

Academic Attire

You must wear academic attire (cap and gown) to participate. Please be sure to order academic attire by April 9. Please note that ordering academic attire does not register you to participate in the AHS Convocation Ceremony or the Campus-Wide Commencement Ceremony. 

Honor Cords

James Scholars and I-LEAP Scholars will be given honor cords to recognize their outstanding accomplishments. If you did not receive them at an awards ceremony, these courses may be picked up in room 118 Huff Hall until noon Tuesday, May 7, 2024. 

Ceremony

This is a formal ceremony that will last approximately two hours. Students who are receiving several types of honors will be asked to stand and be recognized from their seats as a group. Afterward, degree candidates will be asked to stand row-by-row, by major, proceed as directed to a lectern on stage, line up there, and one-by-one hand your name card that will be provided at check-in to a designated reader. When your name is read, you should walk to the center of the stage, receive your diploma cover, shake hands with the Dean and a department representative, then exit the stage, return as directed to your seat and be seated. Ushers will be available to assist. Graduates are expected to attend the entire ceremony and participate in the recession out of the State Farm Center. 

Disability-Related Accommodations

Graduates who require assistance to fully participate in the AHS Convocation ceremony should email Rachael Sanders at rsander@illinois.edu or call 217-333-2130 prior to May 1, 2024 to make necessary arrangements. We will have a representative of AHS stationed at the east entrance of the State Farm Center (off Fourth Street) to assist you in joining the procession.

Guests who use wheelchairs, or for whom walking is difficult, may be dropped off outside the ceremony location at the west or east doors. Inside the building, ushers will help direct you to designated seating areas. Please refer to the State Farm Center’s Plan Your Visit resources for additional accessibility information. 

If you are a person who requires ASL (American Sign Language) accommodations, please contact Rachael Sanders at rsander@illinois.edu or call 217-333-2130 by Friday, March 29, 2024. Accommodation requests for American Sign Language Interpreters received after this date will be given due diligence to be filled, but cannot be guaranteed. 

Photos

GradImages® will photograph all graduates at the upcoming Convocation ceremony and capture your proud moment. Visit their website and click on the Pre-Event Email Registration. By submitting your information to them early, you can rest assured that picture proofs will be provided to you as soon as they are available after the event. After graduation, you may order online or call 800-424-3686. 

Parking

Free parking is available at the State Farm Center. Accessible parking spaces are available in all four quadrants and reserved for those displaying an ADA hangtag or license plate. Spaces are limited and available on a first come, first serve basis. For additional parking information, see the State Farm Parking Map and Illinois Campus Map.

Questions

If you have questions about the College Convocation, please contact Rachael Sanders (217) 333-2130 or rsander@illinois.edu. 

Eligibility

Commencement is not a certification of graduation, but rather a ceremony that celebrates your academic achievements. You must satisfy all of your degree requirements before you officially graduate and receive your diploma. If you will complete all degree requirements for May 2024 graduation please be sure to add your name to the official degree list using the Graduation tab in your self-service account. The deadline to complete this action is Jan. 29, 2024. If you miss this deadline, please contact Tina Klebek (klebek@Illinois.edu) to be added to the official degree certification list.

Students who have or will receive their degree in August 2023, December 2023, or May 2024 are eligible to participate in commencement.

If you are a Bachelor’s student with 13 or fewer hours or a Master’s student with 8 or fewer hours remaining and expect to complete your degree requirements in August 2024, you may participate in Commencement; however, your name will not appear in the university-wide Commencement Program until May 2025.