Commencement

The Warrington College of Business Graduate Recognition Ceremony is a college-specific ceremony where we will recognize and celebrate Ph.D., DBA, Hough Graduate School of Business (master’s degree), and Fisher School of Accounting (3/2 and bachelor’s degree) recipients. We host a separate ceremony for Heavener School of Business (BSBA and BABA) recipients. Graduates will be individually recognized as they cross the stage in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

The university-wide commencement ceremony is open to all graduating UF students. This ceremony will feature a speaker and degrees will be conferred. However, graduates will not walk across the stage in this ceremony or have their names called.

No, tickets are not required to attend the Warrington Graduate Recognition Ceremony or the university-wide commencement.

Graduates will receive a name card prior to the Warrington graduation ceremonies. You must bring this name card with you. More information about name card pick-up locations will be shared via email at a later date. Please take the time to write the phonetic spelling of your name in the appropriate location on the card prior to the ceremony.

You will not need a name card if you choose to attend the university-wide ceremony at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, but you will need it at the Warrington Graduate Recognition Ceremony.For more information, please review the university’s guidelines on name cards.

There is no limit on the number of guests who can attend per student.

Live streaming will be available for both of the Warrington recognition ceremonies.

You can view all UF commencement ceremonies in the UF Commencement Archive. Please note that ceremonies are sorted by most recent.

The ceremony will last approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours.

All graduates must report to Gate 4 of the O’Connell Center. Doors will open 90 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. Graduates will then be directed to their appropriate location within the arena.

Guests will enter the O’Connell Center through the main entrance doors near Gate 1 and 3. Doors will open for guests 90 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. Guests should be seated before the procession begins. Guest seating is first-come, first-seated. No guests will be permitted in the graduates’ seating area.

All graduates and guests will go through a metal detector screening before entering the building. A full list of prohibited items can be found on the O’Connell Center Security Policies page.

First, contact the UF Disability Resource Center. The Warrington commencement team will be notified and will work with you to find a solution that is right for your need.

Please see this map of campus parking options.

For a list of hotels and their proximity to campus, Visit Gainesville’s website has a Where to Stay in Alachua County webpage.

Concessions will be open in the O’Connell Center.

Yes! All Warrington College of Business graduates will be recognized by name as they cross the stage at the Warrington College of Business ceremonies in the O’Connell Center.

Graduates will not cross the stage or have their names called at the university-wide ceremony in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

In addition to the information about our college-specific ceremony, where students will be recognized individually, you can find information regarding the university-wide Commencement, ordering your cap and gown can be found on the UF Commencement page.

Diplomas are mailed to your permanent address, approximately eight weeks after commencement. To insure the receipt of your diploma, you should verify that the address on your myUFL account is correct.

Honors cords can be purchased at the UF Bookstore when you pick up your regalia the week before commencement.

Business majors should contact an advisor in 333 Heavener Hall for assistance in determining their honors designation. If a change of designation is appropriate, the advisor will notify the Office of the University Registrar in writing, and then the Registrar will update your record. At that point, you can purchase your honor cord(s) from the UF Bookstore.

If your honors status changes, you can purchase the appropriate honors cords at the UF Bookstore. Cords can be returned for a refund, but no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before commencement.

If you applied to graduate on time, you will still be able to pick up your regalia, walk in the ceremony and have your name listed in the commencement program. However, you will not officially graduate or receive a diploma until the course is completed. You should plan to complete the required course the following semester.

To graduate in the current term, all transcripts and grade changes must be posted to your academic record within 30 days after commencement. If your grade change or study abroad transcript was not posted by the last day of exams, but is posted within the 30 day window, you must contact Heavener and ask to be reinstated to graduate this term. If you still have an outstanding transcript or grade change after the 30 day window, you must re-apply to graduate the following term.

If you will complete all of your degree requirements by the end of the following Summer A term (not Summer C), you CAN participate in the spring commencement ceremony. If you want to participate in the spring ceremony, register for your final courses for Summer A, and then see a Heavener advisor in 333 Heavener Hall for a graduation check. If your academic advisor verifies that you will meet all graduation requirements by the end of Summer A, he or she will provide you with a memo that gives you consent to participate in the ceremony. Note that your name will NOT appear in the spring commencement program; it will appear in the summer program. In addition, you will not be able to purchase honor cords until the summer ceremony in August.