2022 Commencement Information
Commencement Week | May 15 – 22, 2022
About the Commencement Ceremony
The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Commencement Ceremony is a festive and colorful event on Healy Lawn at which all doctoral and master’s students from the Graduate School — including Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE) programs — walk across the stage and are awarded their degrees by the president of the university. It takes place annually in mid-May. Participation in the Graduate School Commencement Ceremony is for those who have either been awarded their degree in August or December of the current academic year (i.e. August 2021 or December 2021) or to those receiving a degree in May 2022. Some schools, departments, and programs also have other ceremonies and receptions following this event.
The Graduate School Commencement Ceremony takes place on Healy Lawn rain or shine. Only in the case of severe weather (electrical storms, etc.) would it be officially moved indoors. Traditionally, tickets have not been required for outdoor ceremonies. In the case of severe weather, tickets may be required for indoor ceremonies, with limits on the number of tickets per student. If an OFFICIAL severe weather call is made, email instructions will be sent to all graduating students, and posted on this website. (It is possible that limits may also be placed on tickets for an outdoor ceremony. The university will be monitoring the public health situation as Commencement gets closer. We will send out more information as soon as we have it and will also post it here.)
Please note: Other schools at Georgetown University have their own commencement ceremonies at different times and do not participate in this Graduate School Commencement Ceremony.
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, held the Thursday prior to the Graduate School Commencement Ceremony, is a ceremony for doctoral students in all schools at Georgetown University to be recognized and have their doctoral hood put in place by their mentors, advisors, and other members of the Georgetown faculty, including the Dean of the Graduate School. All graduating doctoral students are invited to this formal academic event held in Gaston Hall, located on the third floor of Healy Hall. For 2022, each student has a very limited amount of tickets available to distribute to their family and friends. The Graduate School Dean hosts a reception for the doctoral students and their mentors in the Dahlgren Courtyard of Healy Hall following the Hooding Ceremony.
Academic Regalia (Cap, Gown and Hood)
Academic regalia is required of all participants at both events. All participants are required to wear appropriate academic regalia (cap, gown and hood). Information on ordering academic regalia is available from the Graduate School early in the spring semester of each year. The Georgetown University Bookstore in the Leavey Center handles the advance ordering and distribution of academic regalia and may be contacted for further information. See the Academic Regalia section of the Graduate School website for more details. Note: Caps and gowns are available for purchase in the University Bookstore Monday through Thursday of this week, May 16–19.
**Update on Public Health Guidance (5/6/22)**
To protect the health and safety of the Georgetown University community and our guests, all attendees at indoor Commencement events are expected to be up to date on COVID-19 vaccination or have a medical or religious exemption, though guests will not need to show proof of vaccination or exemption during Commencement weekend. If you are unvaccinated, please take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours prior to attending any indoor Commencement event and stay home if you receive a positive test result.
Many Commencement events will be livestreamed. Information on where to tune in will be shared on Georgetown’s website and social media channels prior to these events.
Georgetown University has reinstated an indoor mask requirement on the Main and Medical Center campuses. We will continue to monitor public health conditions on our campuses, as well as COVID-19 community levels in DC and nationally, which will inform any updates to Georgetown’s public health guidelines.
2022 Commencement Schedule Overview
Details regarding the 2022 Graduate Commencement Ceremony will be made available later in the spring to all graduating students. The 2022 schedule appears below as a reference.
Multicultural Celebrations
Sunday, May 15, 2022 in ICC Intercultural Center Auditorium (Reception in Red Square)
To honor the potential intersection of these identities, students are welcome to attend multiple celebrations.
Joint Multicultural Celebration Reception 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. in Red Square
APIDA (Asian Heritage) Celebration 5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. in ICC Auditorium (2nd floor)
Despedida (Hispanic/Latinx Heritage) Celebration 6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. in ICC Auditorium (2nd floor)
Harambee (Black/African American Heritage) Celebration 8:15 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. in ICC Auditorium (2nd floor)
all Arts & Sciences Graduate Programs
all Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE) Programs
all McCourt Programs
all McDonough Graduate Programs
all SCS Graduate Programs
all SFS Graduate Programs
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony & Reception (tickets required)
Thursday, May 19, 2022 in Gaston Hall, Healy Building (3rd Floor)
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Reception to follow in Dahlgren Courtyard, Healy Building 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Commencement Ceremony
Friday, May 20, 2022 on Healy Lawn (severe weather site: McDonough Gymnasium)
9:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
all Arts & Sciences Graduate Programs
all Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE) Programs
Other Graduate Ceremonies
McCourt School of Public Policy (MSPP) Ceremony
Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena)
McDonough School of Business (MSB) Ceremony
Friday, May 20, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena at 5:30 p.m. for Master’s degrees)
School of Nursing and Health Studies (SNHS) Ceremony
Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena)
Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) Ceremony
Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena at 7:30 p.m.)
(ceremony includes both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees)
Baccalaureate Mass
Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena)
Commencement Details for Graduating Students
- Memo to Graduating Students for 2022
- Memo to Doctoral Students about the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony for 2022
- List of Student Lineup Rooms for Commencement for 2022
- Livestream of Graduate Commencement Ceremony (and other ceremonies)
- Official Georgetown Campus Map
- Campus Sketch Map showing Graduate School Commencement 2022 Locations
- Accessible Shuttle Bus Route Map for Commencement 2022
- Translation of the Latin on your Graduate School Diploma
- Georgetown University Commencement website (for more general information)
Livestream
A livestream of the Graduate School Commencement Ceremony (and others) will be available on the Georgetown University Facebook page.
Detailed Schedule of Commencement Events
| Date | Time | Location | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, May 15, 2022 | 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Red Square | Joint Multicultural Celebration Reception |
| Sunday, May 15, 2022 | 5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. | ICC Intercultural Center Auditorium (2nd Floor) | APIDA (Asian Heritage) Celebration Reception preceding event under tent in Red Square 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
| Sunday, May 15, 2022 | 6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. | ICC Intercultural Center Auditorium (2nd Floor) | Despedida (Hispanic/Latinx Heritage) Celebration Reception preceding event under tent in Red Square 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
| Sunday, May 15, 2022 | 8:15 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. | ICC Intercultural Center Auditorium (2nd Floor) | Harambee (Black/African American Heritage) Celebration Reception preceding event under tent in Red Square 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
| Thursday, May 19, 2022 | 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Healy Hall (Gaston Hall, 3rd floor) | Doctoral Hooding Ceremony and Reception (tickets required) Reception to follow in Dahlgren Courtyard, Healy Hall 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon. |
| Thursday, May 19, 2022 | 5:30 p.m. | Healy Lawn (Severe Weather Site: McDonough Gymnasium) | Commencement Ceremony: McCourt School of Public Policy (MSPP) |
| ——————- | —————– | ————————————— | —————————————————————————————————————- |
| Friday, May 20, 2022 | (see below) | Commencement Ceremony: Graduate School of Arts & Sciences — Arts & Sciences graduate programs — Biomedical Graduate Education programs | |
| 7:30 a.m. | Report to Lineup Rooms (Severe Weather Site: Lineup Tent in front of McDonough Gymnasium) | Graduating students report to lineup rooms no later than 7:30 a.m. (allow time for transportation, traffic jams, parking, and walking to your lineup room). Faculty should assemble, already dressed in regalia for lineup no later than 8:00 a.m. | |
| 8:30 a.m. | From Lineup Rooms (Severe Weather Site: McDonough Arena) | Graduating students process in formation to Healy Lawn | |
| 9:00 a.m. | Healy Lawn (Severe Weather Site: McDonough Arena) | Graduate School Commencement Ceremony begins The ceremony concludes at approximately 11:00 a.m. | |
| ——————- | —————– | ————————————— | —————————————————————————————————————- |
| Friday, May 20, 2022 | 3:00 p.m. | Healy Lawn (Severe Weather Site: McDonough Arena) | Commencement Ceremony: McDonough School of Business (MSB) |
| Saturday, May 21, 2022 | 2:00 p.m. | Healy Lawn (Severe Weather Site: McDonough Arena) | Commencement Ceremony: School of Nursing and Health Studies (SNHS) |
| Saturday, May 21, 2022 | 5:00 p.m. | Healy Lawn (Severe Weather Site: McDonough Arena at 7:30 p.m.) | Commencement Ceremony: Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) |
| Sunday, May 22, 2022 | 9:00 am | Healy Lawn (Rainsite: McDonough Arena) | Baccalaureate Mass |
Additional Information
Additional graduation information can be found on the How to Graduate page.