Fall Virtual

October 26, 2024

Fall Virtual Commencement

Commencement
Saturday, October 26*

WGU will hold a Virtual Commencement on Saturday, October 26, 2024, to celebrate our graduates. Virtual commencements allow graduates to watch live or at their convenience with friends and family.

To watch the virtual commencement visit this page or WGU’s official YouTube channel. Bookmark this page for easy navigation on commencement day.

*Details subject to change

Graduate Video Clip Submission

RSVP Deadline
Friday, September 13
*Graduates must have an RSVP on file in order to submit a video

Video Submission Deadline
Friday, September 27
Graduates who do not submit a video will be recognized by a slide with the WGU seal while their name is read. Graduates may wear regalia or business dress in their submission.

Questions, please contact commencement@wgu.edu

You’ll be able to view the live stream HERE on October 26, 3:00 pm EDT / 2:00 pm CDT / 1:00 pm MDT / 12:00 pm PDT

RSVP Information

To RSVP, you must have either your Graduation Application submitted to the Student Records department or be enrolled in and only have your final course left, such as capstone or final certification, with the exception of direct hours for field experience or student teaching. If you don’t currently meet this requirement, wait to RSVP until the requirement is met.

Students who are enrolled in their final course may submit an email to commencement@wgu.edu with “Final Course” in subject line along with desired commencement ceremony.

For more information, review the Commencement Ceremony Participation Guidelines.

If you have any questions, please contact us at commencement@wgu.edu or by phone 385.428.2085.

Attention iOS users (iPhone/iPad): please use Chrome or Firefox browser to submit your ceremony RSVP form. If you use Safari (default iOS browser) to complete your RSVP form, you will receive a false application rejection message. If uncertain, please complete the ceremony RSVP form on a computer rather than your iOS device.

Fall Virtual Commencement Deadlines:

RSVP
Deadline: Closed
Graduate Speaker Application
Deadline: Closed
Cap & Gown Ordering
Deadline: Closed

Shipping times may vary and regalia
orders may take 30 days to receive.
Purchase regalia as soon as possible.

Philanthropy Cord
Deadline: Closed
Video Submission
Deadline: Friday, September 27
Spirit Necklace

Fall Virtual Commencement Details:

Ceremony Program

Keynote Speaker

Chaunte Lowe
4-Time Olympian; Author; TEDx Speaker; Breast Cancer Thriver

If there’s an art to facing obstacles and coming out on top, Chaunte Lowe takes the Gold. The worldrenowned high jumper lives to conquer barriers, racking up 4 Olympic Games Appearances, 3 Global Championship medals, 3 American records, and several global accolades. Many are surprised to learn that she achieved most of these accomplishments while also holding the title of “mother of three.”

Her performances on the field have earned her inductions into three separate halls of fame and four separate invitations to be honored at the White House by several US Presidents. Lowe, a worldrenowned resilience speaker, has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Huffington Post, Vogue, Glamour, Essence, and Sports Illustrated.

When speaking, she is true to how she performs. She is animated, entertaining, and humorous. She dances and plays to the crowd as she shares stories of beating impossible odds, time and time again. She possesses the ability to keep the group engaged and hanging on to her every word. Those who get a chance to encounter her leave inspired and motivated. Her infectious personality is electrifying. You can’t help but leave an interaction with her with a winning, “I can do ANYTHING” attitude.

Chaunte would have never guessed, with all that she accomplished, that her biggest obstacles would come off the track. In 2019, Lowe was rattled with the devastating diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer, which is among the most aggressive forms. In a state of disbelief, Chaunté took the crushing blow head-on, being forced to bow out of the national championships for a double mastectomy and miss the world championships for chemotherapy. Still, in Chaunté fashion, she decided that she would fight against the odds and still train through chemo in hopes of making the delayed 2020 US Olympic team.

Now known as the utmost expert on resilience, her advocacy work focuses on early detection and breast cancer awareness to save lives. Reaching hundreds of millions of people, her work was honored with the NCAA Inspiration Award, The ‘Hero Among Us’ award, and she was recently named to Georgia Tech’s 40 under 40 2021 Class.

Keynote Speaker

Information Coming Soon!

Bachelor's Ceremony Graduate Speakers

Information Coming Soon!

Master's Ceremony Graduate Speakers

Information Coming Soon!

National Anthem Singers

Information Coming Soon!

Frequently Asked Questions

Virtual Commencement FAQs

The virtual commencement features a keynote address, graduate speeches, and a graduate’s moment in the spotlight (conferral of degrees). Graduates are invited to participate live or on their own time.

Graduates who participated in a virtual commencement due to COVID-19 in 2020 or 2021 are welcome to join us for an in-person commencement in the future. As of January 2022, graduates may participate in one commencement ceremony (in-person or virtual) per degree program completed.

Graduates who register and submit a video clip for virtual commencement will have their name announced while their name and degree is displayed on screen.

Graduates who do not submit a video will have their names read in alphabetical order by college without a video.

When you RSVP for virtual commencement, please note this in the comments section, or email commencement@wgu.edu with this request before the RSVP deadline.

No. After the livestream, the commencement will be organized by segments (e.g. welcome and opening remarks, anthem singer, graduate speeches, keynote speaker, reading of graduate names), allowing graduates to select which content they view.

You can watch virtual commencement on this page, or on our YouTube Channel.

Virtual Commencement Communication FAQs

Communications are sent to the email address provided on the virtual commencement RSVP form. Graduates who register for virtual commencement will receive the following email communications: video clip instructions, deadline reminders, final details with instructions on how to view the virtual commencement, and a survey after commencement. If you have not received an email from us, contact commencement@wgu.edu.

Please check your WGU student email address for a copy of your confirmation email. If you have not received a confirmation email, please contact us at commencement@wgu.edu.

Virtual Commencement Video FAQs

Graduates who RSVP for virtual commencement will receive instructions beginning eight weeks before Virtual Commencement until the video deadline, four weeks before Virtual Commencement. If you have not received your video clip instructions, please contact commencement@wgu.edu

Yes, as long your new video clip is submitted by the submissions deadline.

Due to production schedules, late videos will not be accepted for virtual commencement.

The Commencement team is happy to assist you with your video submission. Please email us at commencement@wgu.edu

Regalia FAQs

WGU graduate regalia can be ordered from Oak Hall Cap and Gown. Please click on the “Virtual Ceremony” tab to place your order.

We encourage you to wear a cap and gown, but this is not required to participate in virtual commencement. If you choose not to wear regalia or do not have regalia, business professional attire is encouraged.