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September 20-21, 2024

Commencement Weekend in Orlando

Alumni Celebration 
Friday, September 20*

Hyatt Regency Orlando - Regency Ballroom
9801 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819

6:00-9:00 pm EDT

*Details subject to change

Questions regarding Alumni Celebration?
Contact us at alumnievents@wgu.edu

Commencement
Saturday, September 21*

Orange County Convention Center
9800 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819

Leavitt School of Health & School of Education
Graduate Check-In: 8:30 am
Ceremony Time: 9:30 am

School of Business & School of Technology
Graduate Check-In: 12:30 pm
Ceremony Time: 1:30 pm

*Details subject to change.

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.

Orlando Commencement Deadlines:

Orlando Commencement Details:

  • Commencement Guidebook Coming Soon
       
  • Ceremony Program Coming Soon

Parking & Bag Policies

Information Coming Soon!



 

Hotel Discounts

Information Coming Soon!

 

Alumni Celebration in Chicago

Friday, September 22

Information Coming Soon!

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!

Learn More About Commencement Day

Watch this video to see what a typical in-person commencement day looks like for a graduate.

Hotel Discounts

Element Orlando - Universal Blvd
8278 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

Room rate: $129
Must book by: 8-19-2024
Nights rate is valid: 9/19/2024 - 9/21/2024
Amenities includes: Breakfast included in the rate, complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel
Parking information or rates: Self-parking $15 and Valet $17
How to guarantee your room: Credit Card
Cancellation: Individual cancellations must be done 2 days prior to arrival without penalty
Link to book reservation: Book your room here

*Subject to availability, limited quantity available.

Four Points by Sheraton Orlando International Drive
5905 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819

Room rate: $95.00
Must book by: 8-27-2024
Night rate valid: 9/19/2024 - 9/21/2024
Amenities include: Complimentary Parking, Pool/Pool Bar($), Breakfast Restaurant ($), Shuttle to Universal Parks
Parking information or rates: Complimentary parking
How to guarantee your room: Please click on the link below. If you have any trouble, feel free to contact the property. 
Link to book reservation: Book your room here

*Subject to availability, limited quantity available.

Courtyard Orlando International Drive/Convention Center
8600 Austrian Court
Orlando, Florida 32819

Room rate: $129.00
Must book by: August 24, 2024
Nights rate is valid: 9/19/2024 - 9/21/2024
Amenities includes: Complimentary parking 
Parking information or rates: Complimentary parking
How to guarantee your room: Please click on the link below. If you have any trouble, feel free to contact the property.
Link to book reservations: Book your room here

*Subject to availability, limited quantity available.

 

 

Make your graduate weekend more magical with discounted tickets to Disney World parks!

Click here for more details and to purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ceremony FAQs

A commencement guidebook with check in details, parking, maps, and more will be loaded onto the commencement app and emailed to each graduate two weeks prior to the ceremony. 

Graduates are recommended to bring up to 8 guests, but tickets are not required to enter the commencement ceremony. Please feel free to bring additional guests. Graduates do not need to update their initial guest count with the Commencement Office.  

Tickets are not required for WGU commencement weekend events.  

The names of graduates who physically attend an in-person commencement will be read as they cross the stage. All Virtual Commencement paricipants' names wil be read. 

Policies vary by location and venue. Please consult the commencement app or commencement guidebook for further details two weeks prior to the ceremony date.  

Please arrive dressed in your cap and gown for the commencement ceremony. Due to the number of graduates and schedule, it is not practical to change into regalia at the venue.

You can watch the commencement ceremony at the WGU YouTube channel at any point after the start of the ceremony.

The commencement photos are usually available 2-3 weeks after commencement. Those photos will be available for viewing at https://thegradteam.com/events/wgu/

Did you know that WGU Alumni have access to hundreds of discounts? Log in to BenefitHub to search for deals on flights, hotels, car rentals, and more.

Ceremony Participation & RSVP FAQs

There is not a time limit on when a graduate may walk in a commencement. Graduates may only participate in one commencement ceremony per degree program completed.

Tickets are not required for commencement weekend events.  

Generally, the commencement ceremony lasts 2 hours.

Yes, it is possible for a commencement ceremony to reach capacity. We suggest that you submit an RSVP to your desired ceremony as soon as you are eligible.

Please review the commencement participation guidelines located in the student handbook, which outlines the eligibility for commencements. If you have additional questions, you can contact the Commencement Office at commencement@wgu.edu

Graduates who wish to participate in an in-person or virtual commencement ceremony must complete two steps. 

  1. Submit either your Graduation Application or be enrolled in and only have your final course remaining, such as capstone or final certification, with the exception of direct hours for field experience or student teaching. 

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

  2. Once the Graduation Application is submitted or final course exception is approved, submit an RSVP via the commencement web site (available at wgu.edu/commencement).  

If you don't currently meet either of these requirements, wait to RSVP until one of the requirements is met. 

No, the graduation application process is separate from submitting a RSVP to a commencement weekend. If the Commencement Office has granted a final course exemption, you do not have to have your graduation application submitted to walk at commencement. 

Yes, the ceremony RSVP form is a separate process from the graduation application. The completion of the ceremony RSVP form reserves your seat at commencement and generates your name card for the announcer. 

After a graduate submits the ceremony RSVP form, a confirmation email is sent to the email address listed on the completed RSVP form. Please check your junk inbox. If you do not see a confirmation email for your ceremony RSVP. Please contact us at commencement@wgu.edu with additional questions.

No. Once registration has closed, no late additions, including day of (walk-up) will be permitted.

Graduates may walk in one commencement ceremony per degree. As of January 2022, a graduate may participate in one ceremony per degree, either a virtual or in-person ceremony.

A Grad Pass is a digital QR code issued to each graduate registered for an in-person ceremony the week of commencement. It contains the information that will be displayed on the screen as your name is read and you cross the stage. Graduates will need their phone with them at graduate check-in and as they cross the stage. 

Regalia FAQs

Oak Hall Cap and Gown is the official regalia vendor (caps, gowns, and hoods) for WGU. You can place your order via the website or call 1-800-456-7623 and ask for the Web Department. The official regalia color for graduates is navy.  For visual reference, please see our bachelor’s regalia video and our master’s regalia video. 

For bachelor’s degree, post-baccalaureate teacher programs, or endorsement preparation program (English Language Learning), you should order a cap, bachelor's gown, and tassel. For those earning a master's degree or endorsement preparation program (Educational Leadership), you should order a cap, master's gown, tassel, and a master's hood.

The following master’s hoods are available for purchase at the WGU-Oak Hall Cap and Gown website:

Education - blue 
Business (all MBAs) - drab 
Information Technology - gold 
Nursing – apricot 
Integrated Healthcare Management - salmon 
Master of Health Leadership - sage green

You can order a tassel at the WGU-Oak Hall Cap and Gown website, or by calling 1-800-456-7623 and ask for the Web Department.

Yes, WGU graduates affiliated with an honor society may wear society pins or honor cords/sashes on their gowns. Teacher graduates affiliated with the WGU chapter of the international honor society of Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) may order honor cords at http://www.kdp.org.    

Prior to the conferral of degrees, bachelor's degree graduates wear the tassel on the right while master's degree graduates wear their tassel on the left for the entire commencement ceremony.

A graduate should wear academic attire appropriate to the awarded degree. The master's gown differs from a bachelor's gown. If you already have a cap and tassel, you can order a master's gown as an individual item on the WGU-Oak Hall Cap and Gown website. Please note that the academic attire for a master's graduate includes a cap, tassel, master's gown, and hood.

WGU graduates who are veterans or active-duty military will be provided with a military honor cord. For virtual commencements, cords will be shipped to the address provided on their RSVP. For in-person commencements, cords will be picked up at the Alumni Celebration or at Commencement during graduate check-in. On your RSVP form, please mark that you are a veteran or on active duty.

Graduates are permitted to decorate their caps and wear sashes with their regalia. Take into consideration the following if decorating your cap or wearing a sash for commencement: 

WGU does not allow content on caps or sashes that is considered, in WGU’s sole discretion, obscene, vulgar, defamatory, hateful, inappropriate, profane or that might disregard another’s copyright or third-party rights. All decorations must lie flat on the cap. 

Philanthropy Cords FAQs

The Philanthropy Cord is a blue and gold cord that WGU graduates often wear with their cap and gown at commencement. The Philanthropy Cord is not only a physical symbol of a graduate’s commitment to WGU, but also more importantly supports a philanthropic legacy that will last for future generations of WGU students.

Graduates can receive a Philanthropy Cord by making a gift of $25 or more to WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current WGU students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation. To donate, graduates can text “WGUCord” to 41-444 or visit this link.

All WGU Philanthropy Cord donations support WGU’s Fellow Night Owl Scholarship, a fund established to help current WGU students facing financial hardship cross the finish line to graduation

For in-person commencements, you may choose to have your Philanthropy Cord mailed to you or picked up at Commencement by visiting the WGU Advancement table at the Alumni Celebration or during graduate check-in before Commencement. 

For virtual commencements, Philanthropy Cords will be mailed prior to the ceremony date.  

WGU Advancement is the official fundraising arm at WGU dedicated to attracting, allocating, and putting dollars to work so more students have access to an affordable, quality education. WGU Advancement’s operation is the next step in WGU’s ever-growing obsession with students’ success, and a way for the increasing number of WGU graduates, donors, and partners to pay it forward. 

Thank you for your generous support! You can donate to the Fellow Night Owl Scholarship by texting “WGUGrad” to 41-444 or by visiting this link.

Letter of Invitation for Abroad & Commencement Announcements FAQs

Yes, students may send an email to records@wgu.edu with the family member's full name, relationship to the student, and foreign address. Once provided, the Records Department will prepare documents containing information about the commencement and student's earned degree. These prepared letters will then be sent to the student to forward them to the correct parties. It may take 5-10 business days for the letters to be mailed to the student.

Jostens is the current provider for commencement announcements.

Graduation Application & Diploma FAQs

Visit the graduation application page in the student handbook for the most current information on how to apply for graduation.

Visit the graduation application page in the student handbook for the most current information on how to receive your diploma.  

BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY

HEALTH & NURSING

EDUCATION

BACHELOR'S WITH LICENSURE

Elementary Education – B.A.

Special Education and Elementary Education (Dual Licensure) – B.A.

Mathematics Education (Middle Grades) – B.S.

Mathematics Education (Secondary) – B.S.

Science Education (Middle Grades) – B.S.

Science Education (Secondary Chemistry) – B.S.

Science Education (Secondary Physics) – B.S.

Science Education (Secondary Biological Science) – B.S.

Science Education (Secondary Earth Science) – B.S.

_____

MASTER'S WITH LICENSURE

Teaching, Elementary Education – M.A.

Teaching, English Education (Secondary) – M.A.

Teaching, Mathematics (Middle Grades) – M.A.

Teaching, Mathematics (Secondary) – M.A.

Teaching, Science (Secondary) – M.A.

Teaching, Special Education (K-12) – M.A.

_____

GRADUATE DEGREES FOR LICENSED TEACHERS
Educational Leadership – M.S.

English Language Learning (PreK-12) Endorsement Preparation

Science Education (Middle Grades) – M.A.

Science Education (Secondary Chemistry) – M.A.

Science Education (Secondary Physics) – M.A.

Science Education (Secondary Biological Science) – M.A.

Science Education (Secondary Earth Science) – M.A.

Mathematics Ed (K-6) – M.A.

Mathematics Education (Middle Grades) – M.A.

Mathematics Education (Secondary) – M.A.

_____

Other Education Programs
Educational Studies – B.A.

Curriculum and Instruction – M.S.

Education Technology & Instructional Design – M.Ed.

BACHELOR'S DEGREES

Cloud Computing – B.S.

Computer Science – B.S.

Cybersecurity and Information Assurance – B.S.

Data Analytics – B.S.

Information Technology – B.S.

Network Engineering and Security – B.S.

Software Engineering – B.S.

Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree

Health Information Management – B.S. (from the School of Health)

Information Technology Management – B.S. Business Administration (from the School of Business)

____

MASTER'S DEGREES

Cybersecurity and Information Assurance – M.S.

Data Analytics – M.S.

Information Technology Management – M.S.

MBA Information Technology Management (from the School of Business)

BACHELOR'S DEGREES

Business Management – B.S. Business Administration

Healthcare Administration – B.S.

Human Resource Management – B.S. Business Administration

Information Technology Management – B.S. Business Administration

Marketing – B.S. Business Administration

Accounting – B.S. Business Administration

Finance – B.S.

Supply Chain and Operations Management – B.S.

Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree

Health Information Management – B.S. (from the School of Health)

_____

MASTER'S DEGREES

Master of Business Administration

MBA Information Technology Management

MBA Healthcare Management

Human Resource Management – M.S.

Management and Leadership – M.S.

Accounting – M.S.

Marketing– M.S.

Master of Healthcare Administration (from the School of Health)

Data Analytics – M.S. (from the School of Technology)

BACHELOR'S DEGREES

Nursing (RN to BSN online) – B.S.

Nursing (Prelicensure) – B.S. (Available in select states)

Health Information Management – B.S.

Health and Human Services – B.S.

Healthcare Administration – B.S. (from the School of Business)

Health Science – B.S.

Psychology – B.S.

____

MASTER'S DEGREES

Nursing – Education (BSN to MSN) – M.S.

Nursing – Leadership and Management (BSN to MSN) – M.S.

Nursing – Nursing Informatics (BSN to MSN) – M.S.

Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN to MSN) – M.S. (Available in select states)

Nursing – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN to MSN) – M.S. (Available in select states)

Nursing – Education (RN to MSN Option) – M.S.

Nursing – Leadership and Management (RN to MSN Option) – M.S.

Nursing – Nursing Informatics (RN to MSN Option) – M.S.

Master of Healthcare Administration

MBA Healthcare Management (from the School of Business)

____

CERTIFICATES

Nursing – Education, Post-Master's Certificate

Nursing – Leadership and Management, Post-Master's Certificate

Family Nurse Practitioner— Post-Master's Certificate

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner— Post-Master's Certificate

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