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April 21-22

Commencement Weekend in Washington D.C.

Commencement Ceremony
(All Graduates)
Friday, April 21

EagleBank Arena
4500 Patriot Cir,
Fairfax, VA 22030

Check-in Time: 3 pm
Ceremony Time: 4 pm 

 

Alumni Celebration 
Friday, April 21

National Air and Space Museum
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151
6:30-9:30 pm ET


 

Convocation Ceremonies
Saturday, April 22

EagleBank Arena
4500 Patriot Cir,
Fairfax, VA 22030

College of Business & College of IT
Check-in Time: 8:30 am
Ceremony Time: 9:30 am

Leavitt School of Health & School of Education
Check-in Time: 12:30 pm
Ceremony Time: 1:30 pm

 

Washington D.C. Commencement Deadlines:

Washington D.C. Details:

  • Commencement Guidebook Coming Soon

  • Commencement Program Coming Soon

Hotel Information

Hilton Fairfax
12777 Fair Lakes Circle
Fairfax, VA 22033
Must book by: March 31, 2023
14 minutes from the commencement venue 

Room Rate: $149
*This is for a room with a king bed. Each room with a king bed has an additional brand new sofa sleeper.
Cancellation: 48 Hour Cecellation
Parking: Complimentary

Night Rate is Valid:

  • April 19, 2023
  • April 20, 2023
  • April 21, 2023
  • Apirl 22, 2023

*Subject to availability, limited quantity available.

Book your room here.

Courtyard Fairfax Fair Oaks
11220 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway (Route 50)
Fairfax, VA 22030
Must book by: April 3, 2023
15 minute drive from the commencement venue 

Room Rate: $139.00 (plus 13% tax)
*This is for a room with a king bed. Each room with a king bed has an additional brand new sofa sleeper.
Cancellation: You may cancel your reservation for no charge before 11:59 PM local hotel time on April 19, 2023 (2 days before arrival)
Parking: Complimentary on-site parking

Night Rate is Valid:

  • April 21, 2023
  • Apirl 22, 2023

*Subject to availability, limited quantity available.

How to book reservations: Click the link below to book reservations. Or call Marriott Reservations at 1(800) 321-2211 or (703) 273-6161 and advise Reservations Agent you are part of the Western Governors University Group staying at the Courtyard Fairfax Fair Oaks   

Book your room here.


Residence Inn Fairfax City
3565 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Must book by: April 3, 2023
15 minutes from the commencement venue 

Room Rate: $180 (plus 13% tax)
Cancellation:  You may cancel your reservation for no charge before 11:59 PM local hotel time on April 19, 2023 (2 days before arrival)
Parking: Complimentary On-Site Parking

Night Rate is Valid:

  • April 21, 2023
  • Apirl 22, 2023

*Subject to availability, limited quantity available.

How to book reservations: Click the link below to book reservations. Or call Marriott Reservations at 1(800) 321-2211 or (703) 273-6161 and advise Reservations Agent you are part of the Western Governors University Group staying at the Residence Inn Fairfax City 

Book your room here.

Alumni Celebration in Washington D.C.

Friday, April 21, 6:30-9:30 pm, ET

Kick off your commencement weekend with this exclusive alumni celebration in honor of our graduates!

All graduates and families who are attending the 2023 WGU Commencement in Washington D.C. are invited to join us for the Alumni Celebration at the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. 

This family-friendly event is free to attend and will provide grads and their guests opportunities to connect, enjoy refreshments, take photos, play games, and dance the night away! We encourage graduates and guests to dress in business casual attire. Come for the celebration, stay for the fun:

 

  • Take photos in our social photo booths and share using #WGUgrad

  • Meet Sage the Night Owl!

  • Visit our affiliated partnership booths to receive career advice, refer a friend to WGU, pick up your WGU Philanthropy Cord, and more.

  • Hit the dance floor or play family-friendly games with a fun WGU twist!

  • Enjoy refreshments and an open bar. 

  • Participate in our passport activity for a chance to win a gift code to the WGU Online Store.

 

Contact Information

WGU Alumni Celebration contact: alumni@wgu.edu

WGU Alumni Celebration ADA and accessibility: alumni@wgu.edu

WGU Commencement questions: commencement@wgu.edu

Parking Information

Parking for this event will be free after 6 P.M. local time. View additional parking and direction details here.

Date: April 21, 2023

Time: 6:30-9:30 pm, ET

Location:
National Air and Space Museum
Steven F.  Udvar-Hazy Center
14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151

Parking & Bag Policies

Coming Soon



 

Hotel Discounts

Information Coming Soon!

Alumni Celebration in Washington D.C.

Friday, April 21

Information Coming Soon!

Convocation Keynote Speaker

Information Coming Soon!

College of Business & College of IT Graduate Speakers

Information Coming Soon!

Leavitt School of Health & School of Education Graduate Speakers

Information Coming Soon!

National Anthem Singers

Information Coming Soon!

Frequently Asked Questions

Commencement/Convocation FAQs

As the university continues to see steady growth, new commencement models will be introduced to deliver the best graduate experience possible. In Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas only, one large gathering with all graduates will take place on Friday (Commencement) with smaller college-focused convocations taking place on Saturday. The Alumni Celebration will remain on Friday evening for graduates and their guests.

All graduates will be invited to attend a commencement ceremony that will feature remarks by university leaders, a keynote speaker, and will recognize all graduates for completing their degrees.  

Graduates will gather by college for more personalized ceremonies. This ceremony is where each graduate will have their moment in the spotlight and walk across the stage to be recognized individually.  

For the full commencement experience, we encourage graduates to attend both commencement and convocation ceremonies as they complement each other. In addition, we recommend attending the Alumni Celebration which provides fun, food, and entertainment for graduates and their guests.

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

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

Graduate names will be read during the convocation ceremony on Saturday. Please see the individual commencement page for further details.  

The Friday commencement ceremony is typically one and a half hours.

Ceremony FAQs

A commencement guidebook will be loaded onto the commencement app and emailed to each graduate with check-in details, parking, maps, and much more. 

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

Tickets are not required for WGU commencement weekend events.  

Only the names of graduates who physically attend an in-person commencement or submit a video to a virtual commencement will have their names read.

Policies vary by location and venue. Please consult the commencement app for further details three 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.

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, final certification, or demonstration teaching.  

  1. Submit an RSVP via the commencement web site (available at wgu.edu/commencement).  

To RSVP, you must have either your Graduation Application submitted to the Student Records department or be enrolled in your final course, such as capstone, final certification, or demonstration 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.

No, the graduation application process is separate from commencement. 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.

Photos from each commencement ceremony will be available for purchase through our photography partner The Grad Team in the week following each commencement. All photos can be viewed on their website here.

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 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 symbol of their commitment to WGU, but also an opportunity for them to “pay it forward” and help current and future 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 proceeds from the Philanthropy Cord sales support our Fellow Night Owl Scholarship Fund, which helps current students experiencing financial hardships with need-based scholarships. Your donation is put to immediate use and provides help when it is needed the most. To learn more, click here.

For in-person commencements: If a donation is made more than four weeks prior to commencement weekend, the Philanthropy Cord will be mailed to the graduate. The cord may also be picked up 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 to the graduate prior to the ceremony date.

WGU Advancement, founded in 2018, is the official fundraising arm of Western Governors University (WGU). We are committed to supporting our students, faculty, and staff through our fundraising program to advance the mission of WGU. Your gifts help us to attract and retain talented students, provide student scholarships, and help our students “cross the finish line” to graduation!

No problem. You can donate to the Fellow Night Owl Scholarship Fund by clicking on this link or texting “WGUGrad” to 41-444. Every gift, big or small, makes a difference. Thank you in advance for your support.

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

IT

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.

Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology – M.S.

BACHELOR'S DEGREES

Cloud Computing – B.S.

Computer Science – B.S.

Cybersecurity and Information Assurance – B.S.

Data Management/Data Analytics – B.S.

Information Technology – B.S.

Network Operations and Security – B.S.

Software Engineering – B.S.

Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree

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

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

BACHELOR'S DEGREES

Business Management – B.S. Business Administration

Healthcare Management – B.S. Business Administration

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.

Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree

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

_____

MASTER'S DEGREES

Master of Business Administration

MBA Information Technology Management

MBA Healthcare Management

Master of Health Leadership (from the College of Health Professions)

Management and Leadership – M.S.

Accounting – M.S.

Marketing– M.S.

Data Analytics – M.S. (from the College of Information 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 Management – B.S. Business Administration (from the College of Business)

____

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 Health Leadership

MBA Healthcare Management (from the College of Business)

____

CERTIFICATES

Nursing – Education, Post-Master's Certificate

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

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