Letter to Degree Recipients
February, 2013
To our Class of 2013 Degree Candidates:
Congratulations on your approaching graduation! This year's commencement weekend is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11. This letter provides some basic information to assist you in making plans to participate in this monumental event.
The weekend events begin on Friday evening, with the Baccalaureate ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in Alden Hall. The Baccalaureate is a great program planned by seniors that involves graduating seniors providing speeches that reflect on their experiences as a WPI student. Additionally, the program includes a special guest keynote speaker and musical performances by graduating seniors. We hope you will join us for these events. There is a reception in the lower level of the Campus Center following the Program.
Saturday will be a busy day. At 8:30 a.m., ROTC will hold its joint commissioning ceremony; the Commencement Program will begin promptly at 11 a.m. The commencement ceremony will be conducted outdoors on the Quadrangle. While seating is limited on the Quad, tickets are not required. Many people choose to sit on the grass or stand in the shade of the buildings around the Quadrangle. If rain is in the forecast for Saturday, the commencement ceremony may be moved to Harrington Auditorium.
If rain plans are implemented, due to limited space in the auditorium, each candidate will be provided with only two (2) admission tickets for family members. Students may pick up rain location tickets at the Salute to the Class of 2013 Program at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in the Campus Center on Thursday, April 4. After April 4, tickets will be available for pickup with a valid I.D. in the Student Activities Office, Campus Center, 3rd floor from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Family members without tickets may view the indoor ceremony on closed-circuit television at sites located around campus.
With a large crowd on campus (anticipated at 6,000), parking will be at a premium. To accommodate participant and guest needs, parking in peripheral lots will be provided, with free shuttle service to the Quadrangle. Details about commencement weekend will be mailed next month to parents of students expected to graduate.
This year we are continuing a program to make your preparation for graduation easier. A "Salute to the Class of 2013" program, where you can purchase caps and gowns, class rings, announcements, etc., will be held on Thursday, April 4, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Campus Center Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Watch for more details in D-Term! To help our undergraduate students with decisions about announcements, class rings, and other commencement items, a packet of information will be sent to your home address in February by the Balfour Company. Please discuss these special items with your family, to better prepare for your special day!
Information concerning commencement will be updated on a continual basis on the commencement Web site.
Please Note: This letter is sent to all degree candidates. It is not an official notice that these candidates will graduate. (Degree candidates are students expected to graduate upon successful completion of all degree requirements.)
