NNMC COVID-19 Information   [Learn More]
Commencement Fall 2016: General Information

For Northern Faculty, Staff, Students, Regents, and Guests
Northern’s 2016 Fall Commencement
 Ceremony
Saturday, December 17, 2016, 11 am

GENERAL INFORMATION

•    Time and Location  Northern’s Commencement ceremony begins at 11 am in the CFA Theater.

•    Caps and Gowns  Cap and Gowns are ordered through www.cbgrad.com. Invitations may also be ordered through this same website.

•    Photographs  LifeTouch Photography will take your picture when you cross and exit the platform. Soon after commencement, the company will post proofs of your pictures on their  website. If you have questions, please go to www.LifeTouch.com or contact the Registrar’s Office at (505) 747-2115 or registrar@nnmc.edu

•    Children  Children are welcome to attend this wonderful celebration. However, keep in mind the ceremony may last a couple of hours and children may become restless.

•    Disability Accommodations  We want to make sure that everyone who wishes to participate is able to do so. If you or a member of your family is in need of auxiliary aids or services in order to participate in Commencement, please contact Verna Trujillo in the Accessibility Resource Center at (505) 747-2152, v.trujillo@nnmc.edu or at 921 Paseo de Oñate, Española, NM  87532.
 Some special supports such as ASL interpreters take time to arrange, so please make sure to notify the Accessibility Resource Center as soon as possible if you or a member of your family will need special support.

INFORMATION FOR REGENTS, FACULTY, AND ADMINISTRATORS

•    Board of Regents will arrive by 10:00 am at the Eagle Gymnasium where commencement staff will distribute your cap, gown, tassel, and hood

•    Faculty will arrive by 10:00 am with appropriate regalia. Please order through www.cbgrad.com ahead of time.

•    Processional Line Order  Faculty will line up by College and Department. Faculty marshals will lead the processional line from the staging area in the CFA to the seating area.

•    Commencement Opening  The Provost will announce the opening of the ceremony. Remain standing until the conclusion of the national anthem. (Men remove their caps during the anthem.)

•    Commencement Programs  Commencement programs will be distributed to graduates and guests as they are seated in the theater.

•    Recessional Line  When the ceremony is finished, the platform party will exit the stage first, followed by faculty and administrators. Commencement marshals will guide you.

INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS

•    Important: Leave your valuables (purses, backpacks, etc.) with your family or friends. There is no place to store them securely.

•    Commencement Rehearsal  Commencement rehearsal will begin promptly at 5:30 pm on Thursday, December 15 in the CFA Theater, lasting about one and a half hours. It is important that all graduates attend so that you know what is expected at Commencement.

•    Arrival Time and Location  Graduating students will begin checking-in at 10:00 am. Report to the CFA where signs will direct you to the student check-in area. Please do not be late; the ceremony begins at exactly 11 am.

•    Processional and Seating  Department assistants will line graduates up by College, department, and degree, from certificate to bachelor’s degree. Commencement marshals will escort graduating students into the CFA Theater. Everyone will remain standing through the National Anthem. Male graduates remove their caps at the beginning of the anthem and replace them after the anthem.

•    Caps and Gowns  Wear or bring your regalia to the commencement. Remember, the caps, gowns, and tassels are yours to keep after the Commencement Exercises. Wear your cap straight so that it covers your forehead and place your tassel on the left, front corner of your cap.

•    Name Cards  You will receive your name card when you check in. Make certain that you keep it with you.

•    Presentation of Candidates  The Provost will ask the candidates to rise according to their College. Marshals will direct students to the platform row by row. You will give your name card to the Provost when you approach the stage. The Provost will announce your name, degree, and honors as you walk across the stage.

•    When you receive your diploma cover, pause to allow the professional photographer to take your picture, exit the stage, then quickly return to your seat and sit down.
After all graduates are seated, the reader will ask you to move your tassel from the left side of your cap to the right side.

•    Recessional  Graduates will stand when the recessional music begins. The platform party will lead the recessional, followed by the faculty, and then the graduates. Commencement Marshals will direct your exit, starting with the first row of students.

•    Receiving Line  Northern does not include a receiving line in the scheduled ceremony.

INFORMATION FOR GUESTS

•    Parking  Parking lots are located throughout the campus and will accommodate guest parking.

•    Arrival Time  Guests may begin arriving at 10:00 am. The ceremony will begin promptly at 11:00 am.

•    Seating  Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis; no tickets are required. Please follow commencement marshals’ directions to guest seating areas. Once you have been seated, please remain in your seats, so that the ceremony can proceed without interruptions.

•    Recessional  Please remain standing and allow the faculty and students to exit the stage area first. Commencement marshals will direct your exit. Go directly to the reception area. Students will join their guests after they greet their instructors.

•    Photographs  Professional photographers will take pictures of students as they cross and exit the platform. Guests will have many chances to take photographs before and after the ceremony. For the safety of the graduates and to allow all guests to see the ceremony, please follow the commencement marshals direction for taking photographs. We ask that no one block aisles or stay for an extended time near the front of the stage.

•    Electronic Devices  Please silence your phones, pagers, pads, and other electronic devices.

SAFETY & SECURITY

•    We ask that no backpacks or large purses/containers be brought into the theater on Commencement day.

•    All camera bags, and other necessary bags may be subject to search at the door prior to them being allowed into the gymnasium. This screening is being done as a security measure for everyone’s protection.

•    Parking will be available thoughout the campus.

•    For more information about the Commencement Ceremony, please contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@nnnc.edu, (505) 747-2115. The Registrar’s Office is located in the Administration Bldg., Room 242, on the Española campus.

Northern offers over 50 bachelor's, associate and certificate programs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math); Nursing and Health Sciences; Liberal Arts and Humanities; Arts, Film & Media; Business Administration; Teacher Education and Technical Trades.
Northern New Mexico College is the most affordable 4-year college in the Southwestern US. Choose us for our value, our quality degree and continuing education programs in diverse areas of study, and our experienced faculty. We provide students with unique opportunities for academic, personal, and professional growth, small class sizes, personalized attention, and strong hands-on experiences from day one.
The Northern Foundation remains committed to stimulate leadership, promote equity, and grow resources and philanthropy in the Española Valley and surrounding rural areas. Over the past twenty years, we have granted $1.3 million to support over 1,250 NNMC students.