Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2024

To order regalia, please visit http://colleges.herffjones.com/college/_delval/.

Regalia orders will be available for pickup at the bookstore starting in April, Monday to Thursday 9 am to 4 pm, and Friday 9 am to 3 pm., the bookstore is closed on the weekend.

Doctoral candidates, please scroll down to the DOCTORAL GRADUATE INFORMATION for regalia ordering information.

Academic Latin Honor Cords will be distributed at Commencement Rehearsal through the Registrar’s Office. If you are part of an Honor Society, student club or organization that has approved cords or stoles, please contact the faculty/staff advisor of the Honor Society, club or organization to learn how to receive those items.

Graduates do not receive their diploma at graduation. Instead, a ceremonial diploma cover is given to each graduate as they cross the stage. Diplomas are mailed in early July.

At Commencement, graduates wear academic regalia. This includes a cap, tassel, robe and hood. Graduates should be mindful of weather conditions of the outdoor ceremony and should dress accordingly.

The hood should be worn velvet side out with the velvet binding flipped to show the colors; secure the hood so that it does not fall off your shoulders. The mortarboard should be worn flat (parallel to the ground), secured with bobby pins, if necessary.

Please be advised that high heels (stiletto/spike) are not allowed on the field. You will be walking and standing as well as climbing stairs, so it is recommended that you wear a comfortable shoe (flats, boots, sneaker, or a low wedge heel).

Please contact Laura Rambo. Call 215.489.2401 to confirm pronunciation. You can leave a message where you speak slowly saying your first name and last name. Please also leave your best contact number should we need to call you back.  

Yes, rehearsal will be held on Friday, May 10 at 4:30 p.m. in the Life Sciences Building Auditorium. The graduates will receive an overview that includes information about seating, processing across the stage, and how to put on your cap and gown. That information will be posted here as well.

Students graduating with the following GPAs qualify for Latin Honors:

• 3.9-4.0 GPA – Summa cum laude
• 3.7-3.89 GPA – Magna cum laude
• 3.5-3.69 GPA – Cum laude

Below is the list of approved Honor Societies and Student Clubs and Organizations which distribute regalia (cords and stoles) for Commencement:

Honor Societies with approved cords:

• Alpha Lambda Delta (Freshman) – Staff advisor: Dr. Andrew Moyer andrew.moyer@delval.edu
• Alpha Phi Sigma Honors Society (Criminal Justice) — Faculty Advisor: Mr. Walter Zdunowski walter.zdunowski@delval.edu
• Chi Alpha Sigma (Athletes) – Staff advisor: Dr. Andrew Moyer andrew.moyer@delval.edu
• Delta Tau Alpha Honor Society (Agriculture) – Faculty advisor: Dr. Robin Shedlauskas robin.shedlauskas@delval.edu
• Honors Program – Faculty advisor: Dr. Allison Cohen allison.cohen@delval.edu
• Order of Omega Honor Society (Leadership) – Staff advisor: Dr. Andrew Moyer andrew.moyer@delval.edu
• Pi Alpha Xi (Horticulture) — Faculty Advisor Dr. Adrienne Kleintop adrienne.kleintop@delval.edu
• Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society (Business) – Faculty Advisor Dr. Christine Seel christine.seel@delval.edu
• Tau Sigma (Transfer Students) – Staff Advisor Dr. Andrew Moyer andrew.moyer@delval.edu

Student clubs and organizations with approved stoles:

• Black Student Union – Staff Advisor Ms. Evie Hunter evelia.hunter@delval.edu
• Block and Bridle – Faculty advisor Dr. William Fritz william.fritz@delval.edu
• Dairy Society – Staff advisor Mr. Darrin Mayer darrin.mayer@delval.edu
• Future Farmers of America – Faculty Advisor Dr. Lauren Ryals lauren.ryals@delval.edu
• Greek Chapters – Staff advisor: Dr. Andrew Moyer andrew.moyer@delval.edu
• Military and Veterans (United States Armed Forces) –Staff advisor Mr.  Joseph Grato joseph.grato@delval.edu
• Scholar Athlete – Staff Advisor Ms. Carol Digirolamo carol.digirolamo@delval.edu
• Student Athlete – Staff advisor Ms. Carol Digirolamo carol.digirolamo@delval.edu
• Senior Class Officers – Staff advisor Mr. Justin Brouse justin.brouse@delval.edu
• Student Government Board – Staff advisor Mr. Justin Brouse justin.brouse@delval.edu
• Sigma Alpha (Agricultural Sorority) – Faculty advisor Ms. Joanne Powell joanne.powell@delval.edu; staff advisor Ms. Jenna Reigle jenna.reigle@delval.edu

Please enter campus using the New Britain Road. Public Safety personnel and volunteers will provide parking guidance once you arrive on campus. Designated handicapped parking is available in A Lot. Shuttle service will be available for those parking in D Lot and golf cart transportation will be available for those parking in C Lot. 

Traffic entering campus from Lower State Road will be directed to E Lot. Please consider the walking time from your vehicle to the ceremony location which can vary.

A livestream link will be available of the ceremony. The livestream will be on the main Commencement webpage. The Livestream can also be found on the Delaware Valley University youtube channel on the day of the event. 

No tickets are required for Commencement.

There is no limitation for the number of guests.

We ask that you do not arrive on campus before 7:30 a.m. The gates to the stadium will open at 8 a.m.

Gates to the stadium will open at 8 a.m. Guest seating is on a first come, first serve basis.

Guest seating will be in the bleachers with limited seating on the athletic field. Designated seating sections on the field will be labeled. (i.e. graduates, faculty, handicap, etc.)

Seating for graduates, university attendees, and handicap seating will be on the athletic field inside the stadium. Accommodations for those who utilize a wheelchair or other mobility assistive devices are in place.

Only service dogs as recognized under the ADA are allowed. No pets are allowed.

Please be advised that spiked heels are not allowed on the field. It is recommended that guests wear flats or a low wedge heel.

The Life Sciences Building Auditorium, will serve as a satellite viewing location for guests who do not wish to sit on the field.

Yes, handicap seating will be on the field and designated as such.

The anticipated length of the ceremony is approximately 90-120 minutes, depending on the number of graduates participating.  

There are two rain delay times: Saturday, May 11 beginning at 2 p.m., and Sunday, May 12 beginning at 9:30 a.m. We suggest dressing in layers and bringing appropriate outdoor accessories, such as sunscreen, and umbrellas. 

The University will make announcements about severe weather-related changes to the Commencement ceremony via this webpage, email and social media as soon as the decision is made.

Finding photos after the ceremony is easy. Visit www.GradImages.com, enter Delaware Valley University and class year to view and purchase custom photo products like prints, plaques, specialty gifts, and more. GradImages® is proud to support one of the biggest moments in a graduate’s life: walking across the stage and into the next chapter. Please note, it can take up to three weeks for the pictures to be posted.

A concession stand will be open at the stadium beginning at 7:30 a.m. and is cash only. Beverages and small items will be available for purchase. (An ATM machine is located in the Student Center on the first floor.)

Yes, all members of the University community, including faculty, staff, and students, as well as visitors to DelVal, are prohibited from possessing firearms, explosives or weapons (hereafter collectively referred to as “weapons”) on the premises of the University or in any building under University control or at any University–sponsored event without the explicit authorization of Delaware Valley University, whether or not a federal or state license to possess the same has been issued to the possessor.

No, only the New Britain Road and Lower State Road entrances will be open.  All other campus entrances will be closed.

No, pets are not allowed. Service animals are allowed. A service animal, per the animal visitation policy, is defined as: A guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.

Visit this link and select Self Service. Then click on Graduation Overview to complete the application to graduate. In order for your name to appear in the Graduation Program, you need to complete this by March 15, 2024.

Regalia consists of a gown, a hood and a tam. If you plan to use regalia in future academic ceremonies (i.e. graduations, academic convocations, etc.), you may wish to consider purchasing a gown and tam. You can do that by visiting this link. 

If you do not plan to use regalia in future academic ceremonies, you may wish to rent your regalia. Contact Chris Urban, our Herff-Jones representative, at curban@herffjones.com for the details.

During the ceremony, the names of all Doctor of Education graduates are read. Graduates will walk across the stage to receive their doctoral hood and have their photo taken. Prior to the ceremony, a short meeting with all doctoral graduates will take place to clarify the process.

Diplomas will be mailed to students within 6 weeks of graduation. 

Dennis Riker, Interim Director of Graduate Education, dennis.riker@delval.edu