COMMENCEMENT CEREMONYFriday, May 8, 2020

8:45 a.m.Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum

WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

Friday, May 8, 2020 g 8:45 a.m.Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum g 2825 University Parkway g Winston-Salem, North Carolina

GENERAL INFORMATIONThere are no guest limits or ticket requirements for the ceremony. The graduation ceremony will begin promptly at 8:45 a.m. and it is expected to last approximately three hours.

We anticipate there could be as many as 950 undergraduate and graduate students participating in the 2020 Commencement Ceremony, including those who completed their requirements in August and December 2019, as well as students who applied for May 2020 graduation. The ceremony will be streamed live at www.livestream.com/wssummts.

The Commencement Ceremony will be held at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. As in previous years, we ask that students RSVP to help us determine the number of graduates to expect for Commencement.

Additionally:

• Stay up-to-date with Commencement news and events on Facebook and Twitter (#WSSUGRAD20)

• Email commencement@wssu.edu with any questions. Please be sure to include your banner ID on the subject line of all Commencement-related correspondence.

GRADUATES INFORMATIONGraduation Degree Requirements include a student having met all academic requirements (summer 2019, fall 2019 or spring 2020) and not have any pending charges, active suspensions or dismissals by the Student Honor Court.

The graduation fee of $50 is automatically charged to student accounts. Graduates must clear with the Student Accounts Office, 200 Thompson Center by Friday, May 1, to make sure there are no outstanding charges. Students also need to check with Campus Police and the O’Kelly Library to clear any outstanding fines or debts.

It is mandatory for seniors who have received a student loan to complete the exit counseling questionnaire on line. The entire loan counseling session will probably take about an hour. The website https://studentloans.gov is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have questions regarding repayment or loan forbearance, please contact the Department of Education at 1-800-433-3243. For further information, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 336-750-3296.

Exit interviews for seniors who receive funds from the Federal Perkins and University Loans need to be completed online at https://www.mappingyourfuture.org/oslc/. For further information, contact the Student Accounts Office, 200 Thompson Center, or call Mrs. Carrie Barnes at 336-750-2812 to schedule an appointment.

Completing the Graduating Senior Survey is also required prior to graduation. Responses help the university better understand the student experience at WSSU. Diplomas

will not be mailed to graduates until the Graduation Survey is completed. Graduating seniors on 16 campuses of the University of North Carolina system participate in this survey which is at SENIOR SURVEY (Undergraduate Students Only). Please contact Institutional Assessment and Research at 336-750-8036 if you have any questions.

Post-Graduation Plans Survey-as you embark on this exciting new chapter in your life, the Office of Career Development would like to hear about the path you have chosen to take after graduating from WSSU. The First Destination Survey is a brief online survey that asks about what graduating students are doing or plan to do upon graduating from WSSU. With the information you share, we will work to enhance services provided to all WSSU alumni as well as current and future RAMS to help you reach your career and post-graduation goals. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact LaMonica Sloan Wilhelmi at 336-750-3241 or sloanl@wssu.edu.

After April 17, graduating students must register with the Winston-Salem State University Alumni Relations Office. Please follow the steps below to register:1. Go to - Alumni Engagement2. Scroll down to - Alumni Update Form3. Please complete the form in its entirety. It will be automatically sent to Alumni Engagement.

For further information, contact The Office of Alumni Engagement at alumniengagement@wssu.edu.

Commencement rehearsal will be held on Thursday, May 7, and attendance is mandatory for all graduates participation in the ceremony. Rehearsal will from noon until 4 p.m. at the Dillard Auditorium, Anderson Center on the WSSU campus. The schedule for rehearsals will be: • Arts and Sciences undergraduates at noon • Business and Education undergraduates at 1 p.m. • Health Sciences undergraduates at 2 p.m. • Graduate programs at 3 p.m.

All graduates should bring their caps and tassels to rehearsal and doctoral candidates should also bring their hoods. Contact Dr. Shirley Manigault at manigaults@wssu.edu or Dr. Dennis Felder at felderd@wssu.edu if you have any questions.

Student parking will be in the Sierra Mist Lot with the coliseum opening at 7:00 on the morning of Commencement. Students are to access the coliseum floor through section 116.

Students participating in the Commencement processional should begin arriving by 7:00 a.m. Since traffic will be heavy, please leave enough time to park and consider carpooling with your fellow graduates or family. The processional will begin promptly at 8:45 a.m. No one will be allowed to join the graduates once they are seated on the coliseum floor.

Honor cord pick up will be begin Monday, May 4, 2020 in the Chancellor’s Main Dining room in the Anderson Center. Please see the events calendar for specific times. The Honors designation in the Commencement program book will be based on the cumulative GPA earned by Fall Semester 2019.

Military Honor Cords are available for graduates who were honorably discharged U.S. veterans, are currently serving in the military (active duty, National Guard or Reserves), or are an ROTC student commissioning upon graduation as a way for the university to honor their service. The Military Honor cord pick up will be the same as honor cord pick up times and locations. Graduates will need to bring a WSSU ID card and either a copy of their DD-214 or a valid military identification card.

Information on pre-graduation events may be found in the schedule on the last page.

Diploma and official transcript will be mailed within six weeks of the graduation date. If a graduate has any hold on their record, the diploma and transcript will not be mailed.

The diploma will be mailed to the address provided on the application for graduation. Likewise the name that is printed on the diploma is the name entered on the application for graduation. If you wish to change your name or address, please contact the Office of the Registrar by email at Graduation_Services@wssu.edu.

Diplomas are shipped through the United States Postal Service It is important you provide the mailing address on your graduation application that reflects where you will be living two months after graduation rather than where you are currently living.

If your diplomas is damaged in the mail or is incorrect, please email Graduation_Services@wssu.edu

An official photographer will be on site. Gradimages will be taking photographs of all graduates at the Commencement Ceremony. They will be located on the field as you exit the stage. You may pre-register your information prior to the ceremony at their website, www.gradimages.com, or you may order photographs after the ceremony either online or by call 800-261-2576. By registering early, photo samples will be provided to you as soon as they are available after the event and you can get a $5 off coupon on orders of $25 or more.

After Commencement, all residence halls will close at 12 noon on Saturday, May 9, 2020. Graduates keep their WSSU email accounts, along with their OneDrive for life as long as they regularly log into the WSSU network. After six months of inactivity, the account will be removed. Graduates are encouraged to visit RAMware - The Academic Software Store to download their free software if they have not done so already.

FACULTY INFORMATIONFaculty regalia, including cap and hood, is required for participation in the Commencement Ceremony. If you need to order academic regalia, please visit the Herff Jones website (https://academicregalia.herffjones.com/School/index) to place your order. Normal delivery for online orders is six weeks, so you may need to use express delivery which can take 10 business days.

Faculty parking will be in the Mountain Dew Lot. Faculty will assemble in the Windsor Club area. Please plan to arrive at the coliseum early, no later than 7:45 a.m. and consider carpooling, as heavy traffic is expected.

Faculty participating in the processional will line up at 8:00 a.m. and the processional will begin promptly at 8:45 a.m.

GUEST INFORMATIONThe Commencement Ceremony will be held at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 2825 University Parkway, Winston-Salem. Tickets are not required. Please plan to arrive at the coliseum early and consider carpooling, as heavy traffic is expected.

Doors at LJVM Coliseum will open at 7:00 a.m. Commencement will begin promptly at 8:45 a.m.

Free guest parking will be available in the Pepsi Lot. Overflow parking will be available at BB&T Field adjacent to the coliseum, with shuttle pick up at Bridger Field House.

Handicapped parking will be available in the Sierra Mist Lot and handicapped seating on a first-come, first-served basis.

A limited number of wheelchairs will be available for free check-out with valid identification.

There will be an interpreter on stage for the hearing impaired. The interpreter will be visible on the large screens.

The Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum maintains certain regulations and procedures to promote and ensure a positive experience for all. Please note the below information regarding admission to the venue.

All guests are subject to security screenings conducted by contracted personnel in order to detect and remove prohibited items from the venue. Guests with prohibited items will be allowed to return these items to their vehicles. Any items left at any entrance to the Coliseum will be discarded by facility personnel.

PROHIBITED ITEMSThe following items are prohibited from being brought into the LJVM Coliseum:

• Alcoholic or other beverages

• Artificial noise makers

• Backpacks

• Diaper bags, unless accompanied by a baby

• Helium balloons

• Knives of any size

• Large golf or non-telescopic umbrellas

• Laser pointers

• Signs, banners, flags or any other items that would either obstruct the view of another guest or serve as a dangerous projectile or security risk

• Strollers

• Weapons of any description (weapons carried with a permit are also prohibited)

• Anything deemed hazardous or unsafe by police or event staff

Information on lodging, dining, shopping and entertainment is available at www.visitwinstonsalem.com

Overflow Parking

WSSU COMMENCEMENT

PARKINGMAPLawrence Joel

Veterans Memorial Coliseum2825 University Pkwy,

Winston-Salem, NC 27105

FamilyEntrance

FacultyEntrance

StudentParking

ADAParking

StudentEntrance

Overflow Parking

Overflow Parking

Faculty and VolunteerParking

ShuttlePick-up/Drop Off

ShuttlePick-up/Drop Off

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

NOW Order Academic Regalia and/or announcements at Herff Jones.

May 1, 2020 Students who received federal student loans, complete exit counseling at studentaid.gov

Complete financial clearance process by this date

May 4, 2020 Complete Surveys:Undergraduate Senior SurveyPost-graduation Plans Survey (Destination Survey)

Register with Alumni Relations Office

Military and Honor Cord Pick Up 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Anderson Center-Chancellor’s Main Dining Room

Participant Lanyard/Name Card Pick Up 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Anderson Center-Chancellor’s Main Dining Room

May 5, 2020 Military and Honor Cord Pick Up 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.Anderson Center-Chancellor’s Main Dining Room

Participant Lanyard/Name Card Pick Up 12 p.m. - 7 p.m.Anderson Center-Chancellor’s Main Dining Room

May 6, 2020 The College and School of Health Sciences celebrations for graduates (Time/location TBA)

Military and Honor Cord Pick Up 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Anderson Center-Chancellor’s Main Dining Room

Participant Lanyard/Name Card Pick Up 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Anderson Center-Chancellor’s Main Dining Room

May 7, 2020 School of Health Sciences Pinning Ceremony, 9 a.m.K. R. Williams Auditorium

ROTC Commissioning Ceremony (Time/location TBA)

Military and Honor Cord Pick Up 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Anderson Center-Chancellor’s Main Dining Room

Participant Lanyard/Name Card Pick Up 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Anderson Center-Chancellor’s Main Dining Room

Mandatory Commencement rehearsal at the Dillard AuditoriumAnderson Center

Arts and Sciences undergraduates at 12 noonBusiness and Education undergraduates at 1 p.m.Health Sciences undergraduates at 2 p.m.Graduate programs at 3 p.m.

May 8, 2020 Commencement exercise begins promptly at 8:45 a.m.Honor Cord/Military Cord/Name card pickup 7 a.m. - 8 a.m.Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum