Happy Tuesday, everyone! In this episode of Grad Pod, Haya is joined by Jamie Taylor, Special Assistant to the Dean and Vice Provost of VCU’s Graduate School, to answer common questions about VCU’s upcoming commencement events. Jamie also explains the special hooding ceremony for Ph.D. and Ed.D. students. The episode concludes with a heartfelt message from Dr. Manu Gupta, Dean and Vice Provost of VCU’s Graduate School, encouraging the Class of 2025 to continue pursuing knowledge and use their education as a launchpad for future success.
HAYA: Hello everyone and welcome to grad FAQ unpacked! Today we're answering your burning questions about graduation ceremonies and everything in between.
I'm Haya Hamid, your host for Grad Pod, and today we're focusing on the latest information for VCU’s commencement events. Whether you're a graduate family member or a curious listener, this episode will give you the inside scoop on what to expect from VCU's commencement festivities.
Today, I'm joined by Jamie Taylor, the special assistant to the Dean and Vice Provost of the Graduate School.
HAYA: Welcome to the grad pod, Jamie.
JAMIE: Thanks for having me.
All right. Let's tackle the big ones first. So we went through our emails and compiled the most common questions students had about graduation.
HAYA: So my first question for you, Jamie, is when is the graduation ceremony?
JAMIE: Well first, congratulations to everyone that's graduating this semester. It's a huge achievement. So, for the graduation ceremonies, there is the university-wide commencement ceremony, which will take place on May 10th at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, as well as Schools and Colleges will host departmental ceremonies for students that are graduating as well.
Those can vary, depending on the date and time. So make sure you visit the commencement website to see when your ceremony is.
HAYA: Awesome. Do students need tickets for their guests to attend graduation ceremonies?
JAMIE: So tickets, , can be required at your departmental ceremony. So you may want to check with the coordinator for that ceremony to see if tickets are required and the process for getting your tickets, as it relates to the university-wide commencement ceremony, tickets are not required, seating is on a first-come first-served serve basis. So, have your guest get there a little bit early so they can make sure that they claim their seats, and can celebrate with you.
HAYA: What should students wear underneath their caps and gowns?
JAMIE: I would suggest to be comfy. Those gowns can be a little heavy and can get a little hot, especially when you're in a space with a lot of people.
So wear something comfy. If you are planning to take pictures after your ceremony, make sure you're in your best dress, for those pictures, but definitely you want to wear something casual and comfy, under your regalia.
HAYA: What happens if a student cannot attend the university-wide ceremony or their department ceremony?
JAMIE: So life can happen. So if you're not able, to attend a ceremony and you are RSVP, don't fret, you're still gonna graduate. You earned your degree. As long as you've completed the requirements for your degree and you apply to graduate, you'll still get your diploma, either in the mail or by pickup, whichever you chose,, when filling out the graduation application.
HAYA: For the university wide commencement, how do you coordinate the hooding ceremony for EDD and PhD recipients?
JAMIE: Great question. So, for the Graduate School, we do, coordinate a hooding ceremony for EDD and PhD students. Those students do get the opportunity to go on stage during the commencement ceremony, where, they are joined by their advisor, and their advisor will hood them on stage.
All of the Ed.D. and Ph.D. students who applied to graduate should have received an email from the graduate school in regards to RSVPing to the Graduate School to say that they will attend the hooding ceremony. You will receive follow-up instructions as well as your advisor will receive instructions on how the actual ceremony will go the day of the university-wide commencement.
HAYA: And just to clarify, Jamie, does this apply to Master’s and first professional students?
JAMIE: So the hooding ceremony does not apply to Master’s and first professional students. There may be a hooding ceremony at your school or college, ceremony, but for the university-wide commencement ceremony, only the Ph.D and E.dD. students are hooded on stage.
HAYA: Now that we've cleared up some of the technical stuff, it's time for a more personal message to the class of 2025. We are so proud of you, and to help us close out this episode, here are some words of encouragement from someone who has watched so many students cross that stage. The Dean and Vice Provost of the Graduate School, Dr. Manu Gupta.
DR. GUPTA: Graduates. This is one of the most exciting moments for me in my role as the Dean of the graduate school to see you go off the horizon. You have done everything that was needed to be done. You have achieved in the graduate school, those heights in knowledge and experience that you came here for, but I just want to remind you of a few things.
One: Knowledge gathering is a lifelong pursuit. The end of your education at the Graduate School is not the end of your gathering of knowledge. Two: the knowledge you have gathered here at Graduate School would be a launchpad for your career, but that career will depend on your perseverance as well as how much you actually apply the knowledge you've gained in your Graduate School.
So, my suggestion to you would be to go out with the confidence that you have all the tools to be successful in whatever career you choose out there. Congratulations once again, class of 2025! You've made us proud, and we are really rooting for you!
HAYA: If you have further questions or need more details, be sure to check out the full FAQ on the VCU commencement website. And as always, feel free to reach out to the university's contact, which is on their page. Thank you for listening. Until the next time, keep celebrating your achievements!
CREDITS:
Grad Pod is produced by VCU's Graduate School. Haya Hamid is our host. Our producer and editor is Grace Albirtton. Our theme music was composed, performed, and recorded by Austin Sellek and Claudia Andrade, students of Felipe Leitao, assistant Professor of Composition and Sound Design at VCU School of the Arts.
Do you have a question for us? Email us at grad school@vcu.edu and we may answer your question on an episode!
Share this post