Macon

We hope the information provided here will assist you and your family in planning for Commencement.

Commencement Ceremony

Commencement for the Class of 2024 will be held on Monday, May 13, at 8 a.m. at Five Star Stadium. The ceremony will last approximately two hours.

Eligibility and Participation

Please read carefully the following statements concerning your degree requirements and eligibility to participate in the graduation ceremony. In addition to the information below, you will also receive emails to your Mercer-issued student email account throughout the Spring with information regarding your participation in Commencement.

Your ceremony location is determined by your degree program. If you have not received emails to your student email account specific to the Macon ceremony, you may be on the wrong page.

Confirm Participation Status

Students who plan to participate in the ceremony must have indicated this on the Graduation Application submitted to the Office of the Registrar before the published deadline, or respond to the Commencement-related email communications if the identified participation status is incorrect. These emails begin in late January and continue throughout the Spring for eligible students who have indicated they will participate.

Eligible students who have opted not to participate will receive at least one email from the Office of the Registrar to confirm this status, offering an opportunity to opt in or correct an error.

While participation may still be possible, inclusion in the printed program cannot be guaranteed for participation status confirmed after February 28.

Who constitutes the Class of 2024?

The Class of 2024 includes students who completed requirements in the previous Summer or Fall semester and will complete requirements in the current Spring semester.

Additionally, students completing requirements in the upcoming Summer semester may participate if official approval to participate is granted. Once approved to participate in Commencement early, the graduate is not eligible for any future Commencement ceremony for the same degree.

All students who have completed all degree requirements and have properly informed the Office of the Registrar by the published deadline of their plan to participate may march in the ceremony.

For more information, visit the Graduation Information web page at registrar.mercer.edu.

Students Completing Requirements in Summer

Students completing requirements in Summer may be eligible to participate in the May Commencement ceremony with special approval provided by the end of February.

• Undergraduate Students who are on track to have no more than 12 credits remaining and will complete requirements by the end of Summer may participate with documented approval of their academic advisor via the Special Request to Participate form.
• Graduate students who will finish requirements by the end of Summer do not need to submit a form, but should contact their school/college, department, or advisor to notify the Office of the Registrar of eligibility to participate.
• Doctoral candidates must complete all graduation requirements before the ceremony in order to participate.

Graduation Day

On Graduation Day, graduates must arrive at the University Center by 6:30 a.m. and proceed to check-in at Hawkins Arena. Graduates will begin the processional walk from Hawkins Arena to Five Star Stadium at 7:35 a.m. Graduates must leave personal belongings with relatives or friends attending the ceremony. The University Center will not be secured during the ceremony.

Specific details including row and seat assignments will be sent to your Mercer email address in the days before the ceremony.

Attire for Graduates

The traditional cap and gown are considered formal academic attire for Commencement. Mercer will provide cords and medallions to indicate specific academic honors and military service.

The Herff Jones Company will be happy to assist you with the ordering of your caps, gowns, stoles, ring, personalized announcements, and more. Visit their web site for more information at herff.ly/mercer, and choose the Macon ceremony, your college/school, and your degree to ensure the correct cap/gown packages are available to you.

The deadline to order caps, gowns, and stoles is Friday, March 29. Additional items such as announcements, frames, and class rings may continue to be ordered after the deadline, but regalia will not be available after the deadline.

Recommended Attire: Men should wear dark slacks, dark shoes, and a shirt with a white collar. Women should wear comfortable dark dress shoes with a dress or skirt that does not show below the gown, or dark slacks and a blouse.

Students involved in registered student organizations recognized by the university (such as Greek organizations and/or honor societies) may wear stoles purchased from the organization. Acquisition and purchase of the stole is the responsibility of the student.

Commencement Tickets

Below you’ll find information on how to access your commencement tickets.

Step 1: Complete your Mercer University Graduate Career Outcomes Survey
This survey collects information about your current post-graduation plans and will assist our staff in identifying career trends for the Class of 2024 while also helping us to determine which resources are most needed by our recent and upcoming graduates.

• To complete this survey, please visit https://bit.ly/MUGradSurvey2024 and enter your MUID number!
• Not yet sure of your post-graduation plans? No problem. Please complete this survey and let us know your current situation, and we will follow up with you soon to see how we can be of support to you in your post-graduation plans.
• Complete the survey by April 23 to be included in the first release of tickets on April 25. Surveys completed after April 23 will receive ticket access information on a rolling basis 1-2 business days after submitting the survey.

Step 2: Access Your Tickets
Each graduate will be allotted 10 tickets for their specific commencement ceremony via the Mercer Ticket Sales portal, TIXR.

• Ticket Distribution will begin on April 25 for those who completed the survey by April 23.
• You will receive two emails on April 25 if you completed the survey before the priority deadline, or within 1-2 business days of submitting your survey, with information about commencement tickets.
  • Email One from TIXR: Will contain a PDF Attachment containing the graduate’s Commencement tickets.
  • Email Two from the University: Will alert students that their tickets have been distributed and provide further information on commencement ticket procedures.
• Graduates are encouraged to verify their tickets in advance of their commencement ceremony. Please do not wait until commencement weekend to verify your tickets for the first time.

Step 3: Sharing your Tickets
Graduates are responsible for distributing commencement tickets to their guests. Please note that each ticket has a unique barcode and can only be used once. Make sure you keep track of which tickets you have shared.

• Graduates wishing to use printed tickets should print their pdf ticket package received in Email One from TIXR listed in the step above.
• Graduates wishing to electronically distribute their tickets to guests should follow the instructions found in Email Two from the University listed in the step above to create a TIXR account.
• Guests without tickets will not be permitted to enter the Ceremony.
• Infants under 2 years of age are not required to have a ticket.
• Graduates do not need a ticket for the ceremony that they are participating in.

Need Assistance?
Having trouble accessing your GRADUATE CAREER OUTCOMES SURVEY?
Please contact CCPD at swanger_s@mercer.edu or (478) 301-2863

Having trouble accessing your COMMENCEMENT TICKETS?
Please contact MTS at pridgen_cf@mercer.edu or (478) 301-5470

Accessibility and Accommodation Information

Drop-off/Pick-up

Families and guests with mobility impairments may be dropped off at two designated areas located in the parking lots adjacent to Drake Field House. Drivers should display a handicap tag or identify with staff that they are using the accessibility drop-off for a guest with mobility impairment.

After the ceremony pick up will be in the same location as drop off.

Parking

Graduation Day parking for accessibility will be available in both parking lots beside Drake Field House and the College St. lot across from the Peddy Tennis Courts behind the Engineering Building. The access to these areas will be permitted with a handicap hangtag or plate (first come/first served). Once the designated ADA lots are full additional parking will be provided in the general area with shuttles to bring guests to the venue.

Complementary Wheel Chairs

Mercer University has collaborated with Scott Pharmacy to provide wheel chairs to be used by guests for travel to seating.  Guests transported with the chairs will be assisted by family members and Mercer staff will accompany to return the chair to the drop off location for the next guest. Following the completion of the ceremony guests may again use the chairs to assist guests to the drop off station only.

If a wheel chair is needed for seating during the ceremony we encourage you to bring a personal chair.

Seating

Wheelchair Accessible seating is available throughout the stadium with companion seats:

• East Stands:  Sections 111, 113, 115
• West Stands: Sections 106, 105, 104, 103

Additional seating for limited mobility and accommodation needs other than wheelchair accessible are designated in the following areas:

• East Stands:  116, 114, 112, 110 for limited mobility
• West Stands:  Sections 101, 102, 107 for limited mobility

Individuals needing seating for visual and hearing impairments please contact the Access Office for accommodation at (478) 301-2810 or access@mercer.edu by April 15, 2024.

All accessible seating with signage are reserved for individuals with a disability and one companion.

Additional Questions

For questions and additional information, please contact Andreena Patton at (478) 301-2810 or access@mercer.edu. Please make requests for any accommodation including but not limited to: seating, closed-captioning, and interpreting or other by April 15, 2024 to ensure access. We will continue to make a good faith effort to provide accommodations received after this date.

ROTC Commissioning Ceremony

Friday, May 10, 2024
10 a.m.
President’s Dining Room, University Center

Directions to Macon Campus

• From I-75 North (from Florida): Take I-75 North to Exit #163 (Mercer University Drive). Take a right at the top of the exit ramp onto Mercer University Drive. There are two entrances to campus. Turn left at the first traffic light onto Stadium Drive or left at the second traffic light onto College Street (Mobility Impaired Parking is accessed from both entrances).
• From I-75 South (from Atlanta): Take I-75 South to Exit #163 (Mercer University Drive). Take a left at the top of the exit ramp onto Mercer University Drive and cross over I-75. There are two entrances to campus. Turn left at the first traffic light onto Stadium Drive or left at the second traffic light onto College Street (Mobility Impaired Parking is accessed from both entrances).
• Parking: Parking is available throughout the campus. Parking for accessibility will be available in both parking lots beside Drake Field House and the College St. lot across from the Peddy Tennis Courts. The access to these areas will be permitted with a handicap hangtag or plate. First come, first served. Once the designated ADA lots are full, additional parking is provided in the general area with shuttles to bring guests to the venue.

Guest Information

Students participating in the Commencement ceremonies are guaranteed the same number of guest tickets that will be required for admission. Information about the distribution of guest tickets will be provided to students and on this web page by mid/late April. Lost guest tickets cannot be replaced. Guests without tickets will not be permitted to enter the Stadium. Infants under 2 years of age are not required to have a ticket.

The Stadium will open for ticketed guests at 7 a.m. Guests should go directly to the seating areas in the stadium and be seated by 7:45 a.m.

There is an opportunity to view the ceremony via a live-stream service at other campus locations. The venues are the School of Medicine Auditorium, the Science and Engineering Auditorium, or the Willet Science Center. Guests attending one of these venues do not need tickets. It is first come, first served.

For individuals not in attendance, the ceremony will be streamed live and can be viewed online at the Mercer Commencement web page at mercer.edu/commencement.

Commencement Etiquette

Mercer requests all participants and guests to respect the importance of this occasion and to treat it with the proper decorum. All cell phones should be turned off or on vibrate. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the Five Star Stadium. All areas of the stadium are smoke and tobacco free. Guests are not allowed on the field.

For security reasons, bags will be searched upon entering the stadium. Knives, firearms, or weapons of any type are not allowed.

NOTE: The following items are not permitted in Five Star Stadium: Outside food or drink, coolers, lawn chairs, artificial noisemakers, pets (except assistance animals), umbrellas, backpacks and large bags, banners, food or drink containers, home video cameras, laser devices, seatbacks larger than 17 inches wide, flags, or large gifts for graduates that can obstruct the view during the ceremony.

Additionally, using the field at Five Star Stadium for personal celebratory graduation photos is prohibited. Confetti, streamers, poppers and other celebration devices present a potential injury risk to your fellow students during practice and games.

Celebration Considerations

We hope you have an incredible day of celebration! During our ceremony, we ask you to be considerate of other guests who are also joining us to share this special occasion.

Commencement Volunteers

Several Mercer staff and students, identified by their Commencement name tags and lanyards, work to make this day special. Contact a member of the Commencement staff for assistance throughout your visit. Please continue to be respectful of Mercer’s policies and Five Star Stadium regulations.

Outdoor Temperatures and First Aid

The outdoor temperatures along with the location of the sun during this morning ceremony can create extreme conditions. Please take necessary precautions before considering attending the celebration in person. (Viewing of the live-streamed ceremony is available on your personal computer at mercer.edu/commencement or on campus inside the Willet Science Building, Medical School Auditorium, and the Science and Engineering Building.) First aid kits will be available on each side of the stadium, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will be on call.

Weather Alert

In the event of intense rain or other severe weather, Commencement may be delayed or cancelled. If the weather is uncertain, you may check the status by calling the University Hotline at (478) 301-5335. The Hotline will have regular updates to announce any delays or cancellations due to weather alerts.

Additional Information

Recognition of Scholarship and Graduating with Honors

Honors printed in the Commencement program for undergraduate students are based on coursework completed through the fall semester preceding the ceremony. Final honors printed on your diploma may differ from honors printed in the program should grades earned after Fall semester result in the GPA crossing one of these thresholds.

• The University Honors Program is based on meeting specific criteria while a student at Mercer University.
• Separately, the minimum GPA for each honors threshold (3.50 for Cum Laude, 3.70 for Magna Cum Laude, 3.85 for Summa Cum Laude) must be achieved with both the Mercer-only GPA and the overall undergraduate GPA.
• Refer to the Academic Information of the Mercer Catalog for more information.

Formal Degree Conferral and Distribution of Diplomas

A degree is awarded only to students who have satisfied all requirements of the University and the school/college certifying the degree. Participation in Commencement does not guarantee conferral of the degree.

• Diploma Covers will be distributed to all participants during the ceremony, and are available to non-participants upon request.
• Diplomas were mailed to students who completed all degree requirements in previous terms and with no outstanding financial or loan obligations to the University.
• Diplomas will be available to students who completed all degree requirements in Spring semester immediately following the ceremony for approximately 1 hour. Specific information for degree pick-up will be provided before the ceremony. (Note: For efficiency, only graduates will be allowed in the diploma distribution area.)
• For students not eligible to receive a diploma, whether for academic, financial, or other reasons, diplomas will be mailed to the permanent home address after degree requirements are completed and certified. Students should verify this address in MyMercer, and update it via the Name/Address Change Form on the Academics menu if the address is incorrect.
• After degrees are awarded, graduates are eligible to order, at their expense, a duplicate diploma or an oversized 14”X17” diploma (covers are not available for large diplomas). Order forms are available on the Office of the Registrar web page at registrar.mercer.edu under Macon Campus / Forms.

If you have any questions concerning the completion of your degree requirements and/or whether you may participate in the Commencement ceremony, please contact your academic advisor or the Office of the Registrar.

Mercer Bookstore/Caps, Gowns and Hoods

If you missed the online ordering deadline: The Mercer University Bookstore will have limited stock for individuals to purchase their caps, gowns and hoods starting in April. The academic regalia is yours to keep and are not rentals. It is important that caps, gowns, and hoods be uniform in appearance. This means that students cannot “borrow” regalia from previous graduates or purchase from a different source other than Herff Jones/Mercer Bookstore System as it will not match.

We strongly encourage all students to try on and steam your academic regalia before the ceremony.

Please contact the Mercer Macon Bookstore via (478) 301-2945 or bookstore@mercer.edu for more detailed information or questions on caps/gowns.

The Mercer University Bookstore-Macon is located at:

1602 Montpelier Ave
Suite 100
Macon, GA 31207
Normal operational hours: Mon-Thurs: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m – 3 p.m.

Note: Please confirm hours the week before and including Commencement Day at shopmercerbears.com or via their google listing updated daily.

Name Pronunciation

If you are concerned that your name may be mispronounced, there will be an opportunity to address this as Commencement approaches. Watch your student email for Commencement-related emails throughout the Spring. This opportunity will be provided on this web page and to your email address when it is available.

In recent years, students have been instructed to leave a voicemail message to a specific phone number with slow and clear pronunciation containing your college/school affiliation and degree, the spelling of your last name, and pronunciation of your complete name (pronounced twice). Please do not leave a message if your name is fairly common, such as “James Miller,” “Mary Smith,” or “Pat Jones.”

Professional Photographer

A photographer from GradImages® will be at your ceremony to take posed and candid photographs of you at your special moment of recognition. You will receive a free proof of these photos in the mail and/or by email as soon as 72 hours following the ceremony. After your graduation, you may order photographs online at gradimages.com or by calling (800) 261-2576.

You may also view or purchase event images at: mercer.edu/go/Commencementphotos.

Concessions

To ensure the comfort of Commencement guests as well as the campus community, complimentary water stations will be located around the perimeter of the ceremony seating area. Concessions will also provide beverages (bottled water, Powerade, fountain drinks) and pastries for purchase.

Commencement Photo Trail

After the ceremony, students who have successfully fulfilled their academic requirements and have no holds will pick up their diplomas. We then invite graduates, families, and friends to stroll through the special trail of photo stations designed especially for Commencement. These unique opportunities will stretch from the home side of Five Star Stadium, past Black Field, and down to Cruz Plaza. Be sure to have your phones and cameras for these selfie and family photo opportunities, and share all of your photos on social media using #Mercer2024.

Dining After Our Ceremony

There are many restaurants just waiting for you and your families and guests! Both Mercer Village and downtown Macon are full of incredible, local establishments that are Mercer favorites. Slightly further away from campus, you can also find many chain restaurants that will be happy to see your smiling faces. Visit maconga.org for a detailed listing of options.

Local Accommodations

Mercer has partnered with Campus Travel Management to offer discounted hotel rates with no service fees to University visitors. Visitors looking to book a hotel should go to campustravel.com/university/mercer-university. The site offers hotels at various price points and during high volume periods allows users to compare rates at multiple hotels with just one click.