It's Commencement Time! Here's What You Need to Know

By Jonah Grinkewitz

It’s commencement week at Old Dominion University. Here’s what you need to know if you’re a student, family member or guest.

There will be two ceremonies on Dec. 14 at Chartway Arena celebrating both undergraduate and graduate students. Kelly Till ’94, the first female president and publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, will be the keynote speaker for both ceremonies. Graduates will also receive a written message from ODU’s first female Vice President, former Board of Visitors Rector and 2024 Distinguished Alumni honoree, Kay Kemper ’80.

The first ceremony at 9 a.m. will honor approximately 900 graduates from the College of Arts and Letters, Batten College of Engineering and Technology, the College of Sciences, the School of Cybersecurity and the School of Data Science.

The second ceremony at 12:30 p.m. will recognize approximately 725 from the Graduate School, the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies, Strome College of Business and Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University’s Ellmer College of Health Sciences and Ellmer School of Nursing. The ceremony is also the first to celebrate graduates from Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences EVMS School of Health Professions at Old Dominion University.

You can read more about the graduation speakers in this story.

Ahead of the two graduation ceremonies, the Navy ROTC Commissioning Ceremony will be held Friday, Dec. 12 at 9 a.m. in the North Mall in Webb Student Center.

The Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony will be Jan. 10, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in room 1012 in the Batten Arts & Letters Building.

Student information: There is no rehearsal for the ceremony. Information on reporting location and time and student information and instructions were emailed to all participants.

Student Parking Instructions:

9:00 a.m. Ceremony: Students will park in 43rd Street and Elkhorn Ave. and 43rd Street and Bluestone Ave. Garages.

12:30 p.m. Ceremony: Students will park in the 49th Street Stadium Garage. You may enter the garage from Bluestone Avenue.

Families and guests: All guests must have a ticket to enter the venue. Tickets are only distributed to qualified graduating students. All children over the age of two require a ticket. Children two and younger are not required to have a ticket if they can sit in the lap of a parent or guardian.

Auxiliary viewing is provided on a first come, first served basis for events in Chartway Arena. Auxiliary viewing is located in the Big Blue Room of Chartway Arena. Please follow signage to the entrance on 43rd Street. Guests in auxiliary viewing will see the processional enter the building and then view the remainder of the ceremony on-screen.

Family and Guest Parking: Guests are advised to arrive 30-60 minutes prior to the ceremony start time. If providing transportation for a graduate, guests need to be at the registration area no later than 60 minutes prior to the ceremony. Signage on Hampton Boulevard in front of the campus will direct guests to the appropriate entrances.

Accessibility: Commencement ceremonies at Old Dominion University are accessible to all graduates and guests. View more details here.

Photo and Video: Guests are encouraged to take photos and video except during inappropriate times or in locations that would disrupt the ceremony, particularly the processional. There are many photo opportunities on the plaza in front of Chartway Arena, surrounding S.B. Ballard Stadium and at various locations around campus. There will not be an opportunity for after-ceremony photos in the venue.

Please note that GradImages is the authorized vendor for ceremony photos and a professional photographer will take pictures of each graduate. There is no obligation to purchase these photos, but proofs will be sent to students shortly after the ceremony.

After the Ceremony: Guests are asked to remain seated until the ceremony has come to a close. Every graduate has worked hard to earn this day and having guests leaving during the ceremony is disruptive. Families should arrange to meet their graduate(s) outside the venue, as the building must be cleared as quickly as possible to prepare for the next ceremony.

Inclement weather: The fall commencement ceremonies are held indoors. If inclement weather does affect a ceremony, information will be shared on the ODU homepage.