Commencement, Parents: St. Mary's College of Maryland

Commencement

May 14, 2011

Time: 10:00am
Location: Townhouse Green

Commencement Week Activities and Registration Forms

Dear Families of the Class of 2011:

Convocation and Commencement exercises for the Class of 2011 will take place on Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14, respectively, at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Convocation is the final assembling of the graduating class Friday evening prior to the conferral of degrees at Commencement on Saturday. Members of the senior class plan the program for Convocation, including the selection of a faculty member who offers closing thoughts to the class. We encourage you to participate on both Friday and Saturday with your graduating senior. The following information is provided to assist you as you make plans to celebrate this important time, and we are including some material we have already sent to your senior.

Friday, May 13
6:00 p.m.
A family picnic will be held at the waterfront. Tickets can be ordered on the enclosed form.

8:00 p.m.
Senior convocation will be held under the tent on Townhouse Green. This is a free event and no tickets are required, although we do ask for an estimated number of family members who will attend.

Saturday, May 14
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast in honor of the Class of 2011 will take place in the Great Room. Tickets can be ordered on the enclosed form. Students will arrive in their caps and gowns.

9:15 a.m.
Seniors gather at the recreation courts in the Michael P. O’Brien Athletics and Recreation Center for a class photo and are urged to be on time. This is a good time for family and friends to secure their seats at the Commencement site on the Townhouse Green. (The Commencement site will open at 8:30 a.m.) The rest rooms will be located adjacent to Schaefer Science Building, and water stations will be placed around the outside of Daugherty-Palmer Commons.

10:00 a.m.
Commencement begins on the Townhouse Green. Seating is open, and although the area will be tented, some seating is in an area in full sun. Guests should be prepared with hats, sunscreen, and other protective measures. Please bring rain gear if the weather is threatening. The College regrets that we are unable to provide babysitting facilities.

A professional photographer will take individual photographs of each graduate as he or she receives a diploma. A proof will be mailed to the individual student at the permanent address on file with the College with an option to buy additional photos. The proof is free. An 8 x 10 copy of the class photo will be mailed to each graduate as a gift from the College. To assist Commencement officials and to make the ceremony more pleasant for everyone, we ask that persons taking personal photographs be courteous of others and remain behind barriers. There is no designated area for personal photography.

A Commencement information sheet is enclosed, along with the 2011 Senior Week activities order form. The schedule has been planned by the Senior Class officers and designed to celebrate the closing of your student’s undergraduate life the week preceding Commencement. Many of the Senior Week activities require prepaid tickets. Some families may wish to purchase tickets for their graduate as part of their graduation gift. Please discuss this with your student to avoid duplication of tickets, as this information has also been sent to them. Be sure that tickets are purchased by the Friday, April 22, 2011 deadline.

Additional information about parking during Commencement weekend, the inclement weather plan, and special needs is enclosed from the Events and Conferences Office. If you have specific questions on these issues, please contact the Events and Conferences Office at 240-895-4310. If you would like this packet sent to an additional address, or have questions about Senior Week, please contact Kelly Schroeder, assistant dean of students, at
240-895-4209.

The faculty, staff, and administrators of St. Mary’s College look forward to sharing this special day with the Class of 2011 graduates, their families, and friends.

Sincerely,

Laura A. Bayless, Ph.D.
Dean of Students

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