Help Us Plan
To ensure adequate seating, graduates must complete their Commencement Participation Form no later than April 9. See the Commencement Fair information to learn more about important preparations for the big event.
Diplomas
Graduates will receive a diploma cover during the ceremony. Actual diplomas will be mailed pending verification of degree approximately six weeks later.
Diploma Frames
Customized diploma frames, with a high-quality polished brass finish and a mat embossed with the official Keene State College logo in gold, are available only from the KSC Alumni Association at a cost of $40. For information about ordering or pickup on graduation day, call the Alumni Office at 603-358-2369 or e-mail alumni@keene.edu.
Photos
Graduation Images will be photographing all graduates at the upcoming Commencement ceremony. Professional photographers will take three different pictures of each graduate crossing the platform. Information on ordering photos will be sent by the studio to all graduating students' KSC mailcruiser account. You may
also visit www.gradimages.com and click on the Pre-Event E-mail Registration. Enter your permanent e-mail address and e-mail addresses of your loved ones who would like to view and order your photos. After graduation you may order online at www.gradimages.com or call 800-424-3686.
Spring Honors Convocation
Spring Honors Convocation will be held from 4-6 p.m., Friday, May 7, in the Redfern Arts Center on Brickyard Pond.
The Convocation recognizes excellence in student scholarship and leadership, the recipients of undergraduate Academic Honors (students graduating with a GPA of 3.5-4.0, based on grades through the fall 2009), the Leo F. Redfern Outstanding Citizen, and other academic honorees. Students receiving awards will be notified by letter approximately two weeks before the event. Families will also be invited by a letter. Academic regalia is required for students participating in the event.
Check-in begins at 3:15 p.m. in the lobby of the Arts Center. The Redfern Arts Center is accessible to people with disabilities.
Commencement Ceremony
The Keene State College Commencement Ceremony, which lasts about two and one half hours, is held outdoors on Fiske Quad so that all family members and friends can attend. In the event of severe inclement weather, the ceremony is moved indoors (please see inclement weather policy below). Pets are not permitted,
with the exception of service animals.
Tickets are not necessary for Commencement unless weather forces it inside. The ceremony will also be broadcast on closed-circuit television in the Mabel Brown Room in the Student Center and in Morrison Hall on the quad.
Graduates' Assembly
Graduates should arrive at Spaulding Gymnasium by 11:45 on the morning of Commencement. Note: Personal belongings may not be left in the gym during the ceremony.
Inclement Weather
If extreme weather is expected, a decision to move the ceremony indoors will be made by Thursday morning, May 6; it will be posted at www.keene.edu/commencement and on MyKSC. Indoor seating will be limited to a small number of guests per student (4 or 5, depending on the number of participants). For information and updates, call 603-358-8500 or toll-free 877-671-2370 after April 1.
The President will make the final decision on Thursday, May 6 at 11 a.m. if the ceremony is moved inside. Please check the website on Thursday. Tickets will be available at the Information Desk at the Student Center for students to pick up in person starting at 3 p.m. on Friday.
Reception
All graduates and their guests are welcome to join faculty, staff, and fellow graduates for light refreshments at the Zorn Dining Commons immediately following the ceremony. This reception is sponsored by the President's Office.
Special Services
Commencement events are held in wheelchair-accessible facilities; however, the College does not provide wheelchairs.
Emergency medical services will be available on Appian Way.
Rest rooms are located in Rhodes Hall, Morrison Hall, Parker Hall, the Student Center, Spaulding Gym and Recreation Center, and the Zorn Dining Commons. All buildings are located along Appian Way.
Handicapped seating is available; please refer to the seating plan. The quad is wheelchair-accessible; therefore, we do not reserve seats.
For accommodations such as a large-print program or an interpreter for the hearing impaired, please contact the VPSA office.
Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol is not allowed at Commencement at any time and will be confiscated. Graduates will not be allowed to participate in or attend the Commencement ceremony if intoxicated.
Questions?
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Student Center, 3rd floor
603-358-2108, bpreston@keene.edu
The office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Senior Activities
Senior Class Office, 603-358-2747
Yearbooks
Kronicle Office, Student Center, 3rd floor, 603-358-2894
From Dr. Giles Gee
