SCAD’s annual commencement is traditionally designed with one Presidential Conferment of Degrees ceremony for the Savannah, Atlanta and Hong Kong campuses. This year’s commencement in Savannah will feature two Presidential Conferment of Degrees ceremonies on Friday, June 1, and two Presentation of Degrees ceremonies on Saturday. All ceremonies will be held at the Savannah Civic Center.
SCAD Dean of Students David Blake said he and the university are excited about the changes, as he believes they will provide a better overall experience for graduating students and their families. According to Blake, the ceremonies were split due to the size constraints of the Savannah Civic Center.
“As graduating classes continue to grow, it became untenable to host all of our graduating seniors in one ceremony,” Blake said. “In past years there has been single Presidential Conferment of Degrees ceremony. This year there will be two, divided by academic programs. The schools of Communication Arts, Design, Fashion and Fine Arts will have their ceremonies at 9 a.m. on both days. The schools of Building Arts, Digital Media, Entertainment Arts, and Liberal Arts will take place at 2 p.m. each day.”
The Presidential Conferment of Degrees ceremonies will include speeches by faculty members, honor students and guest speakers, according to the SCAD commencement webpage. Each student’s name will be called to walk across the stage during the Presentation of Degrees ceremonies, and students should only attend ceremonies for their schools.
“The new arrangement will allow for each student to have 4 tickets for each ceremony, provide ample time to set up for each ceremony and ensure a comfortable process for families to be seated,” Blake said. “[It will also] ensure that each student will have a positive, memorable and affirming graduation experience.”
Students should follow the steps on the graudation website to ensure they attend the correct ceremony. All four ceremonies will be broadcast via livestream. More details about Atlanta and Hong Kong can be found on the commencement website.
By Emilie Kefalas.
