Frequently Asked Questions

All graduating students choosing to participate in the ceremony are required to check-in for the ceremony at the check-in tables 1 hour before the start of the ceremony. Students should enter through Gate 4.

• Students should arrive by 1 p.m. on May 7, 2027, from the following colleges: College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Science, Technology, and Health for the 2 p.m. ceremony.
• Students should arrive by 6 p.m. on May 7, 2027, from the following colleges: College of Education and Human Services and the Plaster College of Business and Entrepreneurship for the 7 p.m. ceremony.

All graduating students will receive a card with their diploma name and line up information. Students should then proceed to the student line-up area. Students will line-up with other students within their college and then by degree level. ALWAYS KEEP this card with you. It will be used to read your name as you are crossing the stage.

Guests will not need tickets for the 2027 ceremonies. Guest seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The St. Charles Family Arena will open to the public 1½ hours before the start of each ceremony.  Guests who require an elevator may enter through Gate 1 to access 100 and 200-level seating. The elevator is located on the west side of the Main Lobby. Guests may also enter through gates 2 or 3.  Gates 1 and 2 will close 10 minutes before the start of each ceremony to allow the student procession to move into its starting place.  These gates will re-open after all students have entered the arena floor.  Guests are encouraged to arrive early for the events to allow time for traffic, parking, and metal detectors at the entry gates, and to assure easy access to seats and services. Please check the Family Arena website for their bag policy.

The St. Charles Family Arena does not have a coat check or lockers for personal items.

The ceremony will be approximately 2 to 2.5 hours in length.

The Herff Jones regalia order instructions will be provided in February 2027.

Yes, all faculty and students taking part in the graduation ceremony are required to wear traditional academic attire.

No. Graduating students must order a cap and gown from Herff Jones. Herff Jones provides Lindenwood with a list of students who placed orders online, and this list is used to generate the lineup and seating for the ceremony. If you do not order from Herff Jones, you will not have a place in the lineup or a place in the graduating student seating area.

You can attend one or both ceremonies. We can provide the extra tassel for the second major at the check-in table at the ceremony.

Yes. All graduating students come to the stage, present their card to the reader, walk across the stage, and then are congratulated by the president and dean of the college.

Lindenwood partners with NameCoach, students may record their diploma name via the NameCoach website so our reader(s) may review and practice before the ceremony.  An email with the NameCoach information will be sent to students who order regalia.

Students will line up and be seated with other students within their college by degree level. The card they receive from the check-in table will include a row and seat number. Lindenwood staff will be available to assist students in the line-up area.

The Lindenwood faculty awards general honors to those undergraduate students who have completed all degree requirements with academic distinction. To be eligible for general honors, a student must have completed a minimum of 50 semester hours in residence at Lindenwood University. Students whose Lindenwood cumulative grade point averages fall within the following ranges are eligible for Cum Laude (3.70 to 3.85), Magna Cum Laude (3.86 to 3.93), or Summa Cum Laude (3.94 to 4.00). Students must have achieved the minimum cumulative GPA and minimum hours by the end of the academic semester preceding the May Commencement. Honors reflected on the diploma and transcript will be determined by the GPA and hours after the final grades have been issued of the last term. General honors cannot be based on the estimated outcome of terms in progress at the time of the May Commencement. Please note: General honors are not awarded to graduate, specialist, or doctoral students.

Honors cords will be distributed to eligible undergraduate students at graduation check-in on the day of the ceremony.

No.

Graduate students should wear all items including the hood when they arrive for check-in at Commencement.

No, there is no rehearsal.

Diplomas will be mailed directly to the student’s billing address listed in our student information system if the student’s account balance does not have a delinquent balance. Diplomas will be mailed between five and eight weeks after the conferral date (October 30, December 30, March 30, May 30, and August 15). Conferral date is defined as the date on which your degree is officially awarded; it will not be the Commencement date.

Lindenwood University contracts with GradImages® to photograph each graduate at Commencement. These photos are taken when graduates receive their diploma and stand in front of a Lindenwood banner. Graduates can pre-register their e-mail, and GradImages will contact them when photos are available for online viewing and ordering. While there is no obligation to purchase, proofs will be emailed and mailed to each student’s address. Up to 6 (six) family members’ contact information may be added to help share the good news and the photos by going to the GradImages site.

Lindenwood University has no affiliation with the photographer; inquiries should be directed to GradImages® Customer Service Department, and they can be reached by phone at 1 (800) 261-2576 and, via the web at www.gradimages.com.

Formal graduation announcements and class rings are available to order online.