Faculty Instructions for Winter Commencement

Thank you for participating in the College’s first Winter Commencement at the Schlesinger Center at the Alexandria Campus. This will be our first commencement to be held on a NOVA campus since the early years, when they were held outdoors at the Annandale Campus. 

This guidance is for our faculty and staff who will be attending in support of our graduates but are neither members of the platform party nor volunteers/marshals. For volunteers and marshals, please check the volunteer information website.

Arrival time and Parking
Please arrive one hour before the start of the commencement celebration you are attending. If you are participating in the 10 a.m. event, plan on arriving at 9 a.m., for the 3 p.m. arrive at 2 p.m. and for the 6:30 p.m. arrive at 5:30 p.m.

We suggest that you park in the upper (Dawes Avenue) garage.  While NOVA Police and parking staff will be doing everything they can to move people quickly and safely into and out of the lower garage, it could easily become a challenge. From the upper lot, you can either walk to the Schlesinger Center or wait for a shuttle to take you between the upper lot and the Center.

We encourage you to carry as little as possible with you to the event.  However, if you are remaining for multiple exercises and must bring a laptop or other items with you, please leave these items in the designated area.

Arrival at the Schlesinger Center
Please enter the Schlesinger Center from the rear, via the loading dock, as shown in the maps.  Once inside, please stop at the Check-in Table. If you need to pick up your regalia, please proceed to the B&N room as noted on the map of the interior of the building. If you need assistance getting robed, volunteers will be on hand to help you.

Once robed, or if you are bringing your own regalia, please proceed to the second-floor multi-purpose room to enjoy refreshments and mingle or relax in the adjoining hallway/dressing rooms. At 9:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. or 6 p.m. (depending on the ceremony you are attending), you must be fully robed and report to the backstage hallway (again, location show on the map). Once there, you will be guided for entry into the concert hall.

Again, if you have to bring a laptop or other items with you, please take these to the second-floor multi-purpose room where volunteers will be stationed at all times.

Event
We anticipate that each ceremony will last approximately 90 minutes, with the vast majority of that time dedicated to moving our graduates across the stage.  Our graduates will be occupying the center of the concert hall, with extended seating to the left.  The Platform Party will be on the stage.  Family and friends of the graduates will occupy the rear lower and upper seating areas.

Departure
As the recessional music begins, you will be guided out the same way you came in. Please return any rented regalia to the B&N room (location noted on the attached PowerPoint slide) area before you leave. 

For reference, here is the full faculty/volunteer training presentation.

Thank you for helping us celebrate our wonderful graduates!

Submitted by:
Dana Kauffman, Director of Community and Govt. Relations, TKauffman@nvcc.edu