1. Commencement Information

2. Congratulations, Graduate!
We rejoice with you as you journey toward Commencement: both an ending and a new beginning. The information included here is designed to help you navigate the deadlines and forms that are required to graduate and participate in the commencement ceremony. You will also find detailed information about the ceremonies, academic attire, rehearsal, and helpful suggestions for making the most of this special time. Please read through the following slides carefully, and highlight any dates and times that pertain to you and your program. If you have any questions along the way, please feel free to reach out (contact information is provided on the last slide). Again, congratulations! We look forward to seeing you in May!

3. Registrar’s Office

4. Graduation vs. Commencement
Graduation is the completion of all degree requirements as indicated in your Catalog Year. Commencement is the ceremony that celebrates the completion of a degree.

5. Application for Graduation
Registrar
Application for Graduation
If you have not applied, go to and select the appropriate application to graduate.
All students who have completed the Application to Graduate have it added to your student record.
You only need to apply/pay the fee once per degree level.
Verification that we have processed your Application to Graduate can be done in Hawk’s Edge. Click on “Update My Profile” after your name and scroll to the bottom. Under the Student section, it will list Application to Graduate. If there is not a term and year indicated, then an Application for Graduation has not been processed.

6. Registrar Honors at Graduation
Honors at graduation are awarded to undergraduate students who meet the criteria specified in the University Catalog.
3.85 and above, summa cum laude.
3.7 and above, magna cum laude.
3.5 and above, cum laude.
Honors are not awarded for graduate degrees, credentials, or certificates.

7. YOU MUST CHECK YOUR STUDENT EMAIL!
Registrar
Preliminary graduation check notification s are sent to student accounts during the semester.
The degree checks will confirm if you are in the process of completing your final requirements this semester or whether you have outstanding requirements. The will also indicate whether you are eligible to participate in Commencement ceremonies and your preliminary honors status (subject to change after all grades are final).
YOU MUST CHECK YOUR STUDENT !

8. Registrar Check your HNU EMAIL and follow us on Social Media.
or Holy Names University Registrar
If you don’t get our messages, you risk…..
Not being eligible to participate in Commencement
Not graduating when you plan to.

9. Registrar Commencement eligibility:
Traditional undergraduate and adult degree completion students must be on track to complete all units and requirements by the end of the Spring Semester.
Graduate students must be enrolled in their last units in the Spring, have a grade point average of 3.0 at the time of the ceremonies, and have completed all culminating theses, projects, recitals, and practica.
Certificate students must be enrolled in their last units in the Spring Semester and have a GPA of 3.0 at the time of the ceremonies.
Credential students must be enrolled in their final classes/requirements in either the Spring or the Summer semesters.

10. Registrar
Final degree checks will begin after the ceremonies for May candidates. Graduation determination letters are sent in late June.
All notifications are sent to your HNU account.
CHECK YOUR —you will need to act quickly if we are missing something for you.
Diplomas are ordered in early July and mailed out to you around early October. Transcripts will be available when your degree has been posted to your record.

11. Registrar Graduating Master’s students:
Culminating Project Completion Certification form required.
Your degree cannot be awarded until we have received this form, with all required signatures.
If you have any questions , your program director can help advise you on the best process for securing these signatures.

12. Registrar
Degrees are conferred three times per year, in December, May, and August.  The final deadlines for the Registrar's Office to receive all documentation to satisfy final requirements for your degree at HNU are as follows:
For December candidates, the following January 15;
for May candidates, May 26;
for August candidates, August 31. 
This includes transcripts from other schools, substitution or waiver forms, grade change forms from instructors, culminating experience forms (for students in master’s degree programs) or any other items outstanding.
If documentation is received after the respective deadline, we will evaluate your academic record for possible conferral during the next conferral date.

13. Registrar Undergrad Graduate Certificate Credential
Must complete your undergraduate degree within two years of your last semester of attendance in order to graduate under the requirements of your catalog.
Graduate
Must complete your graduate degree within seven calendar years from the time you began your program.
This includes all coursework, comprehensive examinations, theses, projects, practica, competencies, and recitals (still a new catalog after 2 years).
Certificate
Must complete your graduate certificate within seven calendar years from the time you began your program.
Credential
Complete your post-baccalaureate coursework within two years of your last semester of attendance in order to graduate under the requirements of your catalog.

14. Student Accounts

15. Student Accounts
Your student account must be paid in full by May 1 in order to participate in any of the Commencement ceremonies.
Don’t make any irreversible plans unless you know for sure that you are financially eligible to participate.

16. Student Accounts
Paper billing statements will not be mailed. Instead, review your account online at the Student Account Center.

17. Student Accounts
If you have financial aid, be sure that all of your aid is posted to your account by May 1.
If you are paying monthly via TMS be sure your final payment on April 1 is on time and that it covers your balance due. If it does not cover the balance due, plan on making your final payment by May 1.

18. Student Accounts
If you have tuition reimbursement from your employer, be sure that we have your HNU Employer Reimbursement Certification form and that it covers your balance due. Any amount not covered by your employer is due from you by May 1.

19. Student Accounts
You will receive a preliminary status update from Student Accounts regarding your eligibility to participate in Commencement during the week of April 9. Sent to your HNU address.
You will receive a final status update from Student Accounts by May 6. Sent to your HNU address.

20. Student Accounts
Your account must be paid in full before you can receive your transcript or diploma.
If you have any questions about your bill please contact Liz at or (510)

21. Financial Aid Office

22. Financial Aid
If you’ve taken out any loans while at HNU, you are required to do exit counseling at studentloans.gov
Who needs to complete exit counseling?
Any student who graduates, drops below half-time registration, or otherwise stops attending (even if you plan to transfer to another school) and:
Has received a federal student loan at ANY point during college including Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans
Has received a Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
Has received a Perkins Loan (Must be done in person in the Financial Aid Office)

23. Loan Repayment Options
Standard Repayment Plan
- Payments are a fixed amount of at least $50 per month
- Up to 10 years
- You’ll pay less interest for your loan over time under this plan than you would under other plans
Graduated Repayment Plan
- Payments are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years
Extended Repayment Plan
- Payments may be fixed or graduated
- Up to 25 years
Income-Based Repayment Plan
- Your maximum monthly payments will be 15 percent of discretionary income, the difference between your adjusted gross income and 150% of the poverty guideline for your family size and state of residence
- Your payments change as your income changes
Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan
- Your maximum monthly payments will be 10 percent of discretionary income
- Your payments change as your income changes.
- Up to 20 years
Income Contingent Repayment Plan
- Payments are calculated each year and are based on your adjusted gross income, family size, and the total amount of your Direct Loans.
Income-Sensitive Repayment Plan
- Your monthly payment is based on annual income

24. Financial Aid Studentaid.ed.gov
Will give you more information on the different repayment plans
Repayment Estimator to determine your monthly and total payments with each plan
Loan Consolidation information
National Student Loan Data System: NSLDS.ed.gov
What federal student loans you have taken out
Your loan periods and loan servicer
SALT: Saltmoney.org A membership program created by a non profit organization
Through HNU, SALT gives you access to trained loan counselors to help you with:
Locating student loan information
What to do if you’re struggling with your payments
The impact of postponing repayment
Understanding your loan payment options
Using deferment or forbearance to postpone repayment

25. Commencement Ceremonies

26. Commencement Events Commencement Mass Graduate Ceremony
Undergraduate Ceremony
Friday, May 11- 4:00pm
McLean Chapel
Academic gowns and hoods are worn for the Mass.
Participation is encouraged, but optional.
Friday, May 11- 6:30pm
Corrigan Courtyard
For master’s degree, credential, and certificate students
Check-in at 5:40pm on the top floor of the VCPA.
Saturday, May 12- 4:30pm
For bachelor’s degree students
Check-in at 3:40pm in Heafey 659/660.

27. Commencement Rehearsal
Wednesday, May 9, 6:00pm Check-in begins at 5:00pm in front of the Library
Mandatory rehearsal for participating in either ceremony. During the rehearsal, we will:
Complete cards with the phonetic pronunciation of your name
Walk through the ceremonies
Discuss line-up procedures for Commencement
Distribute parking permits
Answer any last minute questions
Please note: Students unable to attend rehearsal due to distance reasons can contact Sr. Carol Sellman at

28. Commencement Attire
Students must order their commencement attire online at (website will open in January)
Your graduation fee (charged to your student account when you submitted your Application to Graduate) covers the cost of the attire.
All orders must be placed by March 19 at 8:59pm PST.
Commencement attire is required to participate in the commencement ceremony. Afterwards, it is yours to keep!
After placing your order online, all attire will be delivered to the HNU bookstore and available for pick-up beginning May 1.

29. Commencement Attire Commencement attire consists of:
black gown (size determined by height and weight)
mortar board cap (one size fits all)
tassel
degree-specific hood (or a stole for Credential and Certificate students)
NEW! Stole of gratitude
The Stole of Gratitude offers the opportunity to say “Thank you for helping me make it.” The stole is worn during the commencement ceremony. After the ceremony, the new graduate presents the stole to someone who provided extraordinary help or support, like a parent, relative or mentor.
Please note: Honor cords are distributed by each department.

30. Ordering Commencement Attire
Website opens in January
Click on “ORDER A CAP AND GOWN”

31. Ordering Commencement Attire
Select your degree from the dropdown menu
If you are graduating with a master’s degree AND a certificate or credential, please order for your master’s degree only. A stole will be ordered for you separately, and will be available for pick-up with your other academic attire beginning May 1 in the HNU Bookstore.

32. Ordering Commencement Attire
Click on “Cap & Gown” and proceed to the online form
NOTE: Graduation Packages are optional and include other items (diploma cover, announcements, etc.) for an added cost. There is no cost to just order your Cap and Gown.

33. Announcements
Personalized graduation announcements are available for purchase at
You may order your announcements any time after you have received your confirmation of eligibility from the Registrar’s Office.
Generic announcements are also available for purchase at the HNU bookstore (ideal if you are looking to order 1 or 2 announcements).

34. Tickets
We do not distribute individual tickets for Commencement ceremonies. In order to ensure there is enough seating for our guests, all cars will need to display a special parking permit during Commencement weekend. Each student will receive 2 parking permits for on-campus parking, which will be distributed at Commencement rehearsal.

35. Parking
On-campus parking during Commencement weekend will require a special parking permit, which will be distributed during Commencement rehearsal. For the undergraduate commencement ceremony, HNU also offers off-campus parking nearby for cars without permits. Shuttles will be available to pick up guests and shuttle them to campus. Parking is reserved near the ceremony location for vehicles displaying a disabled person parking placard.

36. Pictures
A professional photographer will be on campus on Saturday, March 24 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Montclair Room (located between the McLean Chapel and Public Market) to take individual formal pictures of students who are graduating. Commencement attire will be provided. Students will receive proofs afterwards, with options for purchasing. Sign-up online at:
Additional pictures will be taken of each graduate at the Commencement ceremony.

37. Student Speakers
Each year during the ceremony, we ask for representatives from the graduating class to participate as student speakers, all of whom are nominated and selected by their peers. Nominations will take place in March.
Invocation Speaker – this individual will provide the opening prayer at the undergraduate commencement ceremony
Class Speakers – these two individuals offer an address during the undergraduate commencement ceremony and serve as representatives of the entire graduating class. Providing the student address during this important university event is an opportunity for the selected student(s) to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class, reflect upon the past few years, and convey a message for the future.
Traditional Undergraduate Student Speaker
Adult Undergraduate Student Speaker
Please note: The ceremony for graduate students will include one invocation speaker, selected by the Graduate Program Directors.

38. Liz Aswegan - student account questions aswegan@hnu.edu, 510-436-1425
Liza Pierre - commencement ceremony questions
Registrar’s Office - academic questions
Liz Aswegan - student account questions
Financial Aid Office - financial aid questions

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