Commencement

Upcoming Commencement Dates

• December Commencement: 3 pm on Friday, December 16, 2022, at Tozier Gymnasium located at 90 Quaker Hill Rd in Unity, ME.
• May Commencement: Saturday May 13, 2023. More details to come.          

Important to-do list for December Graduates 

• Step 1 – Apply to Graduate: Application is open now and closes on December 1. Your name will not appear in the commencement program if you apply to graduate after the December 1 deadline. Please login to your student portal to complete the Application for Degree. This is not the same as indicating that you are attending Commencement which you will do in Step 3. 
• Step 2 – Pay the graduation fee: $100.00 must be paid no later than December 1, 2022. Students can pay this fee by logging into their student portal. 
• Step 3 – RSVP & Register Guest Seats for Commencement: Fill out this simple form to confirm that you are attending commencement, and also indicate the names of the up to 4 guests you are registering for commencement by December 1. 
• Step 4 – Order Regalia: Undergraduate and master’s regalia orders are made online. Only students who have applied to graduate will be able to order regalia. Students who plan on attending the in-person ceremony should order their regalia. Orders must be placed by November 25, 2022 in order to receive it in time for the ceremony. Regalia will be delivered to your provided address. 
• Step 5 – Shop the Unity College Store: This is your one-stop shop for Unity College branded merchandise!
• Step 6 – Spread the word: Tell your hometown newspaper you are graduating. Download the template.        

What to do and expect on the day of Commencement

The ceremony will begin with a processional of all graduates followed by greetings and speeches, the conferring of degrees, the tassel-turning ceremony, and the recessional. The ceremony lasts around 1 hours.

Download Commencement Itinerary

• The event will be held inside Tozier Gymnasium, 90 Quaker Hill Road in Unity, Maine on December 16, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. 
• The venue opens at 1:30 p.m. All graduates and their guests should arrive by 2:00 p.m. to ensure ample time for parking and to find your seat. 
• Seats are reserved in advance and are only available for graduates and their 4 registered guests. 
• Commencement programs will be provided in a digital, print-ready format on the day of commencement and online here. Names of all December 2022 graduation candidates who have completed the application for degree by December 1, 2022 will be included in the program. 
• Only the names of graduates who are in attendance will be read aloud. 
• ​​Please note that participation in the ceremony does not presume graduation from the College. Degrees are conferred only after all academic requirements are met and the Board of Trustees has taken official action. We congratulate you on your accomplishments and look forward to seeing you at the ceremony!

How can I watch if I can’t attend?

The ceremony will also be live-streamed on the Unity College Facebook Page for those who cannot attend the in-person ceremony. The ceremony will also be recorded and posted after the ceremony. 

Checking in

• All graduates and guests must check in at the registration table inside the Student Center.
• Only those who have registered in advance will be allowed into the venue.
• Masks are optional, but strongly encouraged for anybody who is unvaccinated.

For graduates

• Make sure to bring your regalia to commencement. Regalia is required to walk at commencement and must be ordered in advance by November 25, 2022. 
• Master’s degree recipients must bring their regalia and hood.
• Honors and military cords will be distributed upon arrival.
• Signing of the Green Pledge.
• Graduates will line up at 2:30 in the Student Center adjacent to the gym. 

For all registered guests

• There will be signage as well as officers to assist with parking as you approach campus.
• Parking will be near the gym, in the commuter parking lot. Visitors who requested handicap parking will be allowed to park next to the gym.
• Officers of the Waldo County Sheriff’s Department and Unity College Public Safety will be on hand to help maintain a safe and secure environment for all.
• All packs, bags, and purses will be subject to visual inspection upon entry to the venue. In order to speed entry into the event, please consider leaving any bags at home or in your vehicle.
• Any items deemed inappropriate or disruptive by Unity College or Waldo County Sheriff’s Department staff will not be allowed.

Items to leave at home

• Alcohol
• Coolers
• Backpacks
• Large handbags
• Metal folding seat cushions
• Seats that clamp onto bleachers
• Noise-making devices
• Mace, pepper spray, aerosol cans or similar substances
• Signs
• Banners
• Sticks or poles
• Weapons or items that mimic weapons
• Any item deemed dangerous or inappropriate
• Wrapped gifts or packages.

Items that will be permitted

• Food and clear reusable water bottles
• Cameras
• Video recorders
• Binoculars
• Small handbags
• Cell phones (set to silent)
• Strollers that can be stowed at your seat (stroller storage is not available inside the gymnasium)
• Umbrellas 

Location

Parking

• Parking is free for graduates and their guests.
• Upon arriving on campus parking attendants will be on hand to assist you.

Special Accommodations

Restricted Mobility

Wheelchair accessible seating will be available to registered guests who require accommodations. Please make sure to request this accommodation when registering.  

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Reserved seating for guests who read American Sign Language will be available. Please make sure to request this accommodation when registering.  

Diplomas and Graduation

Degree candidates will not earn degrees nor be graduated from the College until they have completed all degree requirements.

Participation in a commencement ceremony does not presume graduation from the College. Students who do not apply for graduation before the published deadline for any term must apply for graduation during the next term. Students who have applied for graduation but fail to meet the requirements must reapply for graduation by the published deadline for the term in which they will fulfill the requirements. Degrees are conferred only after all requirements are completed and the Board of Trustees has taken official action. Once confirmed, students are mailed their diplomas to the address on record.

Transcripts

Information about transcripts can be found here. 

Questions

If you have any questions, please reach out to marketing@unity.edu.