2023 Graduation Ceremonies
School of Professional Studies Convocation 2023
Individual graduates of undergraduate and graduate programs of the School of Professional Studies (SPS) have the opportunity to walk across the stage and be recognized at our in-person convocation ceremony in Evanston or celebrate remotely via the virtual ceremony. Please see below to see more details on the option to travel to campus for the in-person ceremony or celebrate their graduation virtually.
In-Person Convocation
The in-person SPS Convocation ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 11, 2023 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. CDT inside the Ryan Fieldhouse on the Northwestern campus in Evanston. Graduate and guest attendance at this indoor event will be in accordance with local, state, and federal health guidelines present at that time. COVID-19 Updates
For those that cannot or choose not to travel, this event will live-stream for remote viewing in addition to the Virtual Convocation.
Ticketing and regalia are required for this in-person event.
Virtual Convocation
The SPS Virtual Convocation will go live on Monday, June 12, 2023. This rich experience is designed for all of our students, whether or not you attended the in-person SPS Convocation. The virtual ceremony features Convocation speakers, an address from the Dean of SPS, special elements, and personalized content to commemorate your achievement. A personalized graduation page for each graduate will also be included.
Regalia is not required for this virtual event.
Northwestern University-wide Commencement
Northwestern recognizes the entire graduating class from across all Northwestern schools at the Northwestern Commencement. The 165th Annual University-wide Commencement will take place in person on Monday, June 12, 2023, at 9 a.m. CDT. Guests and viewers will be able to tune into the livestream at the Commencement home page on the day of the event.
Event registration/ticketing and regalia are required for this in-person event.
For additional details on the Commencement Ceremony, please visit the Northwestern University Commencement website.
Regalia
Ordering for graduation attire, also called regalia, is now available. Visit the regalia page of the Graduation website to find the link, along with guidelines and further details about your Northwestern regalia. There are several key dates for regalia ordering:
- April 21 – Ordering deadline for Bachelor’s and Master’s shipping to Evanston bookstore
- May 12 – Ordering deadline for Bachelor’s and Master’s ship to home (additional shipping fees apply)
- May 24 – Regalia pick-up begins for orders shipped to Evanston bookstore
For questions regarding regalia, contact the Graduation Office at commencement@northwestern.edu.
Ticketing
Reserve guest tickets for 2023 SPS Convocation and University Commencement from the Northwestern Athletics Ticketing Website.
Tickets are required for guests and ticket ordering serves as the student RSVP for the in-person SPS Convocation and/or University-wide Commencement.
SPS Convocation tickets - log-in with the following promotion code: SPS23+StudentID
(Example: if your seven-digit student ID/Emplid = 1234567; then your promotion code = SPS23+1234567)
Commencement tickets - log-in with the following promotion code: COMM23+StudentID
(Example: if your seven-digit student ID/Emplid = 1234567; then your promotion code = COMM23+1234567)
- You may order up to 10 tickets for each the In-Person SPS Convocation and/or Commencement. All seats are general admission. If you order fewer than 10 but later want to order more (not to exceed 10) please see the additional ordering instructions on the Tickets page of the Graduation website.
- Place ticket reservations by May 23. Tickets will be sent to your Northwestern email at the beginning of June.
- For log-in issues or questions about your ticketing account, please contact the Athletics Department at cat-tix@northwestern.edu or 847-491-2287 or 888-GO-PURPLE (467-8775).
Accessibility Needs
- If any of your guests are using wheelchairs or have limited mobility (no stairs, limited walking) you will need to indicate that during the ticketing process. These seats will count toward your ticket allotment for Commencement and convocations. Please have conversations with your guests before ordering so you will know if you need any wheelchair seats or mobility access seats.
- If your guests have other accessibility needs besides seating, please visit the Guests with Accessibility Needs webpage for additional information about accommodations.
Terms and Events
Convocation is a separate ceremony where students are recognized individually by their Northwestern schools. During the ceremony, student, faculty, and keynote speakers will address graduates and their families, and each graduate will be given recognition of their graduation.
Commencement is the Northwestern University-wide ceremony where the graduating class is commemorated as a whole. During the ceremony, student, faculty, and guest speakers will address graduates and their families.
2022 SPS Convocation
The stream of the 2022 in-person SPS Convocation ceremony is available below.
Questions?
Questions regarding the School of Professional Studies Convocation can be directed to spsconvocation@northwestern.edu.
Questions regarding Northwestern University Commencement can be directed to commencement@northwestern.edu.