2021 Graduation Ceremonies
School of Professional Studies Virtual Convocation 2021
Northwestern University Commencement
Northwestern will recognize the graduating class as a whole in the Northwestern University Commencement. The 163rd Annual University-wide Commencement will take place virtually on Monday, June 14, 2021, at 11 a.m. CDT. Access the 2021 live Commencement webcast here.
For additional details, please visit the Northwestern University Commencement website, where you will also find the latest updates from the President.
School of Professional Studies Virtual Convocation
The School of Professional Studies virtual Convocation will take place on Monday, June 14, 2021. This ceremony will honor graduates from all undergraduate and graduate degree programs. A personalized graduation page will be created for each graduate. We know that is the primary option for many of our graduates, and you will be receiving details by email to update your personalized page to include a photo and personalized message. School of Professional Studies Virtual Convocation 2021
School of Professional Studies In-Person Convocation
The optional in-person SPS Convocation ceremony will take place Saturday, June 12, 2021, at 9 a.m. CDT at Ryan Fieldhouse. The event will also be live-streamed for remote viewing. Graduate and guest attendance to this indoor event will be limited in accordance with local, state, and federal guidelines. Due to COVID-19, this event is under review by the state of Illinois and may be changed to an online ceremony. If the in-person ceremony is able to take place, students and their guests will need to follow health protocols such as social distancing, wearing masks at all times, symptom monitoring, and complying with contact tracing. Again, masks are required to participate in this event. The logistics of this event are developing as the school and University monitor the ongoing pandemic. You will receive additional details on the event once they are finalized.
Regalia
Regalia is not required for students attending the virtual Commencement or the virtual Convocation events.
Regalia is required if the graduate chooses to attend the in-person Convocation event. The deadline to order regalia was May 16.
Ticketing
No tickets are required for the virtual Commencement or virtual Convocation ceremonies.
For the optional in-person SPS Convocation ceremony, all graduates can request a ticket for themselves and 4 tickets for guests. Guests will sit in assigned seating in pods for health safety reasons. The Northwestern Commencement office is handling all ticketing for the SPS Convocation ceremony. Any questions related to ticketing can be directed to the Commencement Office.
Terms and Events
Commencement is the all-Northwestern ceremony where the graduating class is commemorated as a whole. During the ceremony, student, faculty, and guest speakers will address graduates and their families.
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.
Previous Year’s Events
The full recording of the 2020 Commencement Ceremony is available at the Commencement Webcast site.
The full recording of the 2020 SPS Convocation Ceremony and the reading of graduates is available at the SPS Convocation Ceremony site.
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.