This is it: the only time you can wear a robe in public and not have it be too weird. On Sunday May 13, in the La Crosse Center, hundreds of people clad in maroon robes will have their pictures taken by a professional photographer as they walk across the stage.  

Every college student is working towards their robe and flowers moment, but those fourth and fifth years are within throwing distance. With UWL’s 108th Spring Graduation Ceremony right around the corner, here’s what seniors need to get done to have their moment.  

Program Manager of Continuing Education Milandrie Wakim explained that students set to graduate this spring have three things left to check off their list: “order their apparel, order announcements/invitations, and attend.” 

Students can order their apparel from the bookstore in the Student Union, and Signature Announcements has been sending emails left and right regarding that second task. 

Commencement will consist of two separate ceremonies for spring graduates. The first is at 10 am and includes the “College of Business Administration, College of Liberal Studies, and School of Education,” explained Wakim.  

“The latter will “includ[e] teacher education  programs in Early Childhood-Middle Childhood, Middle Childhood-Early  Adolescence, English, Social Studies, History, Political Science,  Sociology, German Studies, and Spanish,” Wakim added. The School of Arts and Communication will also be at the 10 am ceremony.  

The second ceremony will be for the “College of Science and Health and School of  Education, including teacher education programs in Biology, Chemistry,  Physics, General Science, Mathematics, Physical Education, and School  Health Education,” Wakim said.  

There will also be a Hooding Ceremony for Graduate students, occurring at two separate ceremonies for different Masters Programs. The Business Administration and Institute for Professional Studies in Education will be holding their ceremony at 8:30 am.  

The programs for  Biology, Clinical Microbiology, Community Health Education, Data Science, and Microbiology will be holding their ceremony at 12:30 pm. The programs for Nurse Anesthesia, Public Health in Community Health Education, Recreation Management, Software Engineering, and Therapeutic Recreation will also hold their ceremony at this time.  

Wakim walked through the day of the ceremony: “When students arrive at the La Crosse Center, they make their way to North Hall.” While students receiving a bachelor’s degree should arrive 45 minutes before the ceremony, candidates receiving either a master’s or doctoral degree should arrive 90 minutes prior.  

Wakim said that, “Here they collect their name card and get in line according to their college and last name.” She explained that “once the ceremony starts, student marshals lead students into the arena and to their seats.”  

A student will deliver a speech to the graduating students during the ceremony. Then, “award recipients are honored, and our students make their way across the stage,” Wakim said. The ceremony concludes with students being led out to South Hall to meet with their friends and family.