CofC Spring 2025 Commencement: Everything You Need to Know

Each May, graduating seniors clad in white dinner jackets and dresses process to the picturesque Cistern Yard for one of the country’s most indelible commencement ceremonies. This year, undergraduate and graduate degree candidates will take to the stage on Thursday, May 8; Friday, May 9; and Saturday, May 10, to celebrate this academic milestone.

Below are answers to some common questions about College of Charleston commencement ceremonies.

When is commencement?

There are four commencement ceremonies this year, with students broken up into groups based on their academic school. There are no rehearsals this year. Each commencement will last between 2 and 2 1/2 hours, beginning at the following times:

Thursday, May 8, 2 p.m. (Sottile Theatre)

• Graduate School

Friday, May 9, 10 a.m.

• School of Humanities and Social Sciences
• School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs

Friday, May 9, 4 p.m.

• School of Education
• School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics
• School of Health Sciences
• School of Natural and Environmental Sciences

Saturday, May 10, 10 a.m.

• School of the Arts
• School of Business

What kind of bag can I bring?

In order to expedite entry and provide a safe and secure environment, the College of Charleston has implemented a clear bag policy for events, including commencement. Only clear bags and small, clutch-size purses are allowed. Approved bags include the following:

• Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12 x 6 x 12 inches; a logo no larger than 4.5 x 3.4 inches can be displayed on one side of a permissible clear bag.
• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar)
• Small clutch bags no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches – approximately the size of a hand – with or without a handle or strap

Please read our prohibited items list (which includes unapproved bags, alcohol, food, weapons and cans and bottles). Please note that the College of Charleston is a tobacco-free campus.

Can infants or toddlers enter the Cistern Yard without a ticket?

No. Due to fire and safety restrictions, everyone who enters the Cistern Yard must have a ticket, regardless of age.

How many tickets will each student receive?

Each graduate will receive four tickets to the commencement ceremony in which they are walking. Tickets are ceremony specific and may not be used for any other ceremony. Tickets will be loaded directly to the graduate’s CofC email account.

There will also be satellite viewing locations where additional guests who do not have tickets can watch the ceremonies live. Tickets are not required for admission to these sites, which have air conditioning and easily accessible restrooms.

The satellite viewing location for the Graduate School ceremony on Thursday, May 8, is in room 129 of the School of Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering Building.

The satellite viewing location for all other ceremonies is in room 101 of the Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center.

How can family and friends watch commencement at home?

All ceremonies will be livestreamed on the College of Charleston Facebook page and the College of Charleston YouTube page. Recordings of the ceremonies will also be archived and made available for viewing approximately four weeks after the events on the commencement website.

What if it rains? 

The College of Charleston monitors the weather for commencement weekend 24 hours a day.

While safety is always the top priority, the College will do everything possible to keep the ceremonies in the Cistern Yard. In the event of rain or other inclement weather, Cistern Yard ceremonies will be moved to the College’s TD Arena. Rain alone will not dictate moving the ceremony to TD Arena.

The College reserves the right to adjust the ceremony’s schedule if required by inclement weather.

Graduates will be updated via email, the commencement app (see below) and College social media channels as additional details are available. Please be prepared to adjust quickly due to changing weather conditions and to follow all instructions given during the ceremony.

What should guests wear? 

There is no particular dress code for guests, but please take the heat and humidity into account. Women typically wear lightweight dresses and men tend to wear khakis and blazers, seersucker or some other lightweight fabric.

Can I take photos?

Family and friends are welcome to take photos of the event, but are asked to be respectful of other guests. If you want to leave your seat to take a photo of your graduate crossing the stage, you may do so, but please quickly return to your seat so others can see their graduates cross the stage.

GradImages will also be providing professional photography at each ceremony.

Where should graduates and guests park? 

Graduates and guests should park in a parking garage or metered parking spots and are welcome to use alternative transportation (e.g., walk, bike, carpool, ride CARTA buses, use car services).  Three public parking garages are located on or near campus. Fees apply as noted.

• George Parking Garage at 34 St. Philip Street: commencement rate of $5 prepaid to attendant (cash only)
• St. Philip Street Garage at 89 St. Philip Street: commencement rate of $5 prepaid to attendant (cash only)
• Francis Marion Garage at 399 King Street: As of publication, the hourly rate is $1 per half hour, or a portion thereof, with a daily maximum of $18. Please review all posted rates/fees at the garage entrance.

College of Charleston surface parking lots will be available only to faculty, staff and students working the ceremonies.

Visitors to the College of Charleston who require accessible parking should park at a meter or in a garage. Persons with a valid state-issued placard can park in a garage free of charge. Upon exiting, the driver must present their driver’s license to the cashier for verification. 

What about lodging for guests who are coming from out of town?

There’s no shortage of places to stay in downtown Charleston. Whether you’re looking for a waterfront hotel like the Harborview Inn or the Courtyard Charleston Waterfront, a full-service hotel like the Charleston Marriott or a location close to campus such as the Francis Marion Hotel, the Holy City has you covered. For a full list of accommodations, visit the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau website.

When will my student get a diploma?

Diplomas will be ordered for students who graduate successfully in the term in which they apply after their degree has been conferred. Diplomas will be mailed four to eight weeks after conferral, provided the graduate doesn’t have a financial hold.

Who are this year’s commencement speakers?

The College of Charleston has chosen the following distinguished speakers to inspire and congratulate the Class of 2025 at the four commencement ceremonies in the Cistern Yard this year: Ron Magnuson (ceremony for the Graduate School on Thursday, May 8), Cynthia and Ronald Thompson (ceremony for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs on Friday, May 9, at 10 a.m.), Demetria Noisette Clemons ’75 (ceremony for the School of Health Sciences, the School of Education, the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences and the School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics on Friday, May 9, at 4 p.m.) and Janine McCabe ’98 (ceremony for the School of Business and the School of the Arts on Saturday, May 10).

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