Commencement

Commencement 2018

Sunday, June 10 at the AllWell North complex in Plymouth, NH

Granite State College's Commencement Ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 10, 2018, at the AllWell North complex in Plymouth, New Hampshire. The ceremony starts at noon. The state-of-the-art complex, on the campus of Plymouth State University, can accommodate a large audience—no ticket required. The ceremony, including the conferral of degrees, is approximately two hours in length.

For details, please review the following information.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES AND DATES

Deadline to apply to graduate via WebROCK: Sunday, April 1
Cap and gown order form deadline: Sunday, April 1 – Contact Registrar’s Office with questions
Student speaker entries deadline: Monday, May 14
Sing the National Anthem entries deadline: Monday, May 14
Thank Your Loved Ones on the big screen submission deadline: Monday, May 14
The big day: Sunday, June 10

QUESTIONS?

GSC.Graduation@granite.edu

STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO APPLY TO GRADUATE ON WEBROCK.

Students intending to apply to graduate and attend the 2018 Commencement Ceremony should do so before April 1, 2018.

Before applying, students should generate a new degree evaluation to verify that they are ready to file. Any questions on your status can be sent to your assigned academic advisor or the Registrar’s Office at registrars.office@granite.edu.

September 2017, December 2017, March 2018 graduates, and those candidates pending June 2018 conferral are invited to attend the 2018 commencement ceremony.

There is a conferral fee that will be charged to your account when your application is processed ($100 fee for undergraduate students, $150 fee for graduate students). If you wish to use financial aid to pay for the fee, please contact the Student Accounts Office at 603-513-1330 or Student.Accounts@granite.edu. Students who apply to graduate after the posted deadlines will only be eligible to apply for the next scheduled conferral date.

CAP AND GOWN ORDER FORM

If you did not submit your cap and gown order when you applied to graduate, please click here to do so.

CAP AND GOWN PICK-UP: MAY 21 - JUNE 8.

Master’s Degree Students: Master’s degree regalia will be sent to the campus you select at the time you submit your cap and gown sizes. If campus pick-up is not possible, students may acquire their regalia at the Student Registration Area the morning of Commencement. The master’s degree regalia package will include your cap, gown and tassel only. All hoods will be kept with GSC; you will be “hooded” on stage during the ceremony.

Associate and Bachelor’s Degree Students: Regalia will be sent to the campus you select at the time you submit your cap and gown sizes. If campus pick-up is not possible, students may acquire their regalia at the Student Registration Area the morning of Commencement.

Campus	Phone	Hours: Monday-Thursday	Hours: Friday
Concord	603-513-1398	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Conway	603-447-3970	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Manchester	603-626-7714	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Portsmouth	603-334-6061	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Rochester	603-332-8335	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 4:00 pm

ARRIVAL TIME

Your arrival time is between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. There will be attendants to direct you to the designated Grad Robing Area. Proceed to the Student Registration Area to check in by last name. Line up for the procession into the ceremony will begin immediately following registration at 11:30 a.m.

PLEASE NOTE: As there are no secure areas to keep valuables in the robing area, please leave your belongings with a family member or friend. Granite State College, nor Plymouth State University, accept responsibility for lost or stolen items.

THE VENUE

The ceremony will take place in the AllWell North complex on the campus of Plymouth State University, in Plymouth, New Hampshire. This state-of-the-art facility can accommodate a large audience—no ticket required. However, when filling out the cap and gown order form, please indicate the number of guests you intend to bring, so we can provide enough seating for all.

The parking garage at AllWell North will be closed to grad and guest parking. Please park in the designated areas specified below.

NOTE: No food is allowed in the venue. Water only.

PARKING

Parking for Commencement will be available in the lots located at the Ice Arena on Holderness Road/RT-175a (Lots 601, 602 and 603 on attached map). You may also park in any of the lots on the main campus and walk to the ceremony. All parking on Campus is free.

Parking is prohibited along Rt-175a in Holderness. Parking on public streets in Plymouth is free on Sundays.

Accessible parking will be available for vehicles with a state issued handicapped plate or placard in the lot near the PE Center on Field House Road or in the lot next to the Facilities Building on Holderness Road/Rt-175a. Click here for a handicapped parking map. Transportation will be provided for those with walking difficulties.

Police will direct traffic after the ceremony. Holderness Road/Rt-175a will be closed to all westbound vehicular traffic except emergency and maintenance vehicles. All vehicle traffic leaving the Ice Arena and PE Center parking lots will be directed towards I-93. If you are returning to the main campus after commencement use I-93 North and take exit 26.

DIRECTIONS

To arrive at ALLWell North from all points north and south, take I-93 to exit 25. Turn right onto Rt. 175A. AllWell North is located on the right, on N. River Road (.4 miles from off ramp, before crossing over the bridge into Plymouth). However, there is no parking at this location. Please use the Ice Arena parking on Rt. 175A (located on the left, across the street from the entrance to AllWell North).

HOTELS IN THE AREA

Below is a list of hotels in the area, for those grads and guests who require an overnight stay. The College has reserved rooms at the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott. In order to take advantage of the reserved rooms and discounted rates, reservations must be made prior to Wednesday, May 9. To make a reservation call 603-536-0100 and request to book a room reserved for Granite State College.

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, 12 Ridgeview Lane, Plymouth, NH | 603-536-0100 | Cost: $159.00

Comfort Inn, 53 West Street, Ashland NH | 603-968-7668

The Tea Rose Inn at Plymouth, 8 Pleasant St, Plymouth | 603-536-2732

Inn on Golden Pond, 1080 US 3, Holderness NH | 603-968-7269

The Manor on Golden Pond, 13 Manor Drive, Holderness NH | 603-968-3348

EconoLodge, 304 Main St, Plymouth NH | 603-536-2330

Squam Lake Inn, 28 Shepard Hill Road, Holderness NH | 603-968-4417

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

Stay the weekend and enjoy not only the beautiful scenery, but these classic New Hampshire attractions (see a sampling below). The White Mountains has a lot to offer. For a complete list visit: https://www.visitwhitemountains.com/attractions

Alpine Adventures, Lincoln
Cannon Mountain, Franconia Notch
Clarks Trading Post, Lincoln
Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway
Flume Gorge, Lincoln
Hobo Railroad, Lincoln
Kayak and ATV Tours, Lincoln
Loon Mountain Resort, Lincoln
Pemi Valley Moose Tours, Lincoln
Polar Caves, Rumney
Storyland, Glen

GUEST INFORMATION

Guests can enter the venue at 10:45 a.m. We ask that they are seated by 11:50 a.m. Please note that graduates will be directed to a “graduate only” area for check-in and line up. Guests and graduates should expect to separate once they arrive at the venue.

Volunteers will be available at all entrances to assist with any questions and to direct grads and guests to their appropriate areas.

THE CEREMONY

Processional: Noon

At noon you and your fellow graduates will process into the venue. Please remain standing until after the National Anthem or you are instructed to sit.

Conferral of Degrees

Master’s degree candidates will be conferred first. Please remain seated until a staff member indicates for your row to rise. You will walk to the left side of the stage where you will receive your hood. Please drape the hood over your right arm and ascend the stairs. When your name is called you will proceed across the stage and be hooded by the Provost. You will receive your congratulatory note from the President and have your photo taken. Descend the stairs to the right of the stage and return to your seat and sit.

Bachelor’s degree candidates will be conferred next. Please remain seated until a staff member indicates for your row to rise. You will walk to the left side of the stage where you will ascend the stairs. When your name is called you will proceed across the stage and receive your congratulatory note. You will shake hands with the President and have your photo taken. Descend the stairs to the right of the stage and return to your seat and sit.

The same process (as the bachelor’s degree candidates) will repeat for associate degree candidates.

The Recessional

The platform party will recess first. Staff members will instruct you when to exit. The ceremony, including the conferral of degrees, is approximately two hours in length.

LIVE STREAMED

Family and friends are welcome to watch the 2018 commencement ceremony live in the convenience of their home. The link to the live-stream will be available the week before commencement.

DIPLOMAS

To acknowledge your achievement, you will receive a congratulatory statement as you cross the stage. June diplomas will be mailed when academic records and certification of graduation are complete - approximately six to eight weeks after the conferral date. Conferral is pending successful completion of all remaining course work in your programs.

THANK YOUR LOVED ONES ON THE BIG SCREEN

Submit a message thanking your loved ones. Your message will be displayed on the big screen prior to the ceremony, for everyone in the audience to see. Click here to submit your message and photo by Monday, May 14.

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram and share memories of your special day using the hash-tag #granitegrad.

PHOTOGRAPHER

A professional photographer from Achber Studios will take a photo of you receiving your diploma. Photos will be available for purchase from the Achber website: www.achberstudio.com. No obligation necessary. Photos will be loaded a few days after Commencement.

Guests are welcome to take photos. Please note: Candid photos taken by the College's photographer may be used in college publications.

ACADEMIC PROTOCOL FACTS

Proper Academic Cap and Gown Details and Protocol:

The mortar board should lie parallel with the floor.
The tassel for associate and bachelor’s degree candidates is to be worn to the right of the mortarboard (when wearing). Master’s degree candidates wear their tassel to the left.
Only caps and gowns provided by Granite State College are allowed, and are yours to keep.
Alpha Sigma Lambda (National Honor Society) graduates are distinguished by gold and maroon cording draping the gown around the neck.
Students who serve or have served in the United States Armed Forces are distinguished by a red, white, and blue honor cord in recognition of their service to our country.

Tassels

Associate Degree: Sage Green
Bachelor’s Degree: Blue and white
Master's Degree: Black

Baccalaureate Student Honors

Bachelor’s Degree candidates with honors designation have achieved outstanding academic performance and have completed the college’s academic residency requirements. These students are distinguished with gold cords draping their gowns. Note: the graduation program lists honors based on the GPA at the time of publication.

Honors are as follows:

GPA	Designation
3.75 - 4.0	summa cum laude
3.50 - 3.74	magna cum laude
3.25 - 3.49	cum laude

Associate Student Honors

Associate Degree candidates with honors designation have achieved outstanding academic performance and have completed the college’s academic residency requirements. These students are distinguished with bronze cords draping their gowns. Note: the graduation program lists honors based on the GPA at the time of publication.