Messages to Students & Families

Expand All

  • March 17: The Countdown Begins

    Dear Graduates and Families,

    Commencement at the University of Richmond is less than two months away, and we look forward to celebrating this exciting milestone with you. As you begin planning for the weekend, thank you in advance for reviewing these important details and reminders.

    CEREMONY SCHEDULE & LOCATION

    The Commencement ceremony for graduating seniors earning a bachelor’s degree from of the School of Arts & Sciences, Robins School of Business, and Jepson School of Leadership Studies will be held Sunday, May 10, at 2 p.m.

    The ceremony takes place in the Robins Center Arena, located at 365 College Road, Richmond, Virginia 23173.

    TICKETS & SEATING

    Important details include:

    • Seating is general admission. Doors open at noon.
    • Each guest must present a Commencement ticket with a unique scannable code.
    • Graduating students will receive an email from Tassel on March 30, two weeks from today, with instructions to claim tickets.
    • Each graduating student will receive seven tickets for distributing to their families and supporters.
    • Anyone over the age of two must have a ticket to attend the Commencement ceremony.

    We know how meaningful this day is, and we understand that some graduates and their families would like additional tickets. At this time, we anticipate the venue will be at capacity, and we are unable to guarantee that additional tickets will be available; however, graduates and their families may request extra tickets by emailing commencement@richmond.edu by April 10. After that deadline, we will assess availability and if we are able to accommodate additional guests we will reach out to those who submitted requests in the order they were received.

    Graduates and families hoping to secure additional tickets may also wish to check with fellow graduates who may not need all seven of their tickets.

     

    PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

    We encourage you to visit the Commencement website for additional details, including the full weekend schedule and information about reserving seats and purchasing tickets for the graduation meal at the Heilman Dining Center.

    Graduates will continue to receive ceremony-specific communications from the Registrar’s Office and the Commencement team. 

    We look forward to celebrating this important achievement with you soon.

    Sincerely,

    The Commencement Team 

  • April 14: Know Before You Go

    Dear Graduates, Families, and Guests,

    We are looking forward to celebrating with you next month during Commencement weekend at the University of Richmond. As we count down to the ceremonies less than one month away, we are writing today with our top “Know Before You Go” tips. Thank you in advance for reviewing this information and sharing it with those you’ve invited to celebrate this occasion.

    VENUE, CEREMONY DETAILS, AND PARKING

    All Commencement ceremonies are held in the Robins Center Arena, located at 365 College Rd., Richmond, Virginia, 23173.

    • The main Commencement ceremony for graduating seniors earning a bachelor’s degree from the School of Arts & Sciences, the Robins School of Business, and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies is Sunday, May 10, at 2 p.m. Doors will open at noon.
    • The School of Professional & Continuing Studies ceremony is Saturday, May 9, at 9 a.m. Doors will open at 7:30 a.m.
    • The Richmond School of Law ceremony is Saturday, May 9, at 2 p.m. Doors will open at 1 p.m.

    As is routine for major events at the Robins Center, guests will pass through metal detectors when entering the venue, including if reentering.

    Late arrivals and reentry will be handled by event staff on a case-by-case basis to minimize disruptions and noise. Commencement staff will guide you to enter the arena at an appropriate time.

    Parking information is available here. Accessibility information is available here.

    In addition to Commencement ceremonies, there are a variety of other activities going on around campus throughout the weekend of May 9–10, including Athletics events, so families and guests should plan to allow ample time for arrival and parking.

    TICKETS AND SEATING

    All seating for any Commencement weekend ceremony is general admission.

    For those participating in the Sunday, May 10, main Commencement ceremony, each guest is required to present their Commencement ticket, which has a unique code and will be scanned by event staff upon entry. Anyone over the age of two must have a ticket. We are expecting our venue to be nearly at capacity for the main ceremony and ask that guests fill every seat available.

    The deadline has now passed to request additional tickets for the main Commencement ceremony. Those who requested additional tickets have been individually updated via email.

    PERMITTED AND PROHIBITED ITEMS

    To allow for smooth entry into the Robins Center, please review these details:

    • Purses and crossbody bags are allowed and subject to a visual inspection.
    • Backpacks as well as outside food or drinks or reusable cups and water bottles are not allowed.
    • As part of a longstanding policy, noise makers (air horns, cowbells, whistles, etc.), signage of any kind, or any other items that would block a person’s view, including large flags and banners, will not be allowed in the Robins Center. This policy applies to all graduates, families, and guests.
    • Flower bouquets are allowed inside the arena; however, any other packages, balloons, gifts, candy, etc. are not permitted.
    • Please leave pets and emotional support animals at home. Service animals are allowed.

    If you attempt to bring any prohibited items into the Robins Center, you will be asked to bring them back to your vehicle or dispose of them prior to entering the arena. For safety and logistical purposes, we are unable to store items for guests. Signage reminding guests of prohibited items will be posted in each parking lot.

    New this year: A SpiderShop pop up will be open inside the Robins Center Arena for families and guests to purchase a variety of small gifts and other items.

    PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

    In addition to the details above, you can also find a wealth of additional information on the Commencement website, including the full weekend schedule and information about reserving seats and purchasing tickets for the graduation meal at the Heilman Dining Center.

    We will continue to be in touch with important details and reminders as we approach Commencement weekend. In the coming weeks, graduates will also continue to receive direct communications with ceremony-specific details from the Registrar’s office and Commencement team.

    We look forward to celebrating with you soon!

    Sincerely, 

    The Commencement Team