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Picture of Stanford GSE Students at Commencement 2010

Day of Schedule

GSE Diploma Ceremony Information

Location

The GSE Diploma Ceremony will be held in the West Oval Grove, located between the Oval and Herrin Hall.

Parking

Arrive early to get the best parking and ensure that you are not late to line-up. If parking around the Oval and in the surrounding areas (Lomita Drive, Roth Way, Museum Way) is difficult on Sunday, you may find parking in the parking structure on the corner of Campus & Roth or in the Tresidder parking lot. For information on any available Marguerite Shuttle routes for that Sunday, click here.

Procession Line-Up

Procession line-up is at 12:00 p.m. (see map below for location). Your line-up leader will be holding a sign with your degree/program name. All doctoral students line-up together in alphabetical order, then all master's students line up by program area (CTE, ICE/IEPA, Individually Designed, Joint Degrees, LDT, POLS, STEP Elementary, and STEP Secondary).

  • Check-in with your line-up leader. They will have your name card, snacks, and instructions about your place in line. Hold on to your name card.
  • Please do not switch your order in line as your diplomas will be in the same order we place you.
  • Unbutton your hoods and carry them on your right arm. 
  • Tassels should be on the right side.

Order of Procession:

  • Dean Dan Schwartz
  • Faculty Marshals
  • Faculty and invited guests
  • Doctoral degree candidates
  • Master's degree candidates

View Stanford Graduate School of Education Commencement Map in a larger map

Conferral of Degrees and Hooding Instructions

After the commencement address, your seated row will be asked to stand and file towards the stage entrance. Right before you walk onto the stage you will give your name card to Associate Dean Bryan Brown, who will announce your name (and dissertation title for doctoral students). Doctoral students will be hooded by their advisor and master's students by their Program Director. Give your unbuttoned hood to your advisor/director and turn to face the audience. Your advisor/director will place the hood on you (please squat a bit, if necessary, so the advisor/director can place the hood over your cap). Dean Schwartz will hand you your diploma and you will exit the stage and return to your seat. You can view an example of a hooding here. 

Reception

Warm hors d'oeuvres will be served immediately following the ceremony in the oak grove behind the seating area.

Some Tips to Make the Ceremony More Enjoyable…

  • Dress comfortably under your gown and for the heat. Sun block is recommended.
  • Comfortable, close-toed shoes are recommended for walking across campus and in the oak grove (there is debris from the trees in the diploma ceremony site).
  • We recommend that graduates eat a hearty breakfast. Your line-up leader will have some snacks for you. A reception with hors d'oeuvres will follow the Stanford GSE ceremony at 2:00 p.m.
  • Water will be available at both ceremony locations.