Congratulations, you’re graduating! Or maybe you know someone who is, and want to watch the ceremony and cheer them on. Or maybe you’re a first year, just looking ahead to dream about a distant goal. Whatever the case, The Cascade has the rundown on everything you need to know about UFV’s convocation ceremonies for the class of 2016/17.
The ceremonies will take place at the Abbotsford Centre on Tuesday, June 6 and Wednesday, June 7, and are broken up into four individual parts:
Ceremony 1, June 6 @ 9:30 a.m. – faculty of applied and technical studies & faculty of access and continuing education
Ceremony 2, June 6 @ 2:30 a.m. – college of arts
Ceremony 3, June 7 @ 9:30 a.m. – faculty of professional studies
Ceremony 4, June 7 @ 2:30 a.m. – faculty of science & faculty of health sciences
If you’re in ceremony 1 or 3, be prepared to get up early — you need to be at the Abbotsford Centre an hour before the start time to collect and put on your regalia, pick up your credential, and otherwise prepare for the three-to-four-hour event. So don’t forget to eat a filling breakfast beforehand!
If you’re not sure what you should wear, don’t worry too much: the gown will cover most of your clothes, so while shorts and runners are not recommended, “summer business attire” is a good option to help keep cool under the warm gown. Comfortable shoes are also a plus, as graduates will be standing and walking on concrete for much of the time. Speaking of regalia, the deadline to pre-order and get a discount has passed, but you’ll be able to rent a gown and hood, and buy a hat, on the day of your ceremony for $60 (Visa, cheque, and cash are all accepted). While wearing the cap and tassel are optional, renting/purchasing the outfit is not.
However, compared to some schools, you’ll save money on parking. All UFV parking lots will be free during these two days, and with free entry, there’s no limit to the number of guests you can bring along with you. While the graduate is getting ready, guests will have a chance to purchase snacks from a concession, or flowers and UFV Alumni Association or UFV Bookstore items.
For those with friends and family who aren’t able to make it to Abbotsford, all four ceremonies will be broadcast live online and on CIVL radio, 101.7 FM.
After the ceremony is over, there’ll be time to get photos in your regalia with family and friends. But before you head off to celebrate years of work / get to work to pay off those loans / sleep for a week straight, you may want to stop at the campus card office (S1101) to have your alumni card made.
After that, your journey at UFV is complete… unless you’re planning to return to work on another program, or maybe coming back to work here, or just want to visit sometime. Whatever route you take, congratulations from The Cascade!
Jeff was The Cascade's Editor in Chief for the latter half of 2022, having previously served as Digital Media Manager, Culture & Events Editor, and Opinion Editor. One time he held all three of those positions for a month, and he's not sure how he survived that. He started at The Cascade in 2016.
