Hooding Ceremony
Please join us for the investiture of doctoral hoods at the Hooding Ceremony on June 4, 2009. All are invited; no tickets are required.
Time
The Hooding Ceremony will take place at 11am. Admission for guests begins at 10am.
Location
Rockwell Cage in the Johnson Athletics Center
The best entrances are on Vassar Street, and between the Zesiger and Student Centers.
Please note that this venue is our largest indoor space, but it is not air-conditioned: guests should dress for the outdoor temperature.
Tickets and seating
Tickets are not required for the Hooding Ceremony.
All seating in Rockwell Cage is on the same level, flat on the floor (i.e., not stadium seating).
Parking
For guests attending the Hooding Ceremony on Thursday, June 4, limited parking will be available in the Westgate Lot, West Lot and West Annex lots on Vassar Street. Paid parking will also be available in the University Park Garage at 55 Franklin Street.
Refreshments
Water is available during the ceremony, but there is no food in the building. Rockwell Cage is adjacent to the Student Center, which offers several dining options. It's wise to eat lunch before the event, and to bring snacks for small children.
Guests with disabilities
Please contact the Disabilities Services Office in advance so that we know that you are attending the Hooding Ceremony. The disabilities entrance is at the corner of the building on Vassar Street, and staff with wheelchairs will be on hand to assist you and your party. Assistance will be offered after the ceremony, as well. Please call us at 617-253-1674, TTY 617-253-3194, or email dso-www@mit.edu.
The restrooms in the Johnson Athletics Center are wheelchair accessible.
Assistive listening devices are available in the Rockwell Cage lobby.
Photographs from Hooding
There is no designated area from which guests may take photographs or videotape during the Hooding Ceremony. Guests are requested to keep in mind the experience of all the families present, and to remain seated until the conclusion of the ceremony so as not to block the view of others. There is no standing on seats or blocking of aisles permitted at any time.
Professional photographers (Commencement Photos, Inc.) will take pictures of each recipient of a doctoral degree hood at the time of presentation at the Hooding Ceremony. Details are available online, and information will be mailed directly to advanced degree candidates from Commencement Photos, Inc., no later than Monday, May 4. If you have questions about the photography, please contact the company by phone (978-851-5924).
We are not indifferent to the need to have photos available right away...this is a big day in the lives of degree candidates and families. Certainly, you will want to have something to email to friends and relatives that evening. Guests should please note that you will be able to pose with your family in front of the stage after the ceremony, and with faculty at the reception.
Videotapes and DVDS
Videotapes and DVDs of the Hooding Ceremony may be purchased from Academic Media Production Services (AMPS).Please contact Joanne Flood at 617-253-7603 or email mitvideo@mit.edu.
Children
We are always delighted to see children at the Hooding Ceremony. To make sure that everyone enjoys the day, please keep these things in mind:
- The ceremony is 1.5 - 2 hours long (depending on the number of degree recipients). Children may become bored or hungry. Feel free to bring quiet toys and snacks for them. There is space in the back of the venue to stretch or play.
- Rockwell Cage is not air-conditioned, and it could be hot inside.
- Children are not permitted to join the Procession, Recession, or a parent on stage when s/he receives a hood. We acknowledge the concessions made by family members in the years preceding this day, but we must consider the experience of all degree candidates, and restrict children to the guest seating section.
Thank you.
After the ceremony
Graduates, family, and friends are invited to a reception immediately after the Hooding Ceremony. Dessert and light refreshments will be served. The 2009 reception location will be in the tent on Kresge Oval.
Individual schools may hold their own receptions, so families and friends should check with graduates to determine which of these receptions you will attend.
