Commencement: June 7, 2013
Congratulations!
This information applies to Doctoral degree candidates only: in late May 2013, we will post a PDF that will tell you when, where, and how to report for the Investiture of Doctoral Hoods on June 6, 2013. (Please note this information is separate from the Reporting for Commencement instructions.) Questions may be directed to Traci Swartz, tswartz@mit.edu.
Please note that the registrar reminds all degree candidates to check WEBSIS for any outstanding grades or financial charges that would prevent you from being invested with your Doctoral hood on June 6, 2013 and receiving your diploma at Commencement. More information, including student deadlines, is available here.
The Hooding Ceremony will take place from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm in Rockwell Cage (W33). Admission for guests begins at 10:30 am; all are welcome and tickets are not required. Please note that this venue is not air-conditioned: participants are advised to dress for the outdoor temperature and remember that it will be even warmer for you in your regalia.
Hooding Ceremony guests who are sensitive to heat may prefer to watch via MIT Cable in the Sala de Puerto Rico on the second floor of the Stratton Student Center (W20). That venue does have air-conditioning so you may wish to let your guests know about this option.
The robing and assembly areas are for graduates only; please ask your family and friends to proceed to Rockwell Cage. Further guest information is available in the Family & Friends and Hooding Guests sections.
Please pick up your regalia earlier in the week and be sure to check that you have received the correct gown. There will not be extra regalia available at the ceremony; please come prepared. More information on regalia is available here.
You are not responsible for ordering or picking up your new hood; it will be presented to you on stage during the ceremony.
If you are not planning to attend the Hooding Ceremony, but you do plan to attend Commencement, your hood will be waiting for you at the robing area in the Johnson Athletics Center on Friday morning.
For more on academic traditions, including MIT regalia, please click here.
Please email Traci Swartz at tswartz@mit.edu, Hooding Ceremony Coordinator, by May 27, 2013 so that we can plan the best accommodation for you.
Degree candidates follow faculty in the procession to the stage in Rockwell Cage. You will receive your hood from the chancellor and your department head or his/her designate. The faculty recesses after the ceremony, but the candidates do not. You are free to join your guests in the audience once the faculty have recessed.
There are no children or other family or friends allowed on the stage or in the procession. We must require guests to stay in the seating area.
You will receive a mailing from Commencement Photos, Inc. This company will photograph each candidate at the time of hood investiture. Please note: there is no designated area for guests to take photographs during the ceremony. Because of the single-level seating and distance from the stage, guests will not be able to get close enough to the stage to take good photos. The best way to get a good photograph is to order the professional one. More information on photography is available on the photos & video page.
After the Hooding Ceremony is over, you will be able to take photographs in front of the stage. Please discuss this with your guests beforehand so they know that they will have this option.
Videos of the Hooding Ceremony may be ordered from MIT Video Productions. Please email Joanne Flood at jflood@mit.edu. Guests will not be permitted to set up video cameras in the aisles; please contact Joanne if you would like a video of the event.
There is a reception of dessert and light refreshments on Kresge Oval after the Hooding Ceremony. All are invited; no tickets are required.
Some departments hold individual receptions after Hooding; please coordinate with your family and friends so everyone knows which reception you will attend. Reception information is forthcoming from your School or department in the spring.
