Undergraduate Ceremony
Saturday, May 17, 2025 | Wheeler Mall | 9:30 a.m.
Graduation Requirements
If you have questions or concerns about your Graduation Requirements contact the Registrar's Office in Brock Hall, (434)395-2580.
Name Pronunciation - Undergraduate
All students who have indicated that they plan to participate in the May commencement ceremony will receive an email from NameCoach prior to the commencement ceremony.
If you feel that your name is unique to pronounce, please follow the instructions in the email to have a recording of your name shared with the Commencement Planning staff.
If you have questions please contact registrar@longwood.edu.
Accessibility Needs for Graduates and Guests
If you have questions concerning access or need disability-related accommodations, please contact the Accessibility Resources Office at (434)395-2391 or email us at accessibilityresources@longwood.edu.
Accessible parking and seating will be available at a first-come, first serve basis. There is no need to make a reservation.
Attire
All degree candidates must wear appropriate attire for the Commencement ceremony, which includes an academic cap and gown, hood and dark shoes. Members of the Alumni Office will be there to assist you with your Gown, Hood and Mortarboard.
The Student Government Association has a limited number of graduation caps, gowns and hoods available for students to borrow through their Loaner Gown Program. Inventory for these are on a first come, first served basis. Inquiries may contact: Nam Nguyen, (434) 395-2265 or nguyennt3@longwood.edu.
Purchase Regalia
Regalia may be purchased at the Longwood University Store, 200 North Main Street.
Online ordering is currently not available.
Longwood Campus Store Hours
- Mon: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Tue: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Wed: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Thu: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Fri: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Sat: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Sun: Closed
Questions? Please contact the Longwood University Store at bookstore@longwood.edu; (434) 990-6716
Gown
Your gown is worn with the zipper in front.
Hood
The hood is worn with the velvet stripe showing in the front, draping over the shoulders to your back, and rolling over to expose the colors.
Safety pins will help secure your hood to your gown.
Don't wear bright colors on top that will detract from your hood.
The color of velvet hood stripe by degree:
- Bachelor of Arts - White
- Bachelor of Fine Arts - Brown
- Bachelor of Music - Pink
- Bachelor of Science - Goldenrod
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Drab
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Apricot
Mortarboard 
The mortarboard should be worn so that the point marked "Front of Cap" is down on your forehead. This allows the mortarboard to sit flat on the top of your head
Bobby pins will help secure the mortarboard to your head.
Tassel
The tassel is worn on the right before you graduate and turned to the left during the ceremony.
Inclement Weather Plan
Locations
In the event of severe weather, the undergraduate ceremony will be moved indoors to the Joan Perry Brock Center (JPB). Each graduate may reserve up to four (4) guest tickets to the ceremony.
No tickets are required to watch the ceremony from viewing areas in Jarman Auditorium, Blackwell Ballroom and Soza Ballroom. Seats in these areas will be first-come, first-served.
If weather forces the ceremony to be moved indoors, guests must have a ticket in order to be admitted into JPB. No exceptions can be made.
Timeline
The University understands that moving Commencement indoors because of weather disrupts travel and guest schedules. We make every effort to hold the ceremony outdoors, as is tradition. Our decision will be made solely on the safety and comfort of our graduates and guests, and we will make every attempt to give graduates and guests as much time as possible to make necessary arrangements.
University staff and administrators will begin monitoring weather forecasts in the weeks before Commencement. If inclement weather is in the forecast, we will communicate with graduates in the early part of Commencement week. If the University decides to move the ceremony indoors for the safety and comfort of our graduates and families, we will announce the decision no later than 10 a.m. Friday the day before Commencement.
Ticket Distribution
If Commencement is moved indoors, Class of 2025 graduates will use the JPB Box Office to secure up to four tickets each. A link will be emailed to students with instructions.
Tickets will be electronic and available immediately. Graduates can then forward tickets to their guests to print or display on their phones to be scanned when they enter JPB. Each ticket will scan only once. Children two years old or younger will not require a ticket.
Tickets will not be required for guests who wish to view the ceremony from Jarman Auditorium, Blackwell Ballroom or Soza Ballroom.
Reserve tickets will be available May 1st if graduates would like to reserve tickets in advance as a precautionary measure. Students can access these tickets by the link provided them from the Commencement Information email sent by commencement@longwood.edu.
Diploma
Graduating students will receive their diplomas by mail within 4-6 weeks after graduating.
Diploma size for undergraduate and graduate diplomas is 11” (width) x 14” (height)
Announcements, Invitations and Class Rings
Order online from the Balfour Website
Professional Photography and DVD
During Commencement, professional photographers from Grad Images will take pictures of each graduate during the ceremony. They will have proofs available on their website by July 1st at www.GradImages.com.
Graduates and their families are invited to pre-register their contact information to receive notifications at the following link: http://gradimages.com/Preregistration.
Order Your Commencement DVD
A copy of the Commencement ceremony will be available for you to order on a DVD, Blu-ray, or Download through Memories Videography.
Conduct
Graduation is a formal academic ceremony and a special day for the graduates and their guests. Please respect this occasion and all who worked so hard to get here by remaining seated and quiet during the ceremony.
Also, we ask that you please show respect for your fellow students and plan to stay for the entire ceremony.
Prohibited Items:
- Alcohol
- Air horns
- Beach balls
- Bubbles
- Other Distractions
Cell Phones and Mobile Devices
All cell phones and mobile devices should be turned to silent.
Guest Seating
Tickets are not required for the ceremony. Guest seating is first-come, first-served, with no limit on the number of guests students may invite to the ceremony.
Shuttle Service
Shuttle service will run loops between two off-campus locations from 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Sunchase shopping center - 215 Sunchase Boulevard, Farmville, VA 23901
- Lancer Park - 200 Cormier Drive, Farmville, VA
Guests are welcome and encouraged to park in these lots for easy and close drop-off access to the ceremony location. The shuttle will run loops through the Sunchase Apartment complex.
Attendees with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specific needs should park in a central campus-accessible identified lot as shuttle vehicles are not equipped with lifts.
Guests staying at local hotels are encouraged to drive to one of the available shuttle locations; individual hotel pick-up is not planned.
On-Campus Commencement Parking
Multiple central campus lots will offer both general parking and ample ADA-accessible specific parking. All parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis and no reservations are required.
The undergraduate ceremony will take place on Wheeler Mall, and the location is marked with a yellow star on the map.
Golf carts will be available from the ADA lots for those with accessibility needs in getting to and from the ceremony area.
Undergraduate Commencement Parking Map (pdf)
Entering Farmville: Route 460 East and West
Guests are requested to use Route 460 for entry into Farmville.
Message boards will be placed on the East Bound and West Bound sides of Rt. 460; all traffic will be directed north on Main Street.
Overnight Accommodations
Longwood Memorabilia
The Longwood University Store will be open on commencement day from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Service Animals
Only those animals designated as Service Animals are permitted at the Commencement ceremony. Please note that University personnel may ask the owner/handler the following two questions:
1) Is this animal a service animal required because of a disability?
2) What tasks or work has this dog been trained to perform?
Smoking Areas
Smoking is allowed in designated locations only.
Questions
Please contact us commencement@longwood.edu