Have a question about 2021 Commencement? Please check out our frequently asked questions section below. If you can’t find the answer you are looking for, please email graduation@champlain.edu and we will be happy to assist. Cheers to the Class of 2021!
When will the livestream segments be available?
We hope to have the livestream segments from the on-campus traditional undergraduate in-person ceremonies available to re-watch before the end of next week (May 28). The links will be updated here once they are ready.
What time is the traditional undergraduate ceremony?
The virtual traditional undergraduate Commencement ceremony will begin at 10:00 AM (EDT) and will be available to watch directly at this link.
Additionally, there will be two in-person on-campus ceremonies for those students who signed up. The first ceremony is at 10:00 AM and will celebrate students in the Stiller School of Business (SSB) and the Division of Communication & Creative Media (CCM). That livestream can be viewed directly at this link. Pre-show will begin at 9:30 AM.
The second ceremony is at 1:00 PM and will celebrate students in the Division of Education & Human Studies (EHS) and the Division of Information Technology Sciences (ITS). That livestream can be viewed directly at this link. Pre-show live-streaming will begin at 12:30 PM.
If I am attending an in-person traditional undergraduate ceremony, what time is check in?
Commencement check-in for CCM & SSB graduating students will be in front of Butler Hall on Finney Quad. Please check in between 9:00–9:30 AM. The procession line-up begins at 9:30 AM.
Your Commencement check-in for EHS & ITS graduating students will be in front of Butler Hall on Finney Quad. Please check in between 12:00–12:30 PM. The procession line-up begins at 12:30 PM.
What time is the Champlain College Online & Master’s ceremony?
The Champlain College Online virtual graduation ceremony will begin at 3:00 PM (EDT) and can be viewed directly at this link.
Where can I watch the ceremonies? Will they be live or pre-recorded?
All ceremonies will be available to watch at commencement.champlain.edu. Clear instructions will be provided on the website for accessing the ceremonies. Students and families tuning in virtually will experience a pre-recorded ceremony. Friends and families with students attending the in-person ceremonies will be able to view a livestream of these ceremonies—which includes both live and pre-recorded content.
Will families and guests be able to attend the traditional undergraduate diploma ceremonies in-person?
No guests will be allowed at the on-campus traditional undergraduate in-person diploma ceremonies. Due to the state of Vermont’s social distancing guidelines, we will only have space on campus for graduating students. The ceremony is being held in a tent on the Perry Hall lawn, and only a certain number of people can fit socially distanced in this area. While we wish we could invite families to campus to celebrate together, we must keep the health and safety of the Champlain community at the forefront of our Commencement planning. Families and friends will be able to watch the ceremony virtually.
What health protocols do traditional undergraduates need to follow in order to attend the in-person ceremonies?
Only students who responded ‘yes’ to attending the in-person ceremony on our ‘Commencement Plans’ form will be allowed to attend. This form closed on April 16.
Students who are currently participating in the Champlain College COVID Testing Program should continue to test weekly through commencement, including a mandatory test between Monday, May 10—Wednesday May 12. Please note: The Testing Center will not be open on Thursday, May 13 or Friday May 14, and tests obtained on these dates off campus are unlikely to be resulted in time for participation in Commencement.
Local students who are not currently in the Champlain College COVID Testing Program should join the Testing Program for the two weeks in May prior to graduation, as follows:
- Test #1: Monday, May 3—Friday, May 7
- Test #2: Monday, May 10—Wednesday May 12
Students who do not live locally and will be testing off campus are required to submit the results of a test collected between Monday, May 10—Wednesday May 12. Please submit results here.
If you are traveling to Vermont from out of state, please also follow State of Vermont travel testing requirements as detailed below.
Fully vaccinated students are required to test as well.
The Daily Health Screen must be completed each day that a person is accessing campus (including the day of graduation). Responses will be reviewed prior to your participating in in-person commencement; if you have any symptoms of COVID, you will not be permitted to participate.
What are the State of Vermont’s travel guidelines for out of state students?
Students arriving from out of state are no longer required to quarantine per state guidelines; however, Champlain College is requiring pre-arrival testing within 3 days of arrival to Vermont in addition to the required testing dates for participation in Commencement as detailed above (unless these dates overlap).
When will I receive my diploma?
Your digital diploma will be available for download on Commencement day, May 15. Diplomas will be mailed in early June to all May 2021 graduates.
For students tuning into graduation remotely, your diploma covers will be mailed to you prior to Commencement. If you do not receive yours, please reach out to registrar@champlain.edu.
When will I receive my cords and stoles?
On-campus undergraduate students participating in the in-person ceremonies will receive their cords and stoles during the ceremony check-in. Students who are participating virtually will be mailed their cords prior to Commencement and will then receive their honors stoles via mail in the days/weeks following Commencement (this is because grades are due a few days before Commencement, so the list of students who earned honors stoles isn’t determined in time to send the stoles prior to Commencement).
If you have questions about your cords or stoles, please email graduation@champlain.edu.
Can faculty and staff attend Commencement this year? What are the COVID-19 testing requirements?
Faculty and staff who would like to serve as Commencement personnel should email Linda Goodrum (lgoodrum@champlain.edu). We are asking that all faculty and staff who sign-up to be Commencement personnel stay a minimum of 3 hours. Staff and faculty who are participating, regardless of vaccination status, are required to test on campus May 10-12th. Testing will not be available on May 13th or 14th.
Will there be a Senior Week for traditional on-campus undergraduates?
Yes. Monday, May 10–Thursday, May 14. Find out more info and register for the events here.
Where can I access the photos taken at Commencement?
Grad Images was staged inside the Commencement tent and captured a photo of each student receiving their diploma on stage and as they exited the stage. Each student will have the opportunity to purchase these images and will receive a link via email directly from Grad Images.
The Champlain Media Team was also on campus taking candid photos during Commencement. See those photos here!
If I am a student driving to campus, where should I park?
All Commencement parking for traditional undergraduate students will be on the Main Campus in the Skiff, 158 South Willard, 371 Main, and South House lots.
Who should I reach out to with an accessibility request?
If you need accommodations for one of the in-person traditional undergraduate ceremonies, please contact Erin Ferrera at 802.865.5764 or eferrera@champlain.edu.
If I ordered a grad package, when will I receive it?
If you ordered a grad pack and are tuning virtually, you should receive it in the mail prior to Commencement.
If you ordered a grad pack and are participating in the in-person traditional undergraduate ceremonies, we will be passing grad packs out in the Fireside Lounge in IDX on Tuesday, May 11 from 10:00 AM–2:00 PM. For those who can’t come during that time, we will have them again on Wednesday, May 12 at the in-person Big Prize Bingo Event from 4:30–6:30 PM outside the Champlain Room.
Get your sticker, #ChampGrad mask, selfie signs, and balloons, and see ways to share your pride with them here!