Commencement

MassArt's annual Commencement ceremony was scheduled for May 22, 2020. We now know from the realities communicated by public health officials that we will have to reschedule Commencement from May 22 to a later date. While we are unsure at this moment of the precise timing, our seniors deserve to have their moment with their families, friends, and faculty - and with one another – to celebrate their accomplishments. We want to assure them along with the entire MassArt community, this will happen!

Look for future updates about Commencement and related events.

Friday, May 22, 2020
12:00pm - Student arrival; doors open to the public 
1:00pm - Ceremony

Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
290 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA 02110 

Candidate information

1. All fees and other financial obligations to the College must be paid in order to receive a diploma or transcript after you have graduated. Graduation occurs after passing grades are received in all required courses; you are able to view any outstanding holds on daVinci. If you think you are delinquent in any manner, contact the Business Office 617.879.7900 for tuition and fees and/or the Library (617.879.7150) for library fines. If you borrowed a federal student loan while attending MassArt, you must complete loan exit counseling on-line at studentloans.gov PRIOR to graduating. Please email the Student Financial Assistance Office at financialaid@massart.edu if you have any questions about this requirement. Transcripts with degrees posted will be available after Commencement.
    
2. Candidates that require ADA accommodations (interpreter for the deaf, wheelchair access, etc.) for the ceremony should report their needs to Claudia LeClair in the Office of College and Visiting Events at commencement@massart.edu (617.879.7934) before April 10, 2020. Her office will need time to fulfill such requests by Commencement day.
    
3. All candidates are encouraged, but not required, to wear cap and gown, which must be reserved in advance online.
   
   Order a Cap & Gown
    
4. Candidates must report to the Student line-up tent at 12:00 pm. The tent is accessed via the designated student entrance. Appropriate signage and Commencement event staff will direct you where you need to go. You must stay in this area until the beginning of the ceremony.
    
5. Please do not bring purses or other extraneous items with you in line, as you are not permitted to carry them in the procession.
    
6. Commencement event staff will organize the candidate procession. When you arrive, report to the staff member located by the sign for your major (dual majors are located at the end). You will be given a card with your name and department/degree on it. It is very important that you not lose this card. When you are directed to do so you will line up in front of your major section. Masters candidates line up in front of Bachelors candidates and have their own section and staff person from the Graduate Office. Certificate candidates line up behind Bachelors candidates and will also have their own section and staff person.
    
7. Candidates will be escorted single file into the venue by a Commencement staff member. Once in the seating area, you will file in to the end of the row as quickly as possible and remain standing until instructed to sit by the Provost onstage.
    
8. For the conferring of degrees, candidates will rise one row at a time as directed and head toward the stairs to the left of the stage. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR NAME CARD. When you reach the stairs to the stage, you must give your name card to the staff member collecting them. Then, when your name is announced, you will cross the stage and receive your proxy diploma.
    
9. After the ceremony, you have fulfilled your requirements for the day and are free to continue celebrating with family and friends in your own way.

GUEST INFORMATION

1. The Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion (formerly the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion) is an open-air, tented amphitheater on the South Boston Waterfront.
    
2. Pavilion doors open at 12:00 pm.  No tickets are required and there is no limit to the number of guests you may bring. There are approximately 5,000 seats in the amphitheater, 500 of which are uncovered; we encourage you to plan accordingly.
    
3. As a safety precaution, all bags are subject to search by Pavilion security staff upon entrance to the ceremony.  We encourage you to bring as little as possible to minimize waiting time.
    
4. MassArt encourages its guests to use Public Transportation whenever possible. Take the subway, commuter rail or bus to South Station and connect to Silver Line Waterfront service. The Blue Hills Bank Pavilion is located one block away from the Silver Line Way stop.
    
5. For guests who are driving to the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, paid parking is available at several garage and surface lots along Seaport Boulevard and Northern Avenue.
    
6. There will be a drop-off area at the Pavilion entrance for family members with physical disabilities or wheelchairs.
    
7. There will be a drop-off area at the Pavilion entrance for family members with physical disabilities or wheelchairs.
    
8. Guest lodging is available at a discounted rate MassArt’s TreeHouse Residence Hall. Booking information can be found here.