Commencement FAQs

Please register here to be recognized at the ceremony. The deadline to register is April 1.

Yes. All graduates need to register, regardless of their intention to participate in-person. 

Only graduates who attend in person will be recognized at the ceremony.

Yes! We know that our graduates’ families and supporters are many, and want to celebrate this momentous occasion from however near or far they may be. For your guests convenience and comfort, the commencement ceremony will be available via livestream. 

Graduates will check-in upon arrival and volunteers will be available to direct you where to go from there.

Yes, all graduates will be offered the opportunity to cross the stage and be recognized by name.

No. Diplomas are not handed out at Commencement. Diplomas are ordered once all semester grades have been posted, remaining transcripts have been submitted and entered, and degrees have been posted to the student account. This process typically takes about 4 weeks after the semester ends. Diplomas will be mailed to graduates from the vendor approximately 12 weeks after they are ordered.

We ask that all graduates remain until the ceremony is over. The length of the ceremony will depend on the number of graduates, but estimate 3 hours.

Tickets are not required for the event. Doors will open at 10 a.m. on the day of the event and seating will be first come, first served. Guests may not sit with the graduating students on the arena floor. Children must sit with an adult in the guest seating area.

The NS Bookstore will begin selling caps and gowns in-person beginning on February 28. Contact the bookstore at (702) 992-2340 or visit their location in the Rogers Student Center for more information.

Caps and gowns are also available for purchase at the Nevada State University Herff Jones Online Store. In order to receive the items before the commencement ceremony, please complete your purchase no later than March 31.

Your Stage Pass will be assigned to you virtually via Tassel. Graduates must print and bring their Stage Pass to the ceremony. It is critical that all graduates have their Stage Pass when they get to the stage in order to cross and be acknowledged.

Yes, graduates must print and bring their Stage Pass to the ceremony. It is critical that all graduates have a printed copy of their Stage Pass when they arrive to the venue. These are scanned when you arrive to check you in for the ceremony and again when it’s your turn to cross the stage.

All graduates and guests attending Commencement are asked to keep personal items to a minimum. All articles brought into the facility will be subject to search, and this may delay persons from entering the venue. There are no secure places to store personal items before or during the ceremony. Small personal items such as phones and wallets must be carried in a pocket or a small clutch. No bags will be permitted into the venue except for small clutches (8″ x 11″ max). Backpacks of any size are not allowed. View the Venue Bag Policy and FAQ for more information.

Contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at (702) 992- 2180 or [email protected] to arrange accommodations for any graduate or guest requiring an accommodation, and for special seating for those who may need sign language interpreters. The deadline to contact the DRC is April 30. Failure to make arrangements with the DRC may result in inadequate time to put the necessary accommodations in place.

The Thomas & Mack Center has four parking lots around the building. The lots are designated by color (Red, Scarlet and Gray) and numbered sections. View the Thomas & Mack Center’s Parking Webpage for more information.

Students participating in one of the partnership programs between Nevada State University and Northern Nevada Community Colleges (WNC and TMCC) as listed below may participate in commencement at Western Nevada College or Truckee Meadows Community College. 

• Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education 
• Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education 
• Bachelor of Arts in Visual Media (Graphic Arts and Media Technology Track) 

Students should indicate their commencement attendance by completing the Graduation Application found on Graduation webpage at https://nevadastate.edu/registrar/graduation/.

Students who previously completed an application but would like to update their commencement attendance should complete a Graduation Update form found on https://nevadastate.edu/registrar/graduation/.

If you indicated your commencement attendance will be at WNC or TMCC when applying for graduation, your cord will be mailed out to the institution and will be ready for pick up on commencement day.

Contact the Office of the Registrar by email [email protected] or call 702-992-2110 to setup any arrangements for the graduate or guest requiring an accommodation.

Yes, if you have indicated your commencement attendance will be at WNC or TMCC on your graduation application, you will receive a NSU diploma cover. The diploma cover will be handed to you on commencement day.

Yes! Nevada State Sustainability Council, in partnership with the School of Liberal Arts, Sciences, & Business, started a new initiative to Recycle Graduation Gowns! After you celebrate and capture your photos, keep your cap and cords for memories, and consider donating your gown to allow for re-use as a FREE GOWN option for future Scorpion Graduates in need! Future graduates can either purchase a new cap and gown for full price OR purchase a new cap ONLY and then wear a donated gown for FREE! There will be a bin available for you to optionally donate your gown after the ceremony. If you have more pictures to take, there will also be a bin for donated gowns available in Rogers Student Center throughout May!

We appreciate your consideration to help us build and launch this new program to help out future Scorpion Graduates!