Commencement Ceremony

Parking for graduating students... is located in the north parking lot of the Coliseum. Campus police will direct drivers to the nearest available parking spots.

Parking for visitors... is located in the south parking lot of the Coliseum. There will be a designated parking space for special guests; all remaining parking space is for family and friends.

Note: Parking off Winthrop property may result in your vehicle being towed.

Check-in for graduating students is from 9:30 - 10:40 a.m. Graduates will enter through the north tunnel of the Coliseum for check in. Only participating graduates are allowed in the check-in area.

Graduates must come dressed in their academic regalia (cap and gown). There will be no storage for personal items, so graduates should leave their personal belongings with their family and friends before reporting to the check-in area.

Check-in Procedures:

• Upon arrival, report to the CHECK-IN TABLE of your College (Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, or Visual and Performing Arts)
• Each degree candidate will be given a NAME CARD with his or her name, seat number, and any honors he or she will receive. Do not lose or alter this card. This card is used to read your name as you walk across the stage.
• SEATING AND READER CARD QUESTIONS: If you believe the information printed is incorrect, please bring this to the attention of the staff at the check-in area. There will be a "Seating and NAME Card" area for questions.
• Add NAME Pronunciation : The name pronunciation will be available when you register to attend the commencmeent ceremony.  You will be able to indicate the phonetic pronunciation of your name to assist the reader.  
• The name card contains your SEAT NUMBER in the arena. Once you receive your name card you will be directed to find your seat in the arena.

• Upon arrival, report to the CHECK-IN TABLE of your College (Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, or Visual and Performing Arts)
• Each degree candidate will be given a NAME CARD with his or her name, seat number, and any honors he or she will receive. Do not lose or alter this card. This card is used to read your name as you walk across the stage.
• SEATING AND NAME CARD QUESTIONS: If you believe the information printed is incorrect, please bring this to the attention of the staff at the check-in area. There will be a "Seating and NAME Card" area for questions.
• Add NAME Pronunciation : The name pronunciation will be available when you register to attend the commencement ceremony.  You will be able to indicate the phonetic pronunciation of your name to assist the reader.  
• The name card contains your SEAT NUMBER in the arena. Once you receive your name card you will be directed to find your seat in the arena.

Due to limited seating in the Coliseum, each graduate is asked to invite no more than EIGHT guests to the ceremony. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. In fairness to all guests, we ask that you not reserve seating.

Family and friends of the graduates should enter the Coliseum through the upper concourse level and can be seated beginning at 10:00 a.m. 

Sweatshirts, T-shirts, baseball caps, disposable cameras, film, diploma frames, and flowers will be available for purchase. Balloons and balloon bouquets are not allowed in the arena as they may obstruct the view of other guests. Consider leaving these items in your car or having a member of your party wait outside until the ceremony concludes.

For information on the Rock Hill area, including a list of local accommodations, check out the Winthrop Visitors' Center.

If you or your guests require auxiliary aid or service identified in the Americans with Disabilities Act to attend the Commencement ceremony, please contact the Director of the Office of Accessibility at 803/323-3290 (V/TTD) or visit the office website for more information.

Seating will be designated for guests, including the elderly, who may require special assistance. In an effort to ensure accessible seating for those who need it, we ask that only one family member accompany that individual in the designated seating area. This will be enforced.

These individuals should plan to arrive by 10:30 a.m. for the 11:00 Commencement ceremony. Please use the entrance for the disabled, and proceed to the section for the disabled.

A sign language interpreter will be at the ceremony.

Ceremony Begin

The ceremony will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.

Please be prompt. We cannot place students in seats after the Commencement ceremony begins.

The Platform party will process in to the arena.
Members of the procession and all guests will stand until after the National Anthem has been sung.

Conferring of Degrees:

After the Master's Degree graduates receive their degrees, the academic deans will present the candidates for undergraduate degrees from their respective college to the Provost. Once all undergraduate degrees are conferred, the president will then instruct graduates to move their tassels from the right front side to the left front side of the cap.

Marshals will then direct the movement of bachelor's degree recipients to the stage. Graduates will give their name cards to the reader when they reach the top of the ramp leading onto the stage. When their name is announced, they will cross the stage, receive their diploma cover from their academic dean and shake hands with the chair of the board of trustees and the president.

Final Procession:

Upon conclusion of the singing of the Alma Mater, the platform party will leave first, followed by the faculty. The graduates will exit under the direction of the Student Marshals. Please meet family and friends in the upper concourse or outside after the ceremony. The ceremony should last approximately an hour and a half.

The Grad Team will be taking photos during the Commencement ceremony. Two photographs will be taken of each graduate: one with the President and the other a more posed shot in front of the Winthrop logo. The Grad Team will contact graduates following the ceremony with information regarding the purchase of photos.

Guests may take their own photos and videos during the ceremony but shall not block aisles or obstruct the view of other guests.

The stage will be left intact for a short time following the ceremony for those guests who wish to take photographs.

In the instance of extreme weather, unsafe road conditions, or natural disasters, the University will notify local media outlets regarding the feasibility of proceeding with the graduation ceremony as scheduled.

Click here to view frequently asked questions about December 2022 graduation.

All Commencement participants may only wear appropriate academic regalia (cap, gown, and tassel) distributed through the campus bookstore. Graduates who arrive wearing the wrong regalia will need to purchase the proper attire to participate in the ceremony.

The deadline to order caps and downs is TBA

For information regarding the purchase of caps and gowns, please call Winthrop Bookstore (Barnes & Nobles) —803-323-3800 or Go to:  Winthrop.shopoakhalli.com

Graduates may wear stoles (that represent Winthrop organizations) and cords (represent academic, University-recognized honor societies).

Graduates who are awarded Latin Honors (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Cum Laude) and Honors Recognition will receive a gold honor cord to wear during the ceremony. This will be presented to graduates during check-in for the ceremony.

Men should remove academic caps during the singing of the national anthem and the Alma Mater. 

• Graduation week and the awarding of degrees

• The Commencement ceremony

• Honors eligibility

• Diplomas

• and so much more!

Diplomas for December 2022 graduates will be given out at the end of the Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, December 17.

Diplomas that are not picked up at the ceremony can be picked up at 126 Tillman Hall on Monday, December 19 at noon.

Any diplomas that are not picked up by Thursday, December 22 will be mailed out to the graduate's permanent address on file in Wingspan. Be sure to check your Wingspan account to make sure that your permanent address is up to date (Wingspan > Personal Information > Update Addresses and Phones > Permanent Address).

Note: Graduates with financial holds will not receive their diplomas until after their account balances are paid.

Commencement programs are printed the month before the Commencement ceremony, before final grades are posted for the Fall 2022 semester. Latin Honors and and Honors Recognition designations in the program are based on the graduate's GPA from the prior semester (not including transfer work) and may not reflect the graduate's honors award.

December 2022 graduates who receive Latin Honors or Honors Recognition will receive an email from the Office of Records and Registration the day before the ceremony on Friday, December 16 notifying them of their honors award.

Honors awards will be indicated on the graduate's diploma and official transcript.

The official ring of Winthrop University is reserved exclusively for alumni, graduate students who have completed at least 18 credit hours, and undergraduate students of junior or senior standing who have completed at least 54 credit hours.

For information regarding ring purchases and graduation announcements, call Josten's at 1 (800) 854-7464.

For information regarding the ring ceremony, contact the Alumni Association.

If you have had a Perkins Loan at any time while enrolled at Winthrop University, you MUST complete a Perkins Loan Exit Interview. This will be separate from any other exit interview you complete. Contact the Perkins Loan Accountant at 803/323-2439 with any questions.

Please be reminded that your account balance at Winthrop must be cleared prior to graduation. Pursuant to Winthrop University policy, if you have an outstanding balance remaining on your account, you will not be allowed to receive your diploma, grade report, or transcript until the balance is paid in full. Check your account frequently, in the event a miscellaneous charge is posted to your account. You will then have time to pay any balance due, prior to graduation.

Graduate & Undergraduate — Balance must be paid no later than TBA

Balance can be paid with e-checks and personal checks, as well as Debit/Credit payments.

If you have a balance, payment may be made in the Cashier's Office by cash, check or money order, Monday through Friday, 8:30 until 5:00. Payments can also be made by e-check or by credit card online, through Wingspan at Account Summary and Payment Gateway. MasterCard, American Express, Visa and Discover are accepted.