Commencement

1. Complete the online graduation application with the Registrar on MyUIndy or Student Self-Service by November 1.
2. RSVP for your Commencement ceremony. Even if you do not plan to participate in Commencement, this registration helps with ticket allocation and distribution. We cannot guarantee tickets for graduates who complete the RSVP after April 11, 2025.
   REGISTER FOR SPRING COMMENCEMENT
3. Verify your diploma name. This is how your name will appear on your diploma, how your name will be read during the Commencement ceremony, and how your name will appear in the Commencement program. Please review and, if necessary, update your diploma name information using the Graduate Verification Form (you will be prompted to log into MyUIndy).
4. Purchase your Commencement cap and gown from the UIndy Bookstore site by visiting them in person or by calling 317-788-3228. Regalia can be purchased beginning Monday, March 24, through Tuesday, April 15. **If you need special petite or tall gowns, please visit the Bookstore immediately to place an order earlier. All graduates must wear regalia to participate in Commencement ceremonies.
5. Pick up the Commencement tickets you ordered in the Stephen F. Fry Professional Edge Center, located in Schwitzer Student Center, #209. Pick-up times are April 22 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., April 23-25 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and April 28-30 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. 
6. Complete your First Destination Survey. The Stephen F. Fry Professional Edge Center will send the survey directly to your email. Participating in this brief survey will contribute to the ongoing growth of your alma mater and enhance your degree from the University of Indianapolis.
7. Join your fellow graduates for your Commencement Ceremony!
8. Contact commencement@uindy.edu with any questions.

The University of Indianapolis' Spring 2025 Commencement will be held on Saturday,  May 3, at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. (EST)

• 10 a.m. - Ceremony for the Associate's and Bachelor's Degree Graduates from the Shaheen College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. All graduates for this ceremony should report for line-up in Ruth Lilly Fitness Center by 8:30 a.m.
• 2 p.m. - Ceremony for all Master's and Doctoral Degree Graduates, all Colleges and Schools. Ggraduates for this ceremony should report for line-up in Ruth Lilly Fitness Center by 12:30 p.m.
• 6 p.m. - Ceremony for the Associate and Bachelor's Degree Graduates from the College of Health Sciences and the School of Business. All graduates for this ceremony should report for line-up in Ruth Lilly Fitness Center by 4:30 p.m.

REGISTER FOR SPRING COMMENCEMENT

All graduates can reserve up to six (6) tickets for their guests before the registration deadline on Friday, April 11. If graduates fail to RSVP for tickets by the deadline, we cannot guarantee tickets will be available.
REGISTER FOR SPRING COMMENCEMENT

The Commencement tickets you order will be available to pick up in the Stephen F. Fry Professional Edge Center (Schwitzer Student Center, 209) on the following days and times:

• April 22 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
• April 23-25 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
• April 28-30 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) 

Please note the following: 

• All guests attending the in-person ceremony will require a ticket to enter Nicoson Hall for the ceremonies.
• Participating graduates do not require a ticket.
• Children 2 years or younger will not require a ticket; however, they must sit on a guest's lap with a ticket.
• The ceremony seating is general admissions. There are no assigned seats except for the seating arrangements for graduates.
• Guest tickets may not be sold.

ADDITIONAL TICKET REQUESTS

To assist in the effort to provide the maximum number of tickets to the in-person ceremony as possible, we are asking all graduates to:

RSVP even if you plan NOT to attend the ceremony.

Only reserve the number of tickets you will need for your guests. If you have less than six guests, we can share those tickets with another graduate's family and friends.

If you learn that you do not need all of your requested tickets, please get in touch with commencement@uindy.edu.

All students participating in the Commencement ceremony must wear proper academic attire. Regalia may be purchased from the UIndy Bookstore in Schwitzer Student Center beginning Monday, March 24 through Tuesday, April 15. Students off campus may contact the bookstore at (317) 788-3228 to have regalia mailed if needed.

VISIT BOOKSTORE

All diplomas will be processed and mailed directly from Parchment, and digital diplomas will be available for all graduating students. The Office of the Registrar will no longer print and distribute diplomas.

Degrees are awarded once students have completed their degree requirements and after their academic or program advisor has released their diploma. Students will be notified via email from Parchment once their digital diploma is available, including a link to the Parchment site to create an account and instructions on how to access their digital diploma and receive their paper diploma copy.

Degrees will not be posted nor will transcripts be released if graduates have financial obligations or other holds on their record. 

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DIPLOMAS

Guests who do not have a ticket to the in-person ceremony are still invited to join you on campus that day. We will have a unique virtual viewing of the ceremonies in UIndy Hall for guests who come to campus and do not have tickets to sit inside Nicoson. This viewing area is ideal for any guests who want extra room to spread out or roam during the ceremony. All guests will also be welcome to enjoy our post-ceremony receptions hosted by the UIndy Alumni Association. 

If your family and friends cannot make it to campus, a livestream of the ceremony will also be available on this website. The live steam will be posted at the top of this page beginning Friday, May 2. 

How many tickets do I get for the in-person ceremony?

All graduates can reserve up to six (6)  tickets for the in-person ceremony if they RSVP by Friday, April 11. If graduates RSVP after the deadline, we can't guarantee that tickets will be available. 
Register for Commencement now 

Where do I get my tickets for the in-person ceremony?

Tickets will be available in the Stephen F. Fry Professional Edge Center beginning April 22 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., then again April 23-25 and April 28-30 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Can someone else pick up my tickets for me?

Yes. Email commencement@uindy.edu with the person’s name you are designating for your pick-up, and we will help you connect them to the Professional Edge Center.

When am I supposed to show up for Commencement?

Graduates participating in the 10 a.m. ceremony should report to Ruth Lilly Fitness Center by 8:30 a.m. for line-up. Graduates participating in the 2 p.m. ceremony should report to Ruth Lilly Fitness Center by 12:30 p.m. for line-up. Graduates participating in the 6 p.m. ceremony should report to Ruth Lilly Fitness Center by 4:30 p.m. for line-up. 

What am I supposed to wear again?

All students participating in the commencement ceremony must wear proper academic attire. Regalia may be purchased from the UIndy Bookstore in Schwitzer Student Center.

What about guests who cannot come to campus for the ceremony?

Links to livestream both ceremonies will be available on our website beginning Friday, May 2.

What can my guests bring with them into the ceremony?

Our clear bag policy will be in effect for our guests' safety. Exceptions will be made for guests with medically necessary items and/or diaper bags (with a child/children present). All bags are subject to a security search. Please visit the “What can guests bring” tab to see other appropriate items for the ceremony.

Where should I park for Commencement?

You can park anywhere on or near campus on Commencement Day. You do not need a permit to park on campus during Commencement ceremonies.
See Interactive campus map

What time should my guests arrive?

Doors will open an hour and a half before each ceremony. Guests must be seated no later than 15 minutes before each ceremony start time, or they will be asked to wait until graduates are seated before entering the ceremony.

Students with family members/guests who need accessible seating arrangements should contact commencement@uindy.edu no later than two weeks prior to commencement.

A clear bag policy has been issued to enter all events inside Nicoson Hall. The following styles for bags, packages or containers will be allowed: 

• Clear Totes - Plastic, vinyl, or PVC is acceptable, but it should not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”
• 1 gallon, clear, plastic storage bag (Ziploc or similar storage bag)
• Small Clutch Purse - Approximately the size of a hand with or without a strap, should not exceed 4.5” x 6.5” 

Exceptions will be made for guests with medically necessary items and/or diaper bags (with a child/children present). All bags are subject to a security search, which creates a slower entry process.

You can park anywhere on or near campus on Commencement day. You do not need a permit to park on campus during Commencement ceremonies. 

Consult the interactive campus map for information on available parking.

The list below helps guests determine what items are acceptable.

Acceptable Items:

• Cameras
• Flowers
• Service Animals Only

Not Acceptable Items:

• Camera bags or tripods
• Balloons
• Beverages or food products (Unless a medical need)
• Noisemakers/posters
• Strollers or car seats
• Alcohol/tobacco/vape
• Emotional Support animals
• Weapons

In the event of inclement weather, students will receive a Watchdog alert on the morning of the ceremony. If no Watchdog alert has been issued, please follow the normal commencement ceremony schedule.

Students wishing to order personalized announcements and rings may do so online with Herff-Jones.

GradImages® is proud to support one of the biggest moments in a graduate’s life: walking across the stage and into the next chapter. With over 40 years of experience, we understand the importance of this moment and the desire to preserve these memories for a lifetime. Finding your graduate’s photos after the ceremony is easy. Visit gradimages.com to view and purchase custom photo products like prints, plaques, specialty gifts, and more.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your photos, please contact our Customer Service Department at (800) 261-2576, online at gradimages.com, or email ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. We have a large team of customer care representatives ready to help graduates and family members with anything they may need.

Graduation ceremonies are, by their very nature, festive occasions. The festivity manifests itself in many ways, including the dress of students and faculty adorned in academic regalia, and the warmth, joy and satisfaction of accomplishment. The ceremonies are also marked by seriousness where the actual conferring of degrees signifies long, hard work on the part of everyone involved: students, faculty, administrators, parents and spouses. As a consequence of the serious nature of the ceremony, students are expected to maintain a measure of decorum consonant with the occasion. Students are expected to return to their seats after receiving their diploma covers and to remain seated for the rest of the ceremony. No balloons, banners or noisemakers are permitted.

The ceremonial mace, a symbol of university scholarship and integrity dating back to the 11th century, is a traditional staff used to lead the academic procession at commencement. Maces oftentimes reflect the traditions, history, and academic missions of the universities they honor, as well as the bond between the university and its community. The mace also serves as an ancient symbol of authority, reminding us that universities are custodians both of the enduring traditions of learning and of the power they bestow upon those who come to learn. The mace symbolizes the University’s governing authority and is present only when the president and members of the board of trustees are in attendance, signifying that the proceedings have official sanction. 

In 2017, The University introduced a newly created ceremonial mace designed specifically for the University of Indianapolis by members of our faculty and leadership and fashioned by a local craftsman, Mark Waninger, who was accepted into the Hoosier Salon and has had one of his pieces purchased by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Made from four strong woods salvaged from campus, the mace features several ornate symbols that honor University traditions and academic excellence: a globe recognizing the value of international cultures on campus, three distinct sections honoring the evolution of the institution’s name, symbolic medallions including the lamp of learning, smooth wooden columns denoting historic Good Hall and a bright, golden torch found on the University seal. The mace serves as an artistic representation of the University’s past, present and future success and will be displayed prominently on campus.

Anatomy of the Ceremonial Mace

• The torch at the top of mace is symbolic of the University seal.
• A columned white section of maple represents Good Hall. The texturing at the top of the columns represents the age and history of the University. The disc mimics scrolls found on the buildings.
• The mace is formed from reclaimed lumber from the University of Indianapolis campus.
• Four medallions featured on the mace include the University seal, lamp of learning, flag of Indiana and the flag of Indianapolis. 
• Three walnut sections represent the three names: Indiana Central College, Indiana Central University, University of Indianapolis.
• The globe with inlays of brass represents an environment where all are welcomed.