Spring Convocation for Graduating Seniors

Students at SBS convocation

Spring Convocation for Graduating Seniors

Congratulations graduating seniors! You and your guests are invited to the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences 2025 Spring Undergraduate Convocation. This ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate your accomplishments with your classmates, family, and friends. 

Thursday, May 15th, 2025 at 5 PM (AZ Time) 
McKale Memorial Center, University of Arizona campus

Register for SBS Convocation
You must RSVP by May 1.

The event will include individual recognition of each attending – in-person or via livestream – undergraduate degree recipient. If you are an Arizona Online and/or Micro-campus student and not attending the ceremony, we will celebrate you by reading your name (if you choose) during Convocation.

Graduates

• Registration is now open. (Select RSVP for Seniors.) The RSVP deadline is May 1.

• On May 15, check-in for students opens at 4:00 PM on the east side of McKale Memorial Center. You must check-in by 4:45 to be seated before the ceremony begins.

• Graduating students must wear their caps and gowns to participate in the ceremony; however, you will need to wait to put on your regalia until after you are through security. Graduating students with a disability and/or using a mobility device such as a wheelchair or walker can go through security without removing their graduation gown. Caps, gowns, and tassels are available for purchase at UA BookStores.

• Convocation will be open seating. You can sit wherever you wish as long as you are in the student seating area, which will be clearly marked.

• The event usually lasts 1.5- 2 hours. Students and guests are expected to stay for the duration of the ceremony to fully honor every graduate.

• Students in need of special assistance can contact Isabel Contreras at sbs-convocation@arizona.edu

Guests

• Graduates may invite as many guests as they wish. The event is free, and tickets are not required to enter McKale Center. It is open seating.

• The ceremony begins at 5:00 PM on May 15, and doors open at 4:00 PM.

• McKale Center will enforce game-day rules at all guest entrances including enforcing the clear bag policy and using metal detectors for screening. Balloons, signs, banners, or flags of any kind will not be permitted.

Livestream

Do you have guests that can’t make it to the ceremony? A livestream of the SBS Convocation will be available at sbs.arizona.edu/live.

Photography

Professional photography from the ceremony will be available to purchase through GradImages, who will email you after the ceremony.

Location and Parking

The McKale Center is located on the UA campus at 1 National Championship Drive. Cherry Street garage is the closest parking garage to McKale Center.  This garage will likely fill quickly so allow plenty of time to find parking. You can refer to the visitors parking map for other options near McKale.

Code of Conduct

Students who refuse to follow instructions from SBS staff or event security may be asked to leave the ceremony. Any infractions of student code of conduct will be reported to the Dean of Students.

FAQ for Spring Convocation 2025

Undergraduate Ceremony

Please review the Frequently Asked Questions. If you still have questions, please contact us at sbs-convocation@arizona.edu

REGISTRATION/GUEST TICKETS

Registration is now open. You must RSVP by Thursday, May 1 at 11:59 PM. Immediately after submitting your RSVP, you will receive a confirmation message. 

Yes! We will celebrate you by reading your name during Convocation.

The university-wide Spring 2025 ceremony is Friday, May 16 at 7:30 PM. Visit the Commencement web page for details at http://commencement.arizona.edu.

There is ample seating inside McKale Center, so there is no need for tickets. You may invite as many guests as you wish, and the event is free of charge.

CONVOCATION EVENT

Please arrive by 4:00 PM on May 15th, one hour before the ceremony begins at 5:00 PM. Please enter on the east side of McKale Memorial Center. You must check-in by 4:45 to be seated before the ceremony begins. You will receive a name card, which will be read as you are recognized on stage.

Graduates must wear a cap and gown to participate in the ceremony. Caps, gowns, and tassels are available for purchase at the UA BookStores. On the UA Bookstore website, under the Graduation tab (top of the page) you can select bachelor’s regalia. 

Yes, the ceremony will be livestreamed at sbs.arizona.edu/live.

On average, the College of SBS recognizes around 1000 students on stage during the Spring Convocation. The ceremony runs approximately 1.5-2 hours. Students and guests are expected to stay for the duration of the ceremony to fully honor every graduate.

Convocation will be open seating. You can sit wherever you wish as long as you are in the student seating area, which will be clearly marked. 

The doors to McKale will open at 4:00 PM. The ceremony begins at 5:00 PM. Guest seating is open seating. Please note that McKale Center will enforce game-day rules at all guest entrances including enforcing the clear bag policy and using metal detectors for screening.

Cherry Street garage is the closest parking garage to McKale Center.  This garage will likely fill quickly so allow plenty of time to find parking. You can refer to the visitors parking map for other options near McKale: https://parking.arizona.edu/parking/maps/

McKale Center will enforce game-day rules at all guest entrances including enforcing the clear bag policy and using metal detectors for screening. Balloons, signs, banners, or flags of any kind will not be permitted.

GradImages will be taking photos and will email you after the ceremony to see if you want to order prints. 

Please see the Disability Resource Center page for disability-access information  https://drc.arizona.edu/graduation-access

Accessible parking is available in the Cherry Avenue Garage next to the McKale Center. Take the second-floor walkway between the garage and McKale. Volunteers will direct guests to accessible seating options once inside. Accessible seating is first come first serve. A drop off area is also located in the parking lot east of McKale. Please visit Campus map for accessible parking to see all parking options.

Real-time captioning will be provided for this event.

For all other disability-related accommodation questions or requests, please email sbs-convocation@arizona.edu.