Shenandoah University will celebrate its 2023 Commencement at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20, at the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center.
The ceremony will recognize the 1,296 total graduates from the 2022-23 academic year, including 206 August 2022 graduates, 315 December 2022 graduates and 775 candidates for May 2023 degree conferrals.
Doors to the Wilkins Athletics and Events Center open at 8 a.m.; guests should plan to allow ample time to pass through security checks upon entering the building and find their seats before the ceremony’s 10 a.m. start. All guests will be subject to bag and handheld metal detector checks.
Tickets are required for general admission seating for the commencement ceremony. Commencement will be streamed live on the Shenandoah University YouTube channel, and the video will remain available for viewing after the ceremony on that channel.
Parking and Traffic Information
All guests and graduates should plan to enter campus at University Drive off of Millwood Avenue. Please carefully review the parking options. Note that general (non-accessible) guest parking will be available only on the main campus. From there, guests may walk to the ceremony site at the Wilkins Athletics and Events Center (20 minutes) but are strongly encouraged to take one of the seven shuttles operating for the event. With nearly 5,000 people attending commencement, traffic and parking will be slower than usual. Plan on arriving early to allow time for parking and walking or riding the shuttle. Shuttle trips will begin at 7:45 a.m. Note that through traffic will be prohibited on Tulane Drive and Ralph Shockey Drive.
ADA-accessible parking will be available at the Wilkins Athletics and Events Center for vehicles with DMV-issued accessible license plates or placards. Guests using the accessible parking lot should enter at Tulane Drive and Route 50 (across from Delco Plaza). Local law enforcement, Shenandoah University’s Department of Campus Safety, and staff will assist in directing traffic. Please note that parking for those without these license plates/placards is prohibited in these areas and will result in the vehicle being towed at the owner’s expense.
Also, event parking is strictly prohibited in the residential areas adjacent to the Wilkins Athletics and Events Center.
2023 Commencement-Related Events
- Thursday, May 18, 4:30-5 p.m. | Graduate Walkthrough, James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center
- Thursday, May 18, 5 p.m. | Grad Bash, Shentel Stadium
- Friday, May 19, 9 a.m. | Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy Hooding Ceremony, James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center
- Friday, May 19, 1 p.m. | Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing Pinning and Hooding Ceremony, Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre
- Friday, May 19, 2 p.m. | School of Business Awards and Hooding Ceremony, Halpin-Harrison Hall, Stimpson Auditorium
- Friday, May 19, 4 p.m. | Baccalaureate Service, Armstrong Concert Hall
- Friday, May 19, 4 p.m. | Health Professions (OT, OTD-PP, PH, DMS) Pinning and Hooding Ceremony, Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre
- Friday, May 19, 7 p.m. | Division of Education and Leadership and Applied Behavioral Analysis Hooding Ceremony, Goodson Chapel-Recital Hall
- Friday, May 19, 7 p.m. | Shenandoah Conservatory Honors Recital, Awards Ceremony and Graduate Hooding, Armstrong Concert Hall
- Saturday, May 20, 10 a.m. | Shenandoah University Commencement Ceremony, James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center
For more information, visit su.edu/commencement.