Graduation Information

Commencement Exercises

Mars Hill University is excited to announce event details for our recognition of spring 2024 graduates.

Spring Commencement:

• Saturday, May 11, 2024
• 9:30 a.m.
• Moore Auditorium
• All guests will need a ticket to enter the auditorium. (Exception: Children under the age of 3 may enter without a ticket but must sit in the lap of a ticketed adult.) Each graduate will receive six (6) tickets to distribute to their family and friends.
• Commencement will be streamed live on the MHU YoutTube channel.

Security

• All faculty, staff, students, and guests will be screened by a hand-held metal detector wand before entry into Moore Fine Arts Building.
• We prohibit the presence and use of knives, guns, and other weapons on our campus.
• Graduation follows our no-bag policy. Small bags are acceptable and will be subject to search by a member of security.
• Guests with medical or child care needs will be permitted to carry one bag.

Parking

• ALL graduates need to park in the tiered lot behind Nash or in the Chapel parking lot.
• Guests can park anywhere on campus, but the lots closest to Moore are Lunsford and Pittman
• Do not have your guests stop in the middle of the road to drop folks off at Moore. We will have a separate drop-off area on Auditorium Drive (look for the blue tent).

MHU COMMENCEMENT REGALIA POLICY

Commencement is the paramount academic ceremony, and participants are expected to demonstrate their respect for the event and its significance by wearing appropriate attire beneath their regalia. Men should wear dress shirts with ties, dress slacks, and dress shoes, women a dress or dressy suit with matching flats or heels. Jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, shorts, flip-flops, and the like are inappropriate.

BACCALAUREATE REGALIA

Bachelor’s degree graduates participating in the December or May commencement ceremony must wear appropriate regalia consisting of gown, mortarboard, and tassel purchased from the Mars Hill University Bookstore. Graduates keep their regalia following commencement. Regalia from other ceremonies is not permitted. A graduate in active military service at the time of commencement may wear the appropriate dress uniform in lieu of regalia but must drape the academic gown over his or her forearm when crossing the stage to receive a diploma. Graduates’ tassels are colored according to the degree earned:

• Bachelor of Arts — white
• Bachelor of Fine Arts — brown
• Bachelor of Music — pink
• Bachelor of Science — gold
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing – apricot
• Bachelor of Social Work — citron

Graduates who earn “Latin honors” (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) also wear a second tassel in institutional blue and gold provided by the university. During the ceremony, tassels must be worn on the right side of the mortarboard until graduates are directed to move them to the left side by the president.

A graduate who is a member of Alpha Chi (traditional students) or Alpha Sigma Lambda (nontraditional students) may wear that organization’s honor cord over his or her regalia during commencement.

Graduates who have successfully completed the university’s Honors Program curriculum wear a gold stole at Commencement in addition to any other recognitions.

Graduates who give $20.24 towards the Senior Class Gift will receive a philanthropy cord to wear during the ceremony.

Alpha Chi cords and Honors stoles will be given out at line-up prior to commencement. Information on procuring Alpha Sigma Lambda chords can be obtained from Sarah Burnette (sarah_burnette@mhu.edu).

Commencement Scheduling

Mars Hill Univerity holds two commencement exercises each academic year: one in December for students who complete their degree requirements in August or December, and one in May for those who finish in the spring.