The information below outlines important deadlines, reminders, forms and other items pertinent in order to graduate from Webster University and to participate in Little Rock Area’s commencement ceremony. Please remember that graduating from Webster University, which is a student completing all of their academic requirements, is different than participating in the commencement ceremony.
Important Deadlines
1. Submit petition to graduate form and email LTRK at littlerock@webster.edu if students wants to participate in St Louis Ceremony.
. Submit petition to graduate form for Little Rock Area
Monday, February 27, 2017
3. Order cap, tassel, gown, and hood by
- Thursday, April 13, 2017
- Required to participate in ceremony
4. Submit Little Rock Area Commencement Participation Form
Important Reminders
1. St. Louis Ceremony
- Only students who completed, or are scheduled to complete, all of their academic requirements by the Spring 2 2017 term are allowed to participate in the St. Louis Ceremony.
- Click Here for more information on the St. Louis Ceremony.
2. Names Printed in Little Rock Area’s Commencement Program
- Only students who completed, or are scheduled to complete, all of their academic requirements by the Spring 2 2017 term will have their name printed in the 2017 Little Rock Area Commencement Ceremony program.
- Students schedule to complete all of their academic requirements in the Summer 2017 term will have their name printed in the 2018 Little Rock Area Commencement Ceremony program but will fully participate in the 2017 ceremony (name is read and walks across stage, participates in class photo, etc.)
3. Commencement Ceremony Attire and Dress Code
- The traditional commencement ceremony attire (cap, gown, hood, etc) or a military uniform is required for the commencement ceremony
- Shoes should be black, or an extremely dark gray, and we strongly discourage from wearing “strappy” or open toed shoes.
- Ladies should wear black skirts or dresses underneath regalia.
- Gentlemen should wear black trousers or dark navy
- Students who do not wear the commencement ceremony attire or adhere to the dress code will not participate in the ceremony or the class photo.
Graduating From Webster
1. Schedule an Exit Interview with Academic Advisor
- Students who anticipate completing their coursework in the Spring 2 or Summer 2017 terms need to schedule an exit interview with the academic advisor. In the exit interview, students review their degree audit and discuss any holds on their account. Most importantly, the exit interview helps the student complete the petition to graduate form.
- Please call either campus to schedule an appointment with the Academic Advisor, Mark Shannon.
2. Submit a Petition to Graduate
- Submit a petition to graduate form after meeting with the academic advisor.
- Submitting a petition to graduate form is required to graduate from Webster University.
- This is an electronic form and you can find it by clicking here.
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Submit a petition to graduate form by February 20, 2017, if the student wants to participate in St. Louis Ceremony and by April 1, 2017, if the student only wants to participate in the Little Rock Area Ceremony.
- The student receives an automated email reply from the Office of Academic Affairs after submitting the petition.
- This automated reply does not confirm that the form has been approved. It only confirms that the petition was received by the Office of Academic Affairs.
- A student submitting an incorrect petition to graduate form is common and it is usually because the student misread or did not understand their degree audit, entered the wrong graduation term, or the wrong program or major.
- An incorrect petition to graduate is not approved and the student is not notified until weeks later. The student will have to resubmit another form.
- We ask that students schedule an exit interview before submitting the form. The academic advisor reviews the student’s degree audit and provides assistance in completing the petition to graduate form.
3. Graduating With Honors
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A student who completes a graduate degree (including all required, elective, prerequisite, and transfer courses) while maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.950 receives Graduate Academic Honors. Sequential degrees are not eligible for graduate academic honors.
4. Clear Business Office Accounts
- Students who have completed all of their academic requirements to graduate must clear their Student Business Office account balance prior to diploma and transcript release. Credit card payments are subject to a 2.75% convenience fee. Check payments have a holding period of ten days before the release of transcripts. For more information, call the Business Office at 1-800-981-9803
5. Graduation Candidacy Fee
- Graduation Candidacy fees are assessed when students reach a certain number of hours in their program of enrollment. The Registrar's Office provides the Bursar's Office with a file of Graduation Candidates, so the fee can be posted to student accounts. Graduation Candidacy Fees are non-refundable and do not depend on if the student participates in the commencement ceremony.
5. Receiving Diploma and Official Transcript
- The student’s diploma is mailed to the address indicated on their petition to graduate approximately 10-12 weeks after they completed all their academic requirements.
- An official transcript is issued through the Office of the Registrar and is only issued if the student's account is paid in full. Please click here to learn more about obtaining a transcript.
- A diploma or an official transcript is not released if the student has a balance of the student account.
Little Rock Area Commencement Ceremony
1. General Ceremony Information
Sunday, May 21, 2017, at 3:00 p.m.
Statehouse Convention Center
Wally Allen Ballroom
101 East Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72201
Commencement speaker: Vice Provost, Nancy Hellerud, Webster Groves Main Campus
2. Ceremony Timeline
1:30 p.m. Check-in at Wally Allen Ballroom
(Graduates must check-in by 2:20 p.m.)
2:30 p.m. Graduate photograph
2:55 p.m. Processional of degree candidates
3:00 p.m. Ceremony begins
More information is provided at the information session and will be posted to this webpage after each session.
3. Participation Form
4. Graduation Information Session
- A graduation information session is scheduled for Saturday, April 8th at 1:00 pm. The session will include information about the processional, seating, and also gives participants a chance to ask questions. Little Rock Area does not have a rehearsal ceremony. Please click here to RSVP for the April 8 information session. The information session will be held in the Bank of America building on the 4th floor in the auditorium. Signs will be posted.
5. Commencement Ceremony Attire and Dress Code
- The traditional commencement ceremony attire (cap, gown, hood, etc) or a military uniform is required for the commencement ceremony
- Shoes should be black (or an extremely dark gray, navy blue, etc.) and we strongly discourage wearing “strappy” or open toed shoes.
- Ladies should wear black skirts or dresses underneath regalia.
- Gentlemen should wear black trousers or dark navy
- Students who do not wear the commencement ceremony attire or adhere to the dress code will not participate in the ceremony or the class photo.
6. Cap, Gown, & Hood
- Please click here to purchase your graduation attire. The ordering form will ask students to indicate their major (ARTS, BUSINESS, HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, etc). Please pay very close attention when you make your selection because this will determine what color your hood is for the ceremony.
- The color of the hoods are below:
MA - Master of Arts - White
MS - Master of Science - Gold
MBA - Master of Business Administration - Drab
MHA - Master of Health Administration - Salmon
MPA - Master of Public Administration – Peacock Blue
- Please click here to watch an instructional video on how to put on the hood and other graduation clothing.
- The traditional commencement ceremony attire (cap, tassel, gown, and hood) or a military uniform must be worn to participate in the ceremony.
- Jostens states that the ordering deadline is April 14, 2017, and it usually ships within 5 weeks. Please contact Jostens at 1-800-854-7464 if you have any questions.
7. Parking for Ceremony and Statehouse Convention Map
- Please click here to download parking information and a map of the Statehouse Convention.
- Webster does not purchase parking for students or guest.
8. Announcements
Little Rock Area Contact Information
Caite Hall
Assistant Director, Little Rock Area
littlerockafb@webster.edu
501-988-5331
Little Rock Campus:
200 West Capitol Ave.
Suite 1500
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone (501) 375-1511, Fax (501) 375-1623 | littlerock@webster.edu
Little Rock Air Force Base Campus:
1490 Vandenberg Blvd., Suite 109
Jacksonville, AR 72099
Phone (501) 988-5331, Fax (501) 988-1571 | littlerockafb@webster.edu
