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Celebrating the Accomplishments of our Graduating Students

Commencement 2024

Watch Live

Join the Celebration

Commemorating our Graduating Class of 2024

Family, friends, and community members will gather to celebrate our graduating students’ accomplishments as they receive their diplomas on Friday, May 10, 2024, at the Field House.

  • Graduate Ceremony: 9 to 11 a.m. ET
  • Undergraduate Ceremony: 2 to 4 p.m. ET

The ceremonies will be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook for those who can’t attend in person.

Bookmark this page!
Be sure to check back for the latest information.

For more information

For more detailed information about graduation and preparation, please visit here.

If you have any specific questions not answered on the webpage, please contact the Commencement Committee.

Ticketing information
Cap and Gown
Virtual Grad Fest

Graduate Commencement Ceremony

  • Friday, May 10, 2024 | 9 to 11 a.m. ET

Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony

  • Friday, May 10, 2024 | 2 to 4 p.m. ET

Keynote Speakers

The commencement keynote speaker for each ceremony is a notable figure selected to offer advice and reflections to our graduating classes as they prepare to share their knowledge and skills gained at Gallaudet University with the world.

This year, we are honored to have two keynote speakers – Alfred Sonnenstrahl, a lifetime advocate for telecommunications access, will keynote the graduate ceremony, and Dr. Madan Vasishta, a renowned educator and author, will be the keynote presenter for the undergraduate ceremony.

Past Keynote Speakers

Alfred Sonnenstrahl

Doctor of Humane Letters

Graduate Ceremony Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient

Dr. Madan Vasishta

Doctor of Humane Letters

Undergraduate Ceremony Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient

Student Commencement Speakers

These students speakers will share their journeys, insights, and advice to their graduating classes to prepare them for the future after Gallaudet University. It is an honor for these students to be selected as Undergraduate or Graduate Commencement Speaker.

Gallaudet University has selected undergraduate and graduate students to speak to their graduating classes since 1991. If you would like to know who were our previous student speakers, our Archives and Deaf Collections updates the list annually.

Past Student Speakers

Aanuoluwapo “Aanu” Omoleye

Master of Arts, International Development

Graduate Class of 2024 Speaker

Micah Lovell

Bachelor of Social Work with Psychology Minor

Undergraduate Class of 2024 Speaker

Faculty Emerit

Dr. Tom Baldridge

Professor Emerit

Mr. Willy Conley

Professor Emerit

Dr. Jane Nickerson, G-’83

Professor Emerit

Commencement Awards

Each year in May, we recognize the accomplishments of students who have demonstrated academic excellence and exceptional leadership in their fields.

Please join us in celebrating our Award recipients and their outstanding scholarly achievements!

Undergraduate Awards
Graduate Awards

From the archives: Class of 2022

Join the class of 2022 in reliving the memories and inspiration of last year’s graduation ceremony.
We were honored to have powerful speeches from notable speakers including Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, and Dr. Naomi Caselli of Boston University. Ms. Kristina Miranda and Ms. Molly Feanny delivered speeches as representatives of the Graduate and Undergraduate classes respectively. We also recognized distinguished alumni such as Ms. Dorothy Sueoka Casterline, Mr. Carl Gustaf Croneberg, and Ms. Lauren Ridloff with honorary degrees.
Watch now and be inspired by the words of these accomplished leaders

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FAQs

  • These recommendations are intended for graduating students who test positive for COVID prior to commencement. Graduating students who show symptoms of COVID will not be allowed to attend the ceremony.
  • Students with COVID within days 1-5, who are not showing active symptoms such as cough and/or fever will be allowed to sit in a designated room in the fieldhouse apart from the commencement ceremony and will watch the event on TV in the separate area. They will be brought into the ceremony by a volunteer worker and walk on stage to receive their degrees and then return to the designated space to watch the rest of the ceremony.
  • Students can test out after their 5th day of isolation to return to daily activities and attend commencement activities as normal, but should mask up until day 10. 
    • This includes walking on the stage. 
  • Students with COVID and not showing symptoms should be masked up at all times while sitting in the designated room.
  • Exception to the mask policy: Students will be allowed to walk at the end of the ceremony with a modified walk that could include mask removal for a brief amount of time for photographs.
  • There will be no attendance for rehearsal.

Tickets are required for entrance to commencement. You must have a ticket by invitation of a graduating student, or be a volunteer, to attend.

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