To: Graduating Students and Family Members
From: Caltech Commencement
Date: June 11, 2024
Re: Important Commencement Information
Caltech's Commencement ceremony is scheduled for this Friday, June 14, at 10 a.m. Please review these important reminders before the big day:
Graduating Student Arrival Time
MS and PhD candidates participating in Commencement are expected to reach their
specified marshaling and lineup sites around Caltech Hall Pond dressed in cap and gown, and check in no later than 8:45 a.m. on Friday morning.
BS candidates should meet in front of Parsons-Gates at 8:45 a.m. for the class photo in their regalia before going to the marshaling area. The Commencement exercises will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Latecomers may not be included in the processional.
Marshaling Locations
The event map denotes the specific marshaling locations for candidates by degree:
• BS candidates: Section A (along the covered walk south of Parsons-Gates)
• MS candidates: Section B (along the covered walk at the south end of the bridge across Caltech Hall pond)
• PhD candidates: Section C (along the covered walk north of East Bridge, behind the MS candidates)
Processional Instructions
Detailed instructions on the processional and process for conferring degrees is available below by degree. Please review this information in advance of the ceremony:
• BS
• MS
• PhD
Graduating students are prohibited from carrying purses, backpacks, or other personal items with them during the processional. All phones must be on silent and placed in pockets, out of sight. Please note that water bottles will be placed in advance at students' seats at the ceremony site.
Caltech Store
For last-minute purchases and regalia pickup, the Caltech Store will be open on the day of Commencement at 8 a.m.
Guest Seating
Tickets are not required for your friends and family to attend Caltech's Commencement, but seating is limited and only available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guest seating opens at 9 a.m., and guests are encouraged to fill rows completely, avoiding empty seats, in order to maximize limited seating. Balloons, signs, banners, flags, and other similar objects that obstruct views and create hazards are not permitted underneath the tent. Air horns and other noisemakers are prohibited. More information for event guests is available on the Commencement website.
The Commencement website also contains important information for this year's ceremony, including:
• The schedule of events and activities surrounding Commencement, including cap-and-gown photo opportunities
• The 2024 event map
• Answers to frequently asked questions
• Accessibility information
Please thoroughly review this email and the Commencement website, and share the relevant information with those friends and family attending.
If you have any additional questions, please email commencement@caltech.edu.