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Graduate Arrival Information

Student Check In

Upon arrival, graduating students should report to the parking garage just east of Credit Union 1 Arena for check-in. All graduating students must arrive, dressed in their regalia, one hour prior to their ceremony start time for check-in and processional line-up. Please see a ceremony breakdown below:

Commencement Ceremony One (Institute of Design, Lewis College of Science and Letters, and College of Computing)

• Student check-in will begin promptly at 7 a.m. (all students must arrive no later than 8 a.m.)

Commencement Ceremony Two (College of Architecture, Stuart School of Business, and Armour College of Engineering)

• Student check-in will begin promptly at noon (all students must arrive no later than 1 p.m.)

Note: At check-in, please bring your HawkCard to receive your name card lanyard. Be sure to hold on to your name card lanyard at all times, as you will give that card to the name reader as you cross the stage. 

Dress Code

All graduating students are required to wear a cap, gown, and tassel in order to participate in Commencement. All regalia orders must be placed by 11 p.m. (CDT) on April 15 (no exceptions). Also, you must bring your regalia with you to the ceremony; there will not be any regalia available on the day of. 

Please note the following: 

• The academic cap should be worn as near level on the head as possible. All tassels should be worn on the right side of the cap. After you receive your diploma cover and letter at your designated Commencement ceremony, tassels should be moved to the left side.
• Gowns should be closed in front as much as possible. Graduating students should wear business attire under their gowns and dark dress shoes. We highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes as graduates will be standing in the parking garage before their ceremony. If you bring a jacket or a purse, please leave it with one of your guests. NOTE: Illinois Tech will not assume responsibility for lost or misplaced belongings.
• Graduating students are encouraged to decorate their academic caps. However, all other adornments and ornamentation including pins, flowers, necklaces, flags, brooches, etc. will not be allowed. Graduates will be asked to remove any adornments that have not been approved prior to entering the arena floor. Commencement is a formal and traditional ceremony, and we ask that any attire or cap decoration worn by graduates be appropriate for the occasion.
• Historically, people who identify as men remove their caps during the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner,” while those who identify as women keep their caps on. Attendees should feel free to observe the custom that they prefer. Candidates will remain standing during “The Star Spangled Banner.” Please be seated after the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Behavior Policy

Commencement is a time to celebrate our graduating class. Illinois Tech has set the following behavior expectations for graduates participating in our Commencement ceremonies:

• Give your attention and respect to all of the speakers during the ceremony. Pay attention to, and follow the instructions of, student marshals and onsite staff. 
• Refrain from disruptive or unapproved activity. This includes, but is not limited to having unapproved guests or props with you during any part of the ceremony.
• Remain in your seat until the end of the ceremony and fully participate in the recessional.

Any violations of this, or any other university policy, during Commencement will be handled appropriately. Graduates exhibiting egregiously disruptive behavior may be removed from their ceremony.

Social Media Stickers

We invite you to celebrate this accomplishment with us virtually by taking a video or photo and using supplied Commencement stickers or photo frames. Use #IllinoisTechGrad or tag @Illinoistech on your social media posts!

GradImages and StageClip

GradImages® is the official photographer for the May 17 Commencement ceremony. Photos will be available to view and order by visiting their website at (enter last name, university name, and select event year from the dropdown menu). For additional help, call the Customer Service Department at 800.261.2576 or email giservice@gradimages.net.

StageClip is the official personalized video clip vendor for the May 17 Commencement ceremony that captures the graduate’s special moment on stage. Visit their website at . Additional information will be sent to the graduate closer to the ceremony date.   

Guest Arrival Information

Ceremony Livestreams

Illinois Tech will livestream each ceremony for anyone to watch the ceremony where all degrees will be conferred by college. These links can be found under the Event Details and Schedules page. 

Recommended Hotels

For families, friends, and other guests who would like to stay in a hotel during Commencement weekend, Illinois Tech recommends visiting our hotels page for a list of the university’s preferred vendors.

Parking

For more information about parking, click here.

Doors Open

Doors to the Credit Union 1 Arena will open to guests one hour prior to the beginning of the ceremony for the convenience of relatives and guests. Guests should enter through the main entrance of the Credit Union 1 Arena at the southwest corner of the building (located at the intersection between Harrison Street and Racine Avenue). Please see a ceremony breakdown below, or for a full schedule of the day, check our Event Details and Schedules page.

Commencement Ceremony One (Institute of Design, Lewis College of Science and Letters, and College of Computing)

• Doors will open to family/guests at 8 a.m. (all guests must arrive prior to 8:45 a.m.)

Commencement Ceremony Two (College of Architecture, Stuart School of Business, and Armour College of Engineering)

Doors will open to family/guests at 1 p.m. (all guests must arrive prior to 1:45 p.m.)

Please note: all bags will be subject to search and all guests will enter through a metal detector. For more information, please refer to the Credit Union 1 Arena Bag Policy and Metal Detection Policy below.

Credit Union 1 Arena Visitor Guide

Metal Detection Policy 

All events where metal detectors will be utilized must notify attendees in advance. Persons entering metal detectors will only be required to remove their phones, keys, coins, wallets, etc., from their pockets. If a person sets off an alarm, they must return to the metal detector entrance, remove all items from pockets and enter again. If they again set off an alarm, they will be scanned by a handheld wand. After being scanned, if detectors still activate, patron will not be permitted to enter the venue.

Policy for Bags, Purses, and Backpacks 

For safety reasons, bags, purses, backpacks, and other large bags may not be permitted in Credit Union 1. 

Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Purses, bags or containers larger than 14” x 14” x 6” 

• Camera bags 
• Cinch bags/drawstring bags 
• Briefcases 
• Computer bags 
• Backpacks 
• Coolers (including thermos) 
• Luggage of any kind 
• Diaper bags

Patrons may bring in the following bags: 

• Bags that do not exceed 14” x 14” x 6”. Bags may be hand carried or have a shoulder strap. 
• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc).

An exception will be made for necessary medical items after proper inspection at the entrance. All bags that are allowed in the facility will be searched. 

Prohibited Items 

For safety reasons, all patrons entering Credit Union 1 Arena are required to pass through a metal detector. Patrons are only required to remove keys and phones. If the machine is set off, security will identify the location of the suspicious object, remove that object, and have the patron pass through the machine again. All patrons should arrive at the metal detectors ready to pass through.

The following is a partial list of items that are prohibited at all Credit Union 1 Arena events: 

• Outside food and beverage 
• Cameras: No flash/professional photography 
• Audio or video recording devices 
• Selfie sticks 
• Bags: backpacks, large bags, suitcases, or any purse/bag larger than 14″x14″x6″ 
• Tripods/monopods, laser pointers, alcohol, drugs, vapes, noise-making devices, fireworks, flashlights, skateboards/rollerblades, beach balls, cans or bottles 
• Any item that could pose a safety hazard or restrict the enjoyment of another guest 
• Weapons are prohibited. Weapons include, but are not limited to, the following: firearms, explosives, stun guns, handcuffs, brass knuckles, sticks, clubs, batons, martial arts instruments, pepper spray, tear gas, knives, etc. Guests found in possession of the above-mentioned items will be asked to remove the item from the venue or dispose of it. Guests who refuse to comply will be ejected from the venue and may be subject to arrest.

Safety 

Credit Union 1 Arena goal is to provide a safe, enjoyable atmosphere. For safety, and as a courtesy to other guests, aisles must be kept clear at all times. Please follow the directions of the usher in your section to remain in your assigned ticketed seat and refrain from standing in the aisles. 

Trained emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are available to assist any guest in need at every Credit Union 1 Arena event. In the event of a medical emergency, contact a member of our guest services or security staff for assistance. 

Tickets

All guests (two years of age or older—excluding graduating students) will need a ticket to enter the arena. Tickets can be digitally shared or printed for guests by their graduating student, but please note that tickets can only be scanned once for admission.

Seating

Seating is general admission on a first come, first serve basis. For ADA-related items, please note the following:

• Graduating students or guests with special needs should contact the Center for Disability Resources at www.iit.edu/cdr or 312.567.5744 prior to the day of Commencement to arrange for a seat location and assistance to enable them to participate in the ceremony. Special needs/hearing-impaired guests can also obtain seating assistance by going to Guest Services.
• Credit Union 1 Arena will have wheelchairs available for rent, free of charge. The guest will need to exchange a photo ID to use a wheelchair around the building. At the end of the event, the guest will need to bring back the wheelchair to claim their ID. For more information, please refer to . There will also be a reserved seating section for wheelchair users, and each will be allowed one companion seat.
• All ceremonies will be live captioned and include sign language interpreters on screen and on the web for the benefit of students and guests who are hearing impaired.

Photography and Videotaping

Graduates and guests are allowed to bring cameras to take photos after the Commencement ceremonies. Guests are not allowed to leave their seats to photograph or videotape the graduates during any ceremony. The aisles need to remain clear at all times, and especially during the processional, ceremony, and recessional. No freestanding equipment is allowed. Guests will not be allowed to go onto the floor to present flowers or otherwise interrupt the proceedings.

Prohibited Items

Credit Union 1 Arena does not allow outside food, alcohol, strollers, balloons, noisemakers/air horns, or paraphernalia of any kind.

Ceremony Etiquette

We ask that everyone respect the speakers and the dignity of the ceremony by refraining from cell phone use during the event. Individuals in violation of these policies or whose conduct is disruptive or harmful to others may be removed from the ceremony.

Ceremony Feedback

Please feel free to share all feedback to commencement@iit.edu. Our leadership team will learn from your feedback and suggestions as they begin planning for next year.