Graduation: May 14, 2011

MANDATORY REHEARSAL:

Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 5:00pm

Graduates must attend the rehearsal which is held in the Watkins theater. Graduates will receive their cap and gown at this time. (remember that the caps and gowns are rentals only and must be returned at the close of graduation ceremonies).
BRUNCH:

Saturday May 14, 2011

10:00am -12:00, Watkins Campus

A celebration brunch sponsored by the Admissions Office will be held on the morning of graduation on the Watkins Campus. All graduates, family, faculty and staff are welcome to attend with an rsvp.

Please RSVP to [email protected]

Commencement Ceremony

Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 2:00pm

LOCATION:  Downtown Presbyterian Church, 154 5th Ave N Nashville, Tennessee.

Graduating students must arrive at the church at 12:30 p.m. Report to the lower level area of the church at the side entrance (fifth avenue). Graduates will take a group photo on the front church steps. Graduates will receive cords for any academic honors as they line-up for the procession. 

LINE OF MARCH: Begins promptly at 1:30pm! Students will be lined up in alphabetical order in accordance with their degree program.

SAMUEL WATKINS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE:  Last year, an anonymous donor established the Samuel Watkins Award for Excellence, an award for a graduating senior who has achieved exceptional distinction in his or her discipline. The recipient of this award will be announced by President Ellen Meyer at Commencement.

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: SYLVIE FORTIN, Editor-in-Chief, ART PAPERS

Sylvie Fortin is an independent curator, art historian, critic and editor who has worked internationally since 1991. She was Curator of Manif d’Art 5—the 5th Quebec City Biennale in 2010, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Ottawa Art Gallery (Ottawa, Ontario, 1996-2001), Program Coordinator at la chambre blanche (Quebec City, Quebec, 1991-1994), and a long-term collaborator with OBORO (Montreal, Quebec, 1994-2001). Her critical essays have been published in Canadian, American, and European catalogues, and her reviews have appeared in many periodicals including Art Press, C Magazine, Espace, Fuse, NKA: Journal of Contemporary African Art, and Parachute. Fortin studied Art History and Theory at the University of Toronto, Université Laval, and Duke University. She has received numerous significant grants and awards as a critic and curator, as well as for her academic research. Fortin was named Lexus Leader of the Arts in December 2007.

RECEPTION: Graduates and their families are welcome to enjoy cake and refreshments which will be served in the Fellowship Hall (lower level of church) at the close of graduation ceremonies.

CHECK LIST FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS

• Students must complete the Intent to Graduate Form (registrar's office)
• Clear all holds from the Library and Business Office (see Registrar if you are not sure)
• Financial Aid Loan Exit Counseling Session (see below)
• Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal on Thursday, May 12, 2011, 5:00-6:00pm in the theater
• Brunch at 10:00am to 12:00 on campus May 14, 2011
• Meet promptly at Downtown Presbyterian Church at 12:30 p.m. with your cap and gown on the day of graduation!

Graduate Exit Form:  Graduates are required to fill out the Graduate Exit Form which must be turned in to the Registrar’s Office.  Click (here) for the form which can be electronically returned to the Registrar, Tracie Johnson at [email protected] or stop by the Registrar’s Office.

Financial Aid Loan Exit Counseling Session:  If you have borrowed form the Federal Student Loan Program at any time during your enrollment at Watkins, you are required to complete a Loan Exit Counseling Session.  Click (here) for more information.

Caps and Gowns:  Graduates have been fitted for caps and gowns.  Caps and gowns will be distributed at the Graduation Rehearsal (Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 5:00pm). Please remember that the caps and gowns are rentals only and must be returned to Registrar staff in the Church Basement immediately after the ceremony. The graduation 2011 tassel and academic honor cord (if applicable) are your mementos to keep!

Invitations/Memorabilia: You are not required to purchase graduation announcements and Watkins does not collect nor place this order for you.  If desired, you may visit the Herff-Jones website to order online graduation announcements and other graduation products mailed direct to your home. The website is www.herffjones.com/college.  Select the item of interest, and click the “order now” icon.   

Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal: There will be a mandatory graduation rehearsal for all graduates in the Watkins theatre (room 500). Students will receive final clearance, graduation instructions and their caps and gowns.

Graduation Ceremony & Reception: The ceremony is at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 14, 2011 at The Downtown Presbyterian Church located at 154 5th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37219.  The church is one of Nashville’s treasured historic buildings and provides an elegant setting for the event. Please visit www.dpchurch.com for a map and directions. A reception will be held immediately following the ceremony in the church’s Fellowship Hall (lower level of church). You are welcome to invite family and friends to share in this memorable experience. All graduates are to arrive at the church by 12:30 p.m. to dress, have a class photo taken and line up for the ceremony.  Line up will begin promptly at 1:30 p.m.  Parking is not available at the church; however, there are several parking garages/lots in the immediate vicinity, so please arrive early.  

Academic Honors: Three academic distinctions are awarded to graduating students. This honor is recognized at graduation and apppears on the student's official transcript. Academic honors can be noted on resume as an academic achievement.

• Summa Cum Laude is awarded to candidates whose cumulative grade point average is 3.90 or higher.
• Magna Cum Laude is awarded to candidates whose cumulative grade point average is 3.70-3.89.
• Cum Laude is awarded to candidates whose cumulative grade point average is 3.50-3.69.

 It is the responsibility of each student to become familiar with the requirements for his or her major or program of studies as specified in the catalog under which the student was admitted and to be sure that all such requirements are met. Failure to be aware of a requirement does not excuse a student from completing it. Graduating seniors should check their respective catalog and student handbook for graduation requirement information.