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Office of the Registrar | Commencement
Celebrating all Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 graduates.
Commencement information will be sent to graduation candidates via their Eagles email account. Graduates should be sure to check their Eagles email frequently and are encouraged to share that information with their guests.
This page is frequently updated as additional information becomes available from the Commencement Committee. Please contact [email protected] with your commencement questions.
December
15
The service is for all graduating students, their attending family, and friends.
December 15th, 2023 – 3:30PM
CU Center: 1530 Concordia West, Irvine, CA 92612
16
This ceremony will be celebrating all Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 graduates.
December 16th, 2023 – 8:30AM
1530 Concordia West, Irvine, CA 92612
The stage portion of the commencement ceremony will be live-streamed. The video will come available the day of commencement.
Concordia University Irvine is proud to celebrate our graduates alongside their families through a unique ceremony format. This walkthrough format allows graduates and their families to engage with the campus community together while celebrating each graduate’s individual accomplishments.
As soon as graduates and their families arrive on campus, they will be guided along a route through campus to the stage. See an example video of the route here. Plan for walking approximately half a mile over a period of 30-40 minutes. PLEASE DRESS ACCORDINGLY! Portions of the walkway may be uphill. Graduates will enter the CU Center with their friends and family, walk across the stage, and have professional photos taken. After the graduate has crossed the stage and their family and friends are done cheering, they will meet outside to continue celebrating. Multiple photo opportunities will be present on our beautiful campus.
This ceremony is a walking ceremony, but golf cart rides will be provided from the parking lot to the venue and back to the parking lot for guests who need assistance. Golf cart services cannot be reserved in advance but will be readily available for those who need assistance. Let the gatehouse attendant know that you need assistance and a cart will meet you at your parking spot. If necessary, guests should bring their own walkers or wheelchairs as none will be provided. Please note that only trained service dogs are allowed at commencement.
Due to limited parking availability and venue capacity restrictions, graduates will be issued 2 commencement parking passes each. The commencement parking pass is in lieu of guest tickets and graduates may invite as many guests as can safely fit inside the vehicle. Vehicles must be able to fit into a standard-size parking stall (no RVs, limos, party buses, etc.). Commencement parking passes will be issued to graduates who have a time slot via their Eagles email the week before Commencement. Regular campus parking passes will not grant entry to campus during the ceremony and we will not issue additional passes. Please plan accordingly. There will be a designated area on campus for rideshare services to drop off and pick up.
Graduates will be assigned time slots ranging between 8:45am-11:45am. Time slots represent the time that the graduate and all of their guests should arrive on campus to begin their celebration. Each time slot has a maximum capacity but there are enough time slots for everyone. All graduates must fill out a Time Slot Request Form to participate in Commencement. Students who do not fill out this form will not be assigned a time slot. The form will be sent to students via their eagles email on October 4th and will be open until October 18th at 4:30pm. The form will allow students to either request other graduates they would like to walk with OR to request a specific time slot. Please know we will try our very best to accommodate everyone’s requests, but requests are not guaranteed. After the form closes, any and all time slot requests will not be accepted. Official time slot assignments will be emailed to graduates who filled out the form in early November.
The ceremony will be held rain or shine.
We are pleased to offer GradImages as our photo vendor. Pre-register for photography before the ceremony for 20% off of your order.
Gown length and style may not be altered. Stoles and hoods may not be customized in any way. Modest personal embellishments are allowed on the cap, but must lie flat, cannot extend over the edge, and must be appropriate.
Only Concordia-approved regalia (including pins, stoles, cords, and medallions) bestowed at the Undergraduate Academic Achievement ceremony and provided by university-sponsored clubs or Concordia University Irvine Veterans Resource Center may be worn at graduation. Decorative items such as costume leis, beads, or sashes may only be worn after the ceremony. Balloons, alcohol, glass, noisemakers, firearms, and weapons are not permitted on campus.
Concordia is partnering with local hotels to give you and your guests a pleasant stay during your celebration.
Hilton Garden Inn Irvine/Orange County Airport – click here to book a room. A discount is available for reservations placed before 11/24/2023. Call (949) 224-3900 and mention “Concordia Fall Commencement 2023” for the discount.
Courtyard Irvine Spectrum – click here to book a room. A discount is available for reservations placed before 11/3/2023. Call (844) 610-7857 and mention "Concordia University" for the discount.
The nearest airport to Concordia is John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA).
Other nearby airports include Burbank Airport, Long Beach Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Ontario International Airport, and San Diego International Airport.
As you look ahead and anticipate walking in Concordia University Irvine’s Commencement Ceremony, preparation begins months in advance, beginning with your application for Graduation. Please see the degree pages for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral candidates to learn about deadlines and details.
Gowns for Bachelor’s and Master’s Graduates are sized according to height and weight and are ordered according to information provided on the Application for Graduation. Academic regalia is free of charge. Bachelor’s regalia includes a cap, gown, tassel, and stole. Master’s regalia includes a cap, gown, tassel, and hood. Doctoral graduates will order their regalia through Jostens. More information can be found on graduation pages for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral candidates. Here is a link to a video that shows how to wear the academic hood for master's degree and doctoral degree candidates. Doctoral candidates will be hooded on stage by their Chair. All other students should arrive at commencement wearing all regalia.
You may order special Concordia University Irvine branded memorabilia from the Jostens’ website or by calling 800-854-7464. CUI’s Bookstore also has some great alumni gear and diploma frames. There will be flowers for sale. You can pre-order flowers by clicking here or you may purchase them on commencement day.