Let the celebrating begin!
Wittenberg has been celebrating its seniors all week long and is excited to see the 323 degree candidates cross the stage in picturesque Commencement Hollow on Saturday, May 17, as the University conducts its 175th Commencement exercises for the Class of 2025.
The Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2025 will begin at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. All guests must be seated by 11 a.m. Access to Commencement Hollow will be restricted until 9:30 a.m. Commencement Hollow will be set up with approximately 3,000 chairs. In addition, visitors are welcome to bring their own chairs or blankets.
The rain location for the ceremony will be inside the Pam Evans Smith Arena, part of the Health, Wellness & Athletics (HWA) Complex. Tickets are required and have already been distributed to the graduates. Others wishing to view the ceremony can watch online at . GradImages, a leader in commencement photography, will handle capturing photos of all degree candidates with their diplomas for purchase.
Addressing the graduates at the ceremony will be Wittenberg President Michael L. Frandsen, keynote speaker Gina Schaefer, Wittenberg class of 1993 and founder of 13 ACE Hardware stores, Bill Edwards, Wittenberg Board of Directors President, and Kelly Sumption, class of 2001 and president of the Wittenberg University Alumni Association. Senior class co-presidents Grace Hehman from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Victoria Pipinich from Fort Worth, Texas, will also share remarks with their classmates.
鈥淚 can confidently say that the senior class is one of the most tight-knit classes at the University. I cannot walk to class without seeing someone I know or talking to a classmate, and that is truly what makes Wittenberg and the Class of 2025 special,鈥� said Hehman, a nursing major.
鈥淲e have grown and learned a lot, and I believe we are ready for the next step. I am beyond thrilled to see where everyone ends up, and I know that whatever they do, they will do it well,鈥� said Pipinich, a chemistry major minoring in math.
Prior to Commencement, the Class of 2025 will hold its Baccalaureate service on Friday, May 16, in historic Weaver Chapel. The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m.
Planned and led by members of the senior class and David P. and Carol Matevia Endowed University Pastor Tracy Paschke-Johannes, the Baccalaureate service is an academic and religious tradition that celebrates the upcoming Commencement festivities. The service, which will last approximately an hour, offers seniors an opportunity to reflect on their time at the University and to look to faith as they begin the next step in their journey.
Members of the Class of 2025 will share reflections on their time at Wittenberg and read scripture from the University鈥檚 historic Lutheran Christian tradition. A tradition of offering all graduates brief individual blessings during a song will continue this year. The service concludes with candle lighting as the graduates receive and pass on their light.
Senior representation from the class of 2025 includes those who participated in chapel activities, Student Senate, and Greek life. Parents, faculty, staff and friends are encouraged to join and celebrate as Wittenberg kicks off graduation weekend.
鈥淲e will have opportunity to hear from our graduates and bless them as they begin their new journeys beyond our doors,鈥� Paschke-Johannes said. 鈥淥ur students, from diverse faith traditions, will have a time to celebrate and give thanks for their time in our community.鈥�
As part of the Commencement exercises, the Myers Hall bell will toll 15 times at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning and again at 10 a.m. to notify the campus that the ceremony will be held in its intended outdoor location at the scheduled time of 11:30 a.m. If the bell does not ring, that will be a signal that the ceremony will take place inside at the Pam Evans Smith Arena.
Special parking has been arranged for physically disabled guests in the parking areas behind Carnegie and Recitation Halls. The exit to N. Plum Street (the road behind Koch Hall) will be reversed so that vehicles cannot exit onto N. Plum Street from W. Campus Drive, and instead vehicles will be able to enter from N. Plum Street at 8 a.m. to allow easy access to the Recitation Hall and Carnegie Hall parking lots to accommodate parking for physically disabled guests only. To help alleviate traffic congestion, there will be no westbound traffic on W. Ward Street between Woodlawn Avenue and N. Wittenberg Avenue. Vehicular traffic will be redirected down Woodlawn Avenue to W. College Avenue. A shuttle service will be provided prior to and after the ceremony for those with mobility issues.
In order to allow guests to gather safely for the ceremony, Wittenberg will be closing East and West Campus Drives at 8 a.m. on May 17. Officers will be at these locations to assist graduates and their families and friends. Other parking locations include New Residence Hall, Tower Hall, Firestine Hall, Synod Hall, the Benham-Pence Student Center, and Krieg Hall. Click here for directions, campus maps, and detailed parking information.
In the event of inclement weather and Commencement needing to be held at the Health, Wellness & Athletics Complex, the University will not regulate traffic on Ward Street. The handicapped parking for an indoor Commencement ceremony is located in the Upper Lot (across from HWA). Guests with disabilities can enter the HWA via the entrance facing Bill Edwards Drive. A shuttle service will be provided prior to and after the ceremony for those with mobility issues even if the event moves indoors.
Restrooms for an outdoor ceremony will be available on Commencement Day at Recitation Hall, Blair Hall, and Weaver Chapel. ADA-accessible facilities are located in Blair Hall and Weaver Chapel. ADA-accessible restrooms will also be available in the parking lot behind Carnegie Hall.
For those with special needs/requests regarding ceremony logistics, please contact Commencement Committee Chair Brandee Bates Kern at bbates@wittenberg.edu. For additional information, click here.
Immediately following the ceremony, Wittenberg will host a post-ceremony reception in honor of the Class of 2025 along Alumni Way. Light snacks and beverages will be provided, and graduates will be able to retrieve their diplomas at this time. All family members are invited to attend, and faculty and staff will be present. The backup rain site for this event reception will be the 1929 Gymnasium.
For additional Commencement information, visit . Be sure to follow a favorite Commencement tradition, #StompTheSeal, on social media, as well.
Can鈥檛 join us in person, watch the ceremony online here.
