Florida A&M University Develops Plan for its 9 a.m. Commencement Session

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Commencement Committee has developed a plan for its 9 a.m. commencement session scheduled for Sunday, May 3, due to the expected turnout. Tickets are needed only for the morning session. The commencement speaker will be former President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the 42nd President of United States. Graduates, faculty and the general public will not need tickets for the 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. commencement sessions.

The plan is as follows:

• Each graduate will be issued up to ten (10) tickets for family and friends.

• Graduates can pick up tickets at the Student Union Ticket Booth starting April 23 through May 1 from 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Graduates will also have an opportunity to pick up their tickets on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• In order for graduates to pick up their tickets, they must have a Valid Rattler ID, a graduation card from the Registrar Office, and their name must be on the list to graduate in the 9 a.m. session.

• All participating faculty members can pick up one ticket from the Provost’s Office starting Thursday, April 23.

• A limited amount of tickets are available for the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. These tickets will be available at the FAMU Office of Communications located in Lee Hall, Suite 100, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  

“Our first priority is our graduates,” said Henry Kirby, chair of the commencement committee and associate vice president for Student Life and dean of students. “We want to ensure that members of their family have an opportunity to be seated. We have received an overwhelming number of calls from the general public who want to attend the 9 a.m. ceremony. We believe that we have developed a solid plan that will provide an opportunity for many to have access.”

The FAMU Schools and Colleges graduating at the 9 a.m. session include, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Law, the School of Architecture and Environmental Sciences Institute. The line of march for this session will begin at 8:30 a.m. Graduates are to arrive at 7:30 a.m. and report to Bragg Stadium, and doors open for the public at 8 a.m.

Students in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, School of Allied Health Sciences and the School of Nursing will be presented at the 2 p.m. session. The line of march for the 2 p.m. session is 1:30 p.m. Graduates are to arrive at 12:30 p.m. and report to Bragg Stadium, and doors open for the public at 1 p.m.

The final commencement exercise will include the School of Business and Industry, College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture, College of Education and the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication. The line of march will start at 5:30 p.m. Graduates are to arrive at 4:30 p.m. and report to Bragg Stadium, and doors open for the public at 5 p.m.

The speaker for the 2 p.m. commencement session will be U.S. Congressman Kendrick Meek and the 6 p.m. speaker will be CNN Anchor/Special Correspondent Soledad O’Brien.

For more information, contact the Office of Communications at 599-3413.