We recommend that students submit an application for graduation during the semester prior to when their degree will be complete. We invite you to apply on the registrar’s website. 

Once you submit your application to graduate, you will receive an invitation from [email protected] to register for the Commencement ceremony in the MarchingOrder system. The first batch of invitations will be sent in early October!

You must register to attend Commencement by November 10. This will ensure your name will be read and displayed correctly, and your name will appear on the Commencement t-shirts available for purchase at the ceremony.

Tickets are not required. However, due to capacity limitations at the venue, we ask that all candidates be mindful of their number of guests in attendance. This will ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience and that there are seats available for all. All seats are general admission, seating is first-come, first-seated and there are no reserved seats. We will live stream the ceremony and provide a live stream link on the homepage on the day of the event.

November 16 cap and gown deadline!

Visit the Laker Store to purchase your cap and gown before November 16.

We want all of our graduating Lakers to celebrate their accomplishments during Commencement. If you’re experiencing any financial barriers to purchasing regalia that may prevent you from attending the ceremony, please contact [email protected]

How to Wear your Regalia  Regalia and Adornments Guidelines

Students participating in Commencement will receive a diploma cover at the ceremony. If a student is unable to attend the ceremony and would like a diploma cover, they can contact the Registrar’s Office at [email protected].

Land Acknowledgement

At a significant University event like Commencement, we have an opportunity to offer appreciation to those who were stewards of the land on which our beautiful campus was built, long before most of our ancestors arrived. As an institution committed to diversity, inclusion and equity, Grand Valley recognizes the Three Fires People, who include the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi, on whose ancestral lands we now live and work.