Temperatures can vary during the day at this time of year. We suggest you dress comfortably and for all weather conditions, including layers for sun and/or rain protection. Please don’t forget your sunscreen.
Only service animals specifically trained to assist a person with a disability are permitted on campus during Commencement. For the safety of your pet and all guests, please leave your pet at home.
If you are affected by warmer temperatures and direct sunlight, consider watching Commencement from the alternate viewing area we will have set up inside our adjacent air-conditioned indoor arena.
Wear flat, comfortable shoes and try to avoid shoes such as high heels. The Commencement ceremony and President’s Picnic take place on turf and grass.
Please arrive 30 to 60 minutes before the event in order to expedite entrance. After parking, guests should board a campus shuttle to the ceremony.
Rely on event ushers for directions and assistance. They will be strategically positioned throughout the campus and clearly identified with badges and red lanyards.
Try to stay for the entire ceremony in order to be respectful to other graduates and their families so that those who receive their diplomas later in the morning are not disrupted.
Be respectful of others when moving around and taking pictures. Remember there is a service that photographs every graduate as they walk across the stage and shake hands with Rensselaer President Martin Schmidt '81. Graduates will receive information about how to purchase those photos.