Commencement is an optional event(s) held at the end of an academic year, in celebration of those who have or will graduate in the same academic year. 

Commencement is not the same thing as Graduation.

Graduation is the official act of conferring the degree earned by a student when all degree requirements have been met. Graduation occurs when the university enters the conferred degree on the student’s transcript.

In order to participate in Commencement, students need to have graduated, to be on track to graduate during the academic year, and/or be granted special permission to walk early.

Email commencement.ausb@antioch.edu

Graduating students attend Commencement for many personal reasons.  Some want to participate in the formal conclusion of  their academic studies with fellow students and faculty. Others want to share the recognition and celebration of their academic achievement with family and friends. Many students look forward to wearing the regalia (cap and gown) that signify their degree. And a photograph of a graduate in their regalia can become a treasured memory or professional tool. Whatever the reason, Antioch graduates who attend the Commencement Ceremony recall the event as a meaningful and enjoyable culmination of their Antioch experience

The Commencement Ceremony will be broadcast live so that family and friends can view their graduate's recognition from anywhere in the world. The livestream link will be available prior to the event.

Yes, guest tickets will be required to attend commencement. Each graduate will receive a total of eight allotted tickets for their guests.  

Graduates may invite up to eight guests of their choosing to attend Commencement. 

Each graduate will receive a total of eight allotted tickets for their guests.  

The predesignated Program Coordinator will be in contact with the graduating student via email in early August 2026 and provide information about ticket distribution. 

Requests for extra tickets will be reviewed and determined based on the number of graduates participating in the ceremony. Information on how to submit your requests will be provided during ticket distribution period and as we get closer to the event. 

Children under the age of 2 who will sit on a guardian's lap during the ceremony do not require a ticket.   

No. All graduates will be given the opportunity to use the name of their choosing (within reason) to be read and shown during commencement. For the ceremony program, which will list all eligible graduates, registered names will be used.

Students wishing to change their official registered name with the university can do so by contacting the Registrar’s Office. 

Regalia is required to participate in commencement.  Attire includes a gown, cap, and tassel for undergraduate programs. Graduates from master’s and doctoral programs will also wear a hood.

Regalia can be purchased at Jostens's AUSB’s Regalia Site at  https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1012570/Antioch-University/.   Graduates are encouraged to order their regalia early. 

Visit the REGALIA page for more information. 

Absolutely. Please do!

Antioch currently does not have a mask or vaccine requirement for on-campus events.  Therefore, participants and attendees at the commencement ceremony are not required to be masked. To safeguard one’s own health and that of others, face masks are highly recommended indoors, but are not required. Please note that the indoor mask recommendation may change back to a requirement at any time. To stay informed, please pay attention to all signage and email notifications that may indicate changes to the current protocol.