Please read each item below carefully. Note that various surveys and forms will become available as graduation approaches. We will flag what is due and when in subsequent communications but we hope that this checklist provides a good sense of what to expect.
Steps to Complete
1. Order Academic Attire
Academic attire (cap and gown) is required for all candidates and graduates attending the NYU All-University Commencement at Yankee Stadium (May 15, 2025) and/or the EMBA Graduation Ceremony at NYU Skirball (August 2, 2025).
A full academic attire set consists of a gown, tassel, cap, and hood. The EMBA program will be ordering and covering all expenses related to the academic attire order for EMBA graduates (one academic attire set per graduate).
For more information on the ordering process, timeline, and distribution, please see here.
2. Apply to Graduate and Review Diploma Options
By the beginning of the final semester, students should apply for graduation. This indicates that students will be completing their academic requirements at the end of the term and alerts the University to review the record in order to confer your degree. Students should also take the time to review their diploma options to ensure their name is listed correctly and will be sent to the correct mailing address.
For more information and instructions, click here.
3. RSVP to EMBA Graduation Ceremony
Once the EMBA Graduation Ceremony RSVP survey goes live in May, you will be required to enter in your RSVP details for yourself and any of your guests who are attending. Please be sure to tell us in the comment box if your guests have any special accommodations (e.g. mobility, hearing, etc.).
Guest Tickets: Each graduate can bring 3 guests to the ceremony.
Children Policy: All children aged 2 and older are required to be registered as a guest and have a ticket for admission to the graduation ceremony. Children under 2 do not need to be registered as a guest but are required to sit on an adult's lap.
For more information, see our page on RSVP and Tickets. The link to the EMBA Graduation Ceremony RSVP survey will be sent in a separate email.
*Note: If you are planning to attend the NYU All-University Commencement at Yankee Stadium in May, there is a separate RSVP process. Please note that the EMBA team does not manage the NYU All-University Commencement. Communications will go to your NYU email, not your Stern email. If you are considering attending this event, please be sure that you can access these emails.
4. Select Class Speaker
As part of the ceremony, we will have one student speaker from each graduating cohort to share remarks on behalf of their class. The class speaker should be someone who is comfortable giving a speech in front of 500+ people. They should be someone who most people in the cohort think could speak for them. The speech should be about 3-4 minutes and can cover their experience at NYU Stern’s EMBA program, most memorable moments, relationships, intellectual struggle, growth, etc.
Students will be asked to nominate speakers and then voting will take place afterwards.
5. Audition to be the National Anthem Singer
Every year, the Executive MBA graduation ceremony includes a live singer to perform the national anthem, and we would like to involve our students in the celebration.
If interested, please submit a video of you singing the national anthem to Jenny Yuan (jyuan@stern.nyu.edu) with the subject line “National Anthem Audition” by Friday, June 6, 2025. We look forward to hearing your beautiful voices!
6. Review Preferred Name
We will request your preferred name (to be listed as members of the Class of 2025) for the following:
Graduation Program - This will be given to attendees during the EMBA graduation ceremony.
Wall Street Journal Ad - We will take an ad in the New York metro and DC metro regional editions of the Wall Street Journal to congratulate our graduates. The ad will be in the Wednesday, August 6 WSJ edition.
If you’d like to opt out of the WSJ announcement, please email a member of the EMBA administration.
7. Submit WSJ Supporters Form
We will have a digital version of the Wall Street Journal ad available and would be happy to email this to those who have supported you through the program (up to 5 people) - e.g. a workplace supporter, parent, partner, etc. The email with digital ad reprint will come from the Academic Director with a note thanking your supporters.
8. Declare Specialization(s)
You will receive an email from Georgia Mottola when the time comes to declare your specializations - you must manually declare specializations, they are not automatically declared. Note that declaring specializations is optional.
If you would like to learn more about the rules and regulations guiding specializations, please go to Stern Life > Academics > Academic Resources > Electives and Specializations.
9. Complete Graduating Student Survey
Now that the end is in sight, we want to ask for your help by sharing your feedback with us. This is your final EMBA survey to tell us about your experience. The EMBA administration takes your feedback very seriously and its helps us to make successful changes to the EMBA program for future cohorts. The value of your EMBA degree does not stop upon graduation. It grows and changes largely based on the strength of our program and its improvements, which are informed by your feedback and suggestions.
The link to the survey will be sent in a separate email. All responses are anonymous.
10. Attend EMBA Graduation Ceremony!
You did it! We are very much looking forward to celebrating with you and your guests on this huge milestone. For more information regarding the ceremony, please use the left-hand menu navigation page.
As a reminder, academic attire (cap and gown) is required. We would recommend reviewing the 'Know Before You Go' page to ensure you and your guests are prepared for the ceremony.
Before You Leave EMBA
Update Your Contact Information
No matter where alumni live, NYU Stern helps them stay connected. Make sure to update your contact information and manage your emails here to receive notifications regarding events and the latest updates once you become an alum.
Attend Feedback Session
We invite students to provide in-person feedback about the program. Over the years, we have doubled the number of electives, added specializations, created an EMBA-focused position on the Careers team, started online review sessions, and made many other improvements based on student feedback. The advantage of this in-person session is that we can have a discussion and ask you questions regarding your feedback. No agenda, just ideas. We encourage you to attend this session.
Please be on the lookout in your Class Week Email (CWE) for the announcement of when the feedback session will be held. This usually takes place in-person, during lunch, and towards the end of the program.
Attend Alumni Resource Presentation
Join us to learn about the Stern alumni benefits you will have as an Executive MBA alumni. Representatives from Alumni Relations, EMBA, Careers, and the Executive Education teams will present to you about the various benefits available to you once you graduate. You will hear about lifetime learning and lifetime career coaching available to you, how to maintain your relationship with the Stern community after graduation, available alumni services, and volunteering opportunities. We encourage you to attend this session.
Please be on the lookout in your Class Week Email (CWE) for the announcement of when the feedback session will be held. This usually takes place in-person, during lunch, and towards the end of the program.
Vote for Great Professor
As a fun EMBA tradition, we ask cohorts to vote for their Great Professors towards the end of the program. Think of who you learned from the most, were challenged by the most or simply enjoyed the most. Students will vote for their Great Professor in Year 1 and in Year 2.
Winners will be announced during the last class weekend via email. Professors who win receive an award and most importantly...bragging rights!
The link to the voting survey will be sent in a separate email.