NOTICE: Classes canceled today due to weather conditions. Check Blackboard for communication from your instructors.
Graduation is a required event for students completing their degrees.
Dates: Friday, December 15, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Times: SBU will host one commencement ceremony for Fall 2023 graduates. Below is the ceremony time for all degree recipients.
Location: All ceremonies will be held in the Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center on the SBU Bolivar campus.
Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center:
1260 S Pike Ave, Bolivar MO 65613
All graduates will be emailed and texted their specific ceremony times during the first half of the spring semester. Correspondence will be sent to graduates' SBU email addresses and cell phone numbers on file.
Graduating this semester? Commencement checklists will be available soon!
Regalia for Fall 2023 will be ordered by the campus store with the completion of your intention to graduate form (deadline is September 1, 2023) and will be distributed in the following manner:
Graduates are responsible to bring all of their regalia to wear on commencement day.
Stop in the SBU Campus Store on Wednesday, November 1 between 10am - 3pm for the SBU Grad Fair! Bolivar campus bachelors and associate regalia will be ready for pick up and our Jostens representative will be on hand to assist with announcement ordering. Jostens will also have their entire line of graduation products and jewelry on display, and orders can be placed at a special one-day discount.
The ceremony lineup will take place in the Intramural Gym inside of the Jane & Ken Meyer Wellness & Sports Center.
To avoid long lines, check-in for your ceremony will open 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony and close at 1 hour prior, which is when all necessary line-up instructions will be given. If you are late to check-in, you will be placed at the end of the graduation line and will not be able to graduate with your specific division.
Recommended attire:
Caps are worn level with tassels on the left at all times. Men will remove caps at times of prayer; ladies will leave caps on at all times. This regalia is for you to keep.
Undergraduate degrees: The stole is worn like an honor cord, draped around the neck with the seal on your right. Those receiving honor cords will wear them on top of the stole.
Only the stoles, honor cords distributed at graduation lineup, and medals awarded to the Dutile Honors Program graduates may be worn with the graduation gown. It is NOT appropriate to wear cords/sashes/pins/ribbons from honor societies or other organizations during commencement.
Graduate degrees: Please be sure to bring your hood with you in order for it to be presented to you during the commencement ceremony.
Yes! A livestream of the commencement ceremonies will be available.
We are planning on your attendance as we want to celebrate this significant accomplishment with you. If you cannot attend your commencement ceremony, kindly notify the Office of the Provost by by Nov. 3rd, 2023. Please email Graduation@SBUniv.edu, stating your reason for being absent. You will receive a response by email within five business days.
A minimum of 45 semester hours of credit must have been completed at SBU prior to the semester of graduation. For the graduation ceremony, honors are calculated on the Institutional Grade Point Average at the beginning of your final semester.
After final semester grades are completed, official honors will be determined for transcripts.
Honor cords will be distributed at the Honors Ceremony to be held on Tuesday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m. This will be an invitation-only event. The graduate will be responsible for bringing honors cords, along with all other regalia, to the commencement ceremony.
The list of graduates will be posted online, on the Media Relations page, once grades have been finalized.
News releases will be sent to Missouri newspapers.
For out-of-state newspaper announcements, complete this form if you would like to have a news release sent to your hometown newspaper.
Grad Images will make pictures available online for your purchase. Visit www.gradimages.com or call 1-800-261-2576 with questions. Or, contact Grad Images Customer Service.
To be eligible for a discount on photo purchases, visit www.gradimages.com/preregistration prior to the ceremony to pre-register for your graduation photos.
Diplomas will be available within four weeks of graduation. The diploma size is 8.5 X 11.
All degrees will be granted contingent upon successful completion of all academic degree requirements, which includes the Chapel attendance requirements for graduates on the Bolivar campus, and payment of all financial balances. Once grades are determined and finalized, diplomas will be mailed to students who have successfully completed all requirements.
There are handicap parking spaces in front of the Jane & Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center, as well as across the street in the Geneva Casebolt Music Center parking lot. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
There will be a designated area for special needs in the ceremony space. SBU Staff will be on hand to assist with the location of these areas and to answer any questions.
Yes! A livestream of the commencement ceremonies will be available.
Several hotels are located near the SBU-Bolivar campus:
Additional accommodations are located in nearby Springfield, Mo.
The Bolivar Area Chamber of Commerce maintains a partial listing of Bolivar restaurants (those who are Chamber members).