Date: November 16, 2017 To: Commencement Participants From: Kent Bauer, Registrar RE: Participant Instructions Attached please find the procedures for the MCC Commencement to be held Saturday, May 5, 2018 at 9:00 A.M. There is a section which shows a diagram of how the stage will be set up. Also included is a map of Fort Morgan to help direct your guests to the Fort Morgan MCC Campus. Thank you for your participation in this milestone event for our graduation candidates and graduates. We hope it will be a memorable occasion for you, your family, and friends. If you require any special accommodation in order to be able to participate in the commencement ceremony, please contact Kenne Bauer at 542-3167 by April 1st. (Toll free: 1-800-622-0216 ext. 3167) Remember to tell your family and friends that seating is limited, but that they are welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs for lawn seating, which is unlimited (and has shade!)
MORGAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMMENCEMENT Saturday, May 5, 2018 9:00 AM THERE WILL NOT BE A REHEARSAL PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY COMMENCEMENT will take place Saturday, May 5, at 9:00 a.m. outdoors on the east side of the MCC Fort Morgan campus located at 920 Barlow Road, Ft. Morgan, CO. Participants should be here and checked in no later than 8:30 a.m. Inclement weather site will be the Fort Morgan High School Auditorium at 709 E. Riverview Avenue, Fort Morgan, CO. If MCC makes the decision to change the location due to inclement weather, the announcement will be made the day before commencement and will be broadcast on local radio stations and will be posted on the MCC telephone lines and website at www.morgancc.edu. PROCEDURES DEGREE/CERTIFICATE CANDIDATES Degree/Certificate candidates meet in Bloedorn Hall at the MCC Fort Morgan campus no later than 8:30 A.M. wearing cap and gown. Candidates wear tassels on the right. Candidates for certificates and degrees need to check in with the staff member on duty immediately upon arrival in Bloedorn to receive your name card which you will hand to the Vice President before you cross the stage. Following check-in, all participants should line up in the study area by Bloedorn. The stage party will lead the procession followed by faculty, staff, and candidates for degrees/certificates. Signs will be posted to direct candidates to Bloedorn Hall. Candidates will be seated in the rows indicated on the attached diagram. Candidates will march into the ceremony area double file. You need not march in strict rhythm, but remain about three feet apart. A Pacer will assist you in starting down the aisle the correct distance from the person ahead of you. After coming to your seat, REMAIN STANDING for THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. REMAIN STANDING UNTIL THE STAGE PARTY SITS DOWN. FACULTY, AND STAGE PARTY Faculty and Stage Party will meet in Cottonwood Room 101 no later than 8:30 A.M. wearing cap and gown. Faculty and Stage Party members wear tassels on the left. The stage party will lead the procession followed by faculty, staff, and candidates for degrees/certificates. Signs will be posted to direct Stage Party and Faculty to Cottonwood Room 101 and where to line up. Faculty and Stage Party will be seated in the rows indicated on the attached diagram. Faculty and Stage Party will march into the ceremony area double file. You need not march in strict rhythm, but remain about three feet apart. A Pacer will assist you in starting down the aisle the correct distance from the person ahead of you. After coming to your seat, REMAIN STANDING for THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. REMAIN STANDING UNTIL THE STAGE PARTY SITS DOWN.
STEPS FOR CONFERRING OF DEGREES The degree/certificate candidates will receive diplomas as follows: a. At the request of the Vice President, all Degree/Certificate candidates please stand for the presentation of the graduates, and for the President s response. b. After the response, all except the back row please be seated. As the President, Vice Presidents, Advisory Council Representative, and State Community College System representative, assume their positions at their stations, the back row please move to the right until you reach the bottom of the stage steps, then go up the steps, one person at a time. (1) After going up the steps, walk forward and hand your name card to the Vice President at the podium (if you have a difficult or unusual name you may want to softly say the correct pronunciation to the Vice President as you hand over your card). Walk across the stage as your name is read. Honors will be announced at the same time as students receive diplomas. (Phi Theta Kappa, VICA, HOSA, and other student organization or club membership is NOT announced.) (2) Receive diploma in left hand, shake hands with right. Pause for a moment for the photograph with the President. (The President, the State Community College System representative, and MCC Advisory Council representative(s) will be congratulating you.) (3) Carefully go down the steps, move back to your chair, and be seated. Enter from the left side of the row. c. When the last person in the back row reaches the steps, the next row will stand and begin to move toward the right until you reach the stage steps. Continue to follow the same procedures as above (hand your card to the Vice President; move forward when your name is called; receive diploma; descend steps; move along your row until you reach your original chair; then be seated). d. After all candidates have received diplomas and the final student returns to her/his seat, the graduates will stand and together move tassels from right to left at the instruction of the President. PERSONAL PRAYER At the time for personal prayer near the end of the program, men should remove their caps and then re-don them when the period of prayer ends. Please follow the President s lead. NOTE TO GRADUATES There will be no security provided during Commencement, so we recommend that you make arrangements for your purses, cameras, and other valuables. It may be warm and we recommend that you stay hydrated. A bottle of water will be provided to each participant. Remember not to lock your knees when standing to help avoid passing out.
DIPLOMAS One diploma case will be given to participating students at Commencement. Candidates receiving more than one degree or certificate will receive one diploma case at commencement and additional diploma cases can be purchased from the MCC Bookstore if desired. The diploma inserts will be mailed after all requirements have been completed and all accounts are cleared in the Business Office and the Learning Resource Center. Remember to keep your address current by accessing your online student login. Expect six to eight weeks for processing after commencement to receive your diploma. If you have any questions regarding Commencement, please call the Registrar's Office at 542-3167 or 1-800-622-0216 and ask for Kenne Bauer (Ext. 3167). CAPS AND GOWNS The cap, gown, and tassel will be yours to keep if you wish. (If you do not wish to keep your gown, a box will be available the day of commencement where you may place it so that it can be recycled. Recycled gowns are used by GED students in the local area. Center area students wishing to recycle their caps & gowns may return them to their Center Director or Center Office.) DRIVING DIRECTIONS Directions coming from I-25 west (Denver): Going north on I-25, take the I-76 exit, EXIT 216 toward Grand Junction/Fort Morgan Merge onto I-76 East via exit 216a toward Fort Morgan Take the Barlow Road exit, EXIT 82 Turn right onto Barlow Road The college will be on your left, next to Wal-Mart Free parking is available on the east side of the college (behind the building.) Directions coming from I-76 east (Sterling): Traveling west on I-76, take the Barlow Road exit, EXIT 82 Turn left onto Barlow Road The college will be on your left, next to Wal-Mart Free parking is available on the east side of the college (behind the building.)
NOTES: =Hand your name card to the Vice President at the microphone to be read as you cross the stage =Shake hands with dignitaries as you receive your diploma & photo is taken =PROVOSTS MCC Commencement Ceremony Set-up West Entrance to Cottonwood Hall =PACERS =WATER Restrooms Ladies Men Cottonwood 101 Faculty & Stage Party meet here & process out Cottonwood Hall doors PACERS will assist students as they begin to process. Restrooms: Handicap Accessible Bloedorn Elevator Lift College Candidates meet here & process out to the study area and line up in pairs and proceed out Cottonwood Hall doors. Administrative Participant Seating Bleachers 45 Guests Lawn seating for guests Guests are welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs Guests (100) Guest Seating Guest Seating MCC Graduates MCC Faculty/Staff STAGE PARKING Parking will be available in the MCC main parking lot, in the field area behind the main lot, in the North side lots, and in the vacant lots to the South of the college. Please be considerate of others as you park and be aware of pedestrians and children in the parking areas. Bleachers 45