We are excited to welcome graduates and their guests to our Spring 2022 commencement ceremonies. Since COVID-19 remains a presence in our community, we have been working with our campus health and safety experts to plan an event that is responsive to current infection rates.
We recognize that no large event is risk-free under the current public health conditions and are offering virtual participation options for both graduates and guests. The ceremony will be streamed live on this webpage and graduates can change their mode of attendance in our online system.
For those who plan to attend the in-person ceremony, our current safety measures are below. Please know that we reserve the right to adjust these measures if the public health situation requires us to take more significant action.
- Undergraduate ceremonies will be ticketed with the largest ceremony limited to 4000 people in a building that seats 6000. The Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena has a modern and highly rated ventilation system.
- This limited capacity will allow guests to choose seating that allows for physical distancing. Guests who would like to secure distanced seating should arrive early and proceed to the upper 200 level seating.
- Masks are requested but not required for this event. Free high-quality KN95 masks will be provided for all guests and graduates.
- We have reduced elements of the ceremony where people gather by eliminating the student and faculty/staff processions.
- Graduates can pick up free rapid COVID-19 tests for themselves and their families at the UMBC bookstore prior to the ceremony.
- Any graduate who wishes to request physically distanced seating or additional safety measures should reach out to commencement@umbc.edu as soon as possible.
In addition to the safety measures we have put in place, we ask you and your guests to do your part too: If you feel sick, or have symptoms, please participate virtually from home and if you are traveling from an area with high COVID positivity rates, please get a COVID test prior to the ceremonies.