Ceremonies
Graduation Ceremonies are held outdoors in the beautiful Cassel Open Air Theatre on the Doane Crete campus.
- 10:00AM CST for Non-Residential programs
- College of Arts & Sciences: Lincoln and Online undergraduates
- College of Business: Lincoln and Online undergraduates and graduate students from the Master of Arts in Leadership, Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Instructional Design & Technology
- College of Education: Master of Arts in Counseling, Master of Education, and Doctor of Education students
- Friday events listed below.
- Saturday: Graduates arrive at 9:15AM to line up.
- 2:00PM CST for Residential Crete campus undergraduate programs
- College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business, and College of Education undergraduates
- Thursday before Graduation:
- Senior Toast at 4:30PM in Cassel Theatre/Patio hosted by the Doane Alumni Office.
- Rehearsal at 5:30 - 6:00PM. in the Heckman Auditorium in the Communications Building. This rehearsal is very important and required for Crete graduates.
- Friday events listed below.
- Saturday: Graduates arrive at 1:15PM to line up.
Events
-
Baccalaureate and Robert L. Polk Open Air Theatre Naming Ceremony: Friday at 4:30PM CST
- The Baccalaureate service celebrates the achievements of the graduates in a spiritual setting. Baccalaureate is a tradition at Doane because of its historical relationship with the Congregational United Church of Christ. This service is now interfaith and inclusive, and all are invited to participate.
- Throughout his life, Rev. Dr. Robert L. Polk '52 has broken ground as “the first” black person in work and other venues of his life. Bob persevered at Doane, even after being rejected for admission in 1949 initially and solely due to race, and he became the first African American to graduate from Doane. Please join us as we celebrate Rev. Dr. Polk during our Baccalaureate service.
- Location: Outdoor amphitheater on the south side of New Hall
- Rain plan: Heckman Auditorium in the Communications Building.
- Students are asked to arrive at 4:00PM in full cap and gown.
-
President's Concert: Friday at 7:30PM CST
- The Doane Choir and Symphonic Wind Ensemble will have their last performance of the year.
- Heckman Auditorium in the Communication Building
Livestream/Video
The ceremony will be streamed on YouTube for guests unable to attend.
*Previous ceremony videos are available on the Doane University YouTube page.
Guests
You may bring as many guests as you wish. There's lots of space. Please advise your guests to arrive 45 minutes prior to the ceremony or earlier. Early arrival assures a better chance for a good parking place and the best seat for the ceremony. Cassel Open Air Theatre is handicap accessible, and special seating will be offered for those in wheelchairs.
Announcements
Announcements may be purchased at www.cbgrad.com.
Directions, Parking, & Safety
With more than 900 parking spots on campus, parking is plentiful. To ease traffic flow, attendants will direct all guests to enter one way off of 7th Street by Frees Hall. At the conclusion of the ceremony, guests will again be directed one way to exit campus. Handicapped parking is available in the Communication Building parking lot (see campus map).
Parking Information & Student Check-In Map
We also have a frequently asked questions for your convenience.
Bookstore
The Doane University Bookstore, located in the lower level of Perry Memorial Campus Center, will be open from 9:00AM - 4:00PM on Commencement day to purchase Doane memorabilia.
Caps & Gowns
Non-residential undergraduate and Graduate students order cap, gown, and hoods online from jostens.com. The website is only available during specific periods prior to graduation. Information on how to navigate the site will be sent close to graduation time. Jostens ships gowns directly to your home address. The cost is approximately $40-$70 depending on degree awarded.
Residential, Crete Campus graduates, may purchase their gown from the Doane Bookstore starting in April.
Graduation Fee
Students pay a $40 graduation fee. This fee is charged to cover the cost of graduation activities. The fee is levied prior to graduation regardless if you attend the ceremony or not. The fee is waived only upon completion of the online graduation/assessment survey. An email invitation asking you to complete the survey is sent to you approximately a month and a half prior to your completion date.
Diploma & Student Account Clean-Up
Account balance must be paid-in-full the Thursday prior to graduation for graduates to receive their diploma at the ceremony. Accounts that are not paid in full (including all credit-by-exam and portfolio credit), will receive an empty portfolio at the ceremony. Diplomas will be sent to graduates when their account is paid and requirements are completed. If there is a problem with this deadline, contact the Business Office in Crete at 800.333.6263.
Who is Invited?
Students that have completed graduation requirements for the current year in one of the following months:
- March
- May
Students that complete in August, October, or December are invited to the December ceremony.
Weather
The ceremony will be held outdoors even if it is cold or lightly raining. Please dress accordingly. If the ceremony needs to be moved indoors due to extremely poor weather, such as a heavy rain, it will be in the Fuhrer Fieldhouse, just east of the football field. Times and seat arrangements will remain the same. The number of guests permitted inside may be less than the amount outside depending on the amount of RSVP's. Watch your email as we work to get these numbers finalized.