Commencement 2021 Announcement & Schedule

April 15, 2021

Dear Graduates and Families:

We are pleased to celebrate and recognize the Class of 2021 graduates on May 8 and 9, 2021! Current public health capacity restrictions due to COVID-19 obligate us to hold the major ceremonies outdoors at a venue large enough to accommodate a limited number of family members/guests.  We have been successful in finding such a venue, at the Mead School District’s Union Stadium (located 20 minutes’ drive north of campus, at 12509 Market Street, Mead, WA).

The Commencement schedule is as follows:

Saturday, May 8

Law and Graduate Ceremonies

  • 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Law Commencement
  • 4:00 – 5:45 p.m. – Graduate Commencement
  • 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Commencement Mass on Campus (Herak Quad Lawn)

Sunday, May 9

Undergraduate Ceremonies

  • 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
    • School of Business Administration
    • School of Engineering & Applied Science
  • 1:00 – 3:15 p.m.
    • College of Arts & Sciences – Majors in Humanities and Social Sciences
      • Humanities:Broadcast and Electronic Media, Classic Civilizations, Communication Studies, English, Film Studies, History, Integrated Media, Journalism, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Public Relations, Religious Studies.
      • Social Sciences: Criminology, Economics, Environmental Studies, International Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology.  
  • 5:00 – 7:15 p.m. 
    • College of Arts & Sciences – Majors in the Arts and in the Sciences
      • Arts:  Art, Dance, Music, Theatre Arts.
      • Sciences: Biology, Computer Science and Computational Thinking, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Mathematics, Physics.
    • School of Education
    • School of Health Sciences

The ceremonies will be ticketed with each student being allotted 4 (four) guest tickets. Please note that attendees need to come prepared for inclement weather, as there is no indoor alternative venue.  Each ceremony, as well as Commencement Mass, will be live-streamed via the web and will be recorded for future viewing.

Our partners at Spokane Regional Health District will continue to evaluate our plans over the next three weeks.  All state and local public health guidelines, including physical distancing and mask wearing will be enforced at the ceremonies.  Should any plans change, we will be sure to let you know as soon as possible.

We thank you for your patience and partnership as we finalize these plans.  Rest assured that our team is hard at work to create programs that will honor the tremendous achievement of our graduates

Please continue to check the Commencement website for additional information and support.

Sincerely yours,

Thayne M. McCulloh, D.Phil.
President