Salt Lake Community College holds a commencement ceremony each May for students who have earned a degree.
This year’s ceremony, however, will be one for the record books, as the largest graduating class in SLCC history will participate. And it isn’t too late for those who still want to walk to join the party.
“Commencement doesn’t just mean they graduate, it’s a celebration of all their hard work and the college wants to celebrate with you and your family,” says Graduation Coordinator, Linda Rilk.
To date, there are more than 4,400 students named to walk in the ceremony. The previous high was during the 2013-14 school year with 4,023 graduates.
The Graduation Office says students can still submit an application for the 2016 Commencement Ceremony even if they missed the deadline.
“You can still walk; your name just won’t be in the program,” says Rilk. “Your name will be called out, you can walk and get your honors cords.”
Students who haven’t applied for graduation yet should do these three things:
1. Use DegreeWorks
Rilk says the first thing a prospective graduate needs to do is run a program called DegreeWorks. The degree audit tool provided by the college helps students to track their degree progress.
DegreeWorks can be found on a student’s MyPage account under the Student tab.
2. Meet with an advisor
Students should meet with an advisor to tie up any issues, including exceptions.
An exception is when a student takes a class that may be substituted for a course that is in the degree requirements. For example, if a degree requires Math 1050 and a student completes Math 1030, they can petition the curriculum office and they’ll determine whether or not an exception can be made.
The process takes approximately 10 days and Rilk urges students to get it taken care of as soon as possible.
3. Make sure you’re paid in full
Rilk says students should also remember to take care of any holds or past due balances on their accounts.
“Each year I get calls from students wondering where their diploma is,” says Rilk. “Our office can’t send out diplomas if students still owe money.”
Diplomas are typically sent by mail 10 weeks after the semester ends.
What next?
After a graduation application has been submitted, the student will be notified whether or not they’re eligible to walk at the ceremony. Students who are accepted will receive an email requiring them to RSVP. This helps event coordinators know how many students to plan for.
Students can purchase a cap and gown, announcements and other graduation items at the SLCC Bookstore. Cap and gowns cost $21.36. Honors students can also pick up their cords at the bookstore.
