Frails Family: A Legacy of Learning
“Being from Augusta and because my mom and grandmother went to AU, it was a no-brainer for me to go there,” says Elise Frails.
Fall Commencement
Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony
calendar icon Wednesday, December 11, 2024
map-marker icon Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center
clock icon 6:00 PM
Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
icon Thursday, December 12, 2024
map-marker icon Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center
icon 10:00 AM
Make this day worry free, go through all the details of what to do before your big day.
In the Wild, Augusta University's official podcast, hosted the first live pre-show for our fall ceremonies. Check out the pre-show replays below if you missed it:
Thanks to Savannah Evan Photography for capturing memories from our ceremonies! Check out the links below to view each ceremony's photos:
We look forward to this fall's commencement ceremonies as our incoming president Dr. Russell Keen's first ceremonies at the helm of Augusta University!
As the inaugural president and as an alumnus of Augusta University, our traditions are near and dear to me. Traditions like the ringing of our arsenal bell, which symbolizes healing and hope. And traditions like commencement, to celebrate the accomplishments and hope for the future of Augusta University graduates. These traditions create meaningful experiences that last a lifetime.
GradPass, RSVPs & Commencement
Tickets Close
Graduate Hooding & Commencement Ceremony, 6:00 pm
Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony, 10:00 am
Ralph D. Turner, DBA, MHA, MPA, FACHE
Angela Canada
Churchill Ezeokonkwo
Churchill Ezeokonkwo graduated from Clayton State University in May 2022 with a Bachelor
of
Science in Health and Fitness Management. He graduates this semester with a Master
of Public Health
with a concentration in Health Management.
During his time as a graduate student at Augusta University, Ezeokonkwo worked as
a
graduate assistant cross country and track and field coach. He also served on the
Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was the MPH Student Ambassador for the
School of Public Health’s Curriculum Committee. Ezeokonkwo received the Peach Belt
Conference All Sportsmanship Award and was selected twice to the Peach Belt First
Team All-Conference. He was also selected to the 2023 Peach Belt All-Academic Team.
After graduation, Ezeokonkwo will continue coaching and pouring into athletes’ lives at Augusta University. In addition to coaching, he will work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to bring about positive change in health promotion in a variety of school settings for the state of Georgia
Ezeokonkwo is a native of Riverdale, Georgia and is the son of Eric and Joy Ezeokonkwo.
Eboni Watts
Eboni Adrianna Watts is a 2020 alumna of John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School in Augusta, Georgia. She graduates this semester with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise and Sports Science.
During her time as a student at Augusta University, Watts was involved in several student organizations including the Augusta Influencers, Kinesiology Club and She Blossoms and served as social media chair of the 1828 Ambassadors. Of the multiple awards she’s been recognized with, including receiving an 1828 Ambassadors medal, Watts says she is the proudest of being named Miss Augusta University 2024.
In addition to her student organization involvement, Watts worked as a manager of the Jaguar Student Activities Center (JSAC) and as a Campus Visit Assistant in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. She was named the 2022-2023 JSAC Employee of the Year.
After graduation, Watts hopes to attend graduate school to continue her education at Augusta University in 2025
Watts is a native of Augusta, Georgia and she is the daughter of Tonya and Joseph Watts Jr.
Eboni's photo taken by Eddison Smith III from Third I Visuals.
video icon WATCH
Check out the replays of our fall commencement ceremonies:
Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony: December 11, 2024, 6pm
Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony: December 12, 2024, 10am
A digital copy of the program is also available for your viewing pleasure.
Undergraduate, Specialist, and Graduate Academic Regalia
Academic regalia includes the cap and gown, as well as other distinguishing hoods, stoles and cords that denote traditions of academic achievement. Official Augusta University regalia is used by all participants in the graduation ceremony. Orders for regalia are limited to graduates participating in the Fall 2024 ceremonies. All other orders will be cancelled.
For Associates and Bachelors graduates: Regalia orders may be placed online via the Jostens website or ordered in-person at the RoarStore. The online order deadline for regalia has passed. Regalia orders placed at this time will need to be placed in-person at the RoarStore. The regalia package for associates and bachelors graduates if ordered online is $49 plus $12 shipping. If graduates order regalia in person at the RoarStore, the regalia package is $59. Students need to use their AU email address to complete their order. This regalia package includes the robe, cap, and tassel. Customized stoles are permitted to wear with your cap and gown. Tassel colors are not guaranteed for any orders placed after the order deadline. All Associates and Bachelor graduates will keep their regalia at the conclusion of commencement. Please notify the RoarStore should you be unable to participate in commencement after ordering your regalia.
For Masters and Specialists graduates: Regalia orders may be placed online via the Jostens website or ordered in-person at the RoarStore. The online order deadline for regalia has passed. Regalia orders placed at this time will need to be placed in-person at the RoarStore. The masters and specialists regalia package if ordered online is $99 plus $12 shipping. If graduates order regalia in person at the RoarStore, the regalia package is $109. This regalia package includes the robe, hood, cap, and tassel. Customized stoles may be worn with your cap and gown. Hood and/or tassel colors are not guaranteed for any orders placed after the order deadline. Masters and Specialists graduates will keep their regalia at the conclusion of commencement.
Business attire is appropriate under the gown. The event will be a combination of standing and sitting, so make sure you dress comfortably for both. For those wearing pants, consider dark pants and shoes.
Doctoral Academic Regalia
Doctoral students may rent or purchase regalia for graduation online via Jostens website. The Fall 2024 regalia deadline has passed. The rental regalia package for doctoral students (including PhD, DNP, DPT and EdD graduates), costs $179 plus $12 shipping. Rental regalia will be paid for at time of pick-up.
If doctoral students wish to purchase their regalia, a package is available for $997.80. This package is only available for purchase online through the Jostens website. Students may come to the RoarStore to get measured for this regalia or submit their measurements with their order. If regalia is rented, doctoral students must return their regalia following the ceremony. Returns can be made immediately following the ceremony, or at the RoarStore during operating hours. Please contact the RoarStore if you have any additional questions.
Business attire is appropriate under the gown. The event will be a combination of standing and sitting, so make sure you dress comfortably for both. For those wearing pants, consider dark pants and shoes.
Faculty Academic Regalia
Faculty members need to RSVP for commencement and indicate whether or not they will need to rent regalia to participate in commencement. Faculty may pick up their order at the Summerville Campus RoarStore or can be shipped to you for a small fee. Contact the RoarStore if you haven't made plans for renting regalia or the Office of Faculty Affairs if you have any questions about regalia rentals. The faculty rental regalia deadline for the Fall 2024 commencement ceremonies will be announced soon.
Follow the website below to learn more about what faculty need to know in preparation for commencement.
Guests
All commencement ceremonies are ticketed events; and all guests attending must have a ticket, including children. Babies younger than one year old will not require a ticket. All ticket information will be announced through AU email. Students will be required to use their augusta.edu email address and student ID number to log in to the portal to claim their tickets. Please note, Marching Order shuts down to students the week of the ceremony and tickets will not be accessible to graduates during this week. Students are advised to access their tickets as early as possible.
All seating is general admission and there are no VIP tickets for guests of graduates. Doors will open approximately 90 minutes prior to the start of each commencement ceremony. If you haven't been to Augusta before, the link below will show you some more about our city, some fun things to do (and eat!) and more!
Accessibility Accommodations
Graduates needing a disability-related accommodation to participate in commencement should contact Rebecca Berger, Director of Testing and Disability Services for Augusta University. Ms. Berger may be reached by phone at 706-737-1469.
Marching Order
Marching Order is the system used to manage commencement operations, including graduate RSVP's, guest ticketing, graduate communications, and grad passes. Graduates must create an account in Marching Order to access their guest tickets and ensure their name is pronounced and listed correctly for the commencement ceremony. Graduates must indicate whether or not they attend to participate in commencement through Marching Order. Please note, Marching Order shuts down to graduates the week of the ceremony and tickets will not be accessible to during this week. If you need any assistance accessing your tickets or grad pass, please email commencement@augusta.edu and we will be happy to help you retrieve your tickets/grad pass.
Grad Pass vs. Name Card
Graduates will access their Grad Pass, their "ticket" into commencement, through their Marching Order account. Students can access their Grad Pass by logging into their Marching Order account they created when they submitted their RSVP and selecting "Grad Pass." Access to your Grad Pass will close the week of the ceremony, so students are advised to access their Grad Pass early. Name cards are what students will need to have their name announced as they cross the stage. Name cards will be placed in graduates seats to use during commencement.
Dual degree recipients may not see both degrees received on their Grad Pass and/or name card due to space limitations. Please know both degrees received will show on screen for your guests to see your accomplishments!
Graduation Announcements
Graduation announcements and additional items may be ordered directly from the Jostens website.
Dual Degree Recipients
Graduates who are graduating with dual degrees may opt to attend one ceremony or both ceremonies, depending on which ceremony their degrees are being conferred in. Contact the Commencement Team if you have any questions.
Graduating with Honors
Undergraduate students graduating with honors will be designated in the commencement program. Qualifying students will be notified via email. If you're unable to pick up your honors cord prior to commencement, students may pick up their cords when checking in for commencement at the Marriott. Please make sure to bring a photo ID if picking up cords at commencement.
Legacy
Augusta University celebrates generations of families continuing our rich tradition by listing graduates whose parent, step-parent, or grandparent graduated from Augusta University or one of her legacy institutions (ex: Augusta College, Augusta State University). Legacy status is only awarded to those family members who have received a degree from Augusta University or a legacy institution, not to those completing a residency program.
Graduates who are part of our Jaguar legacy family will receive a special cord and pin for commencement to recognize their family’s Augusta tradition. The legacy graduates submission deadline has passed for the fall 2024 commencement program. The Office of Alumni Engagement will be in touch with these students who have designated themselves as legacy graduates about obtaining their legacy cord and pin they will receive to wear at commencement.
Contact Us!
Do you still have any questions about the commencement ceremonies this semester? Email the Commencement Team. Graduates: for any questions you may have about your diploma or graduation application, please email the Graduation Team.
Guest Tickets, Seating and Special Accommodations
All commencement ceremonies are ticketed events; and all guests attending must have a ticket, including children and infants older than one year old.
All convention center seating is general admission and there are no VIP tickets for guests of graduates. Guests are not allowed on the floor before or during the ceremony. Doors will open approximately 90 minutes prior to the start of the graduate hooding and commencement ceremony and the undergraduate commencement ceremony.
If your guest requires special accommodations, seating is available on a limited first-come, first-served basis. Due to limited seating in the accessible areas, a maximum of one person will be allowed to accompany the person with a disability in the designated seating area. Guests who may need a disability-related accommodation to attend this event should contact Rebecca Berger, Testing and Disability Services Director at Augusta University. Ms. Berger can be reached by phone at 706-737-1469.
Parking
The Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center's address is 2 10th Street, Augusta. Students and Faculty participating in commencement will park at no charge in the Georgia Cyber Center parking deck, located at 1 11th Street, Augusta between 11th and 12th streets in Downtown Augusta. Family members of graduates may ride with their student and use this deck as well if it works best for ceremony travel accommodations.
Commencement guests can park in the Reynolds Street parking deck at no charge and use the bridge to access the convention center. Guests who wish to park here will need to tell the parking attendant of their attendance at the AU Commencement Ceremony. Guests will not need to present vouchers upon entry or departure from this parking deck. No commencement guests will be allowed to park in the designated reserved parking spaces in the Reynolds Street parking deck.
Additionally, there are parking lots available on 9th-10th streets, many of them first come, first serve. Please plan accordingly!
ADA Parking Accommodations
ADA Parking is available at the following parking decks:
Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center Parking Garage (located at 9th & Reynolds
Street)
Augusta University Nathan Deal Campus Parking Deck at the Georgia Cyber Center
Graduation Photography
GradImages will be on site to take professional photos of your graduate that will be available for purchase following the ceremony. Graduates can text "Grad24" to 888-299-0978 to find their photos after their ceremonies. If graduates pre-register their information with GradImages before their ceremony, graduates will receive a coupon for 20% off their entire order. Graduates can follow the link below to pre-register their information.
Watch Livestream
Non-ticketed observers will be able to watch the ceremony live online. A playback of each ceremony will be uploaded to YouTube following the ceremonies. Follow the link below to access the livestream platform for commencement.
Diploma Information
Graduates can expect to receive your diplomas 6-8 weeks following commencement. Diplomas will be mailed to the address listed on your graduation application. Email the Graduation Team if you have any questions about your diploma issuing.
We encourage the entire University community, including graduates, families, friends, faculty, staff, students, and alumni, to post their photos and messages on social media to honor the moment and celebrate our graduates using the commencement hashtag: #AUGGrad
Are you stumped about where you can go to take your graduation pictures? We've got you covered! We've compiled a list of some photo opportunities around Augusta University's campuses as well as some fun spots around Downtown Augusta. Tag us in your social media posts: @aug_university
All commencement ceremonies will be held at Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center in Downtown Augusta
“Being from Augusta and because my mom and grandmother went to AU, it was a no-brainer for me to go there,” says Elise Frails.
"What I went through was hard, but I stuck with it, and it means a lot to me that I am an example to my kids and grandkids that saw me do it," says Jerome McFadden.
The Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, and the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 12.
Angela Canada, a principal culinary team leader for Chick-fil-A Corporate, will be the keynote speaker at AU’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on Dec. 12.
We shared a newsletter with you all recently that details more information you need to know about the fall commencement ceremony. Fall graduates, this was sent to your AU email. Summer graduates, this was sent to the post-graduation email you provided on your graduation application. Please read this newsletter in totality!