On behalf of the faculty, staff and administration of San Francisco Bay University, we would like to congratulate our undergraduate and graduate students receiving a bachelor’s or master’s degree. The commencement ceremony is designed especially for you and your family members to join in the celebration of this momentous event in your lives. We are sure you are all very proud of your accomplishments, and we at the University are proud of you as well. Congratulations, Class of 2025!
The ceremony is being held on Thursday, May 15, 2025 starting at 5:00 P.M.
If you are unable to make it in-person, celebrate this unforgettable milestone by tuning into the livestream, which will begin promptly at 5 P.M.
Pick your cap and gown from the Student Success Hub on:
You will need to submit an online request to reserve and pay for your cap and gown. The request will be open until April 17, 2024. On the day of the pick-up, please come prepared with your student I.D.
The commencement celebration will include all students who have filed for graduation for Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025. If you have questions regarding your Commencement eligibility please contact our University Registrar at records@sfbu.edu or 510-803-7328 ext 2 who can better assist you:
PARTICIPATION IN COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES DOES NOT IMPLY DEGREE CONFERRAL.
NO DIPLOMAS ARE GRANTED DURING COMMENCEMENT.
COMMENCEMENT
Commencement refers to the ceremony, officiated by the President of the University, where you celebrate and share the excitement and importance of your academic accomplishments with peers, family, and friends. San Francisco Bay University has only one commencement ceremony per year which is held in May.
You will not receive a diploma at the commencement ceremony. Confirmation of degree completion will not occur until official grades are posted.
GRADUATION
Graduation indicates that degree requirements have been completed and your degree has been awarded and is recorded on your official transcript.
All students are expected to adhere to a minimum business casual dress code for the graduation ceremony. Absolutely no hats, tennis shoes, sneakers, jeans, t-shirts, or the like will be allowed. We request that you arrive dressed in your cap and gown.
Due to limited seating, invitations are restricted to three guests per graduate. In order for the ceremony to be conducted as scheduled, it is important that you inform your relatives and friends to arrive on time and to remain seated during the entire ceremony. All graduates will be expected to follow the instructions given by the Master of Ceremonies on that day.
Name cards will be placed on each seat to be completed. These name cards will be used to announce your name. Please make sure to print your name as clearly as possible, with the correct phonetic pronunciation, and in the manner in which you wish your name to be announced. For example, if your full name is John David Jason Doe, but you wish your name to be announced as David Doe, please indicate that specifically on the name card.
Professional photographers from GradImages will be present on the day of the ceremony to capture two pictures of each graduate. After the ceremony is complete, you can place your order with GradImages through their website at www.gradimages.com. The faculty and staff will remain at the ceremonial site for you or your guests to take pictures once the ceremony is complete. To avoid disruption, we request that no pictures are taken during the ceremony by relatives or friends. We will provide everyone an opportunity to take pictures with the president, faculty, and administrative staff at the end of the ceremony.
Although the commencement ceremony is a joyful event, graduates should remember to abide by commencement decorum and remain quiet throughout the entire ceremony, especially during the times our guest speakers take the stage.
No official diplomas will be given to the graduates during the ceremony. You will receive an email 3-4 weeks after your last semester at SFBU to collect your official diploma.
We suggest all participating graduates arrive 90 minutes prior to the start of the Commencement ceremony. Upon arrival, SFBU staff members will assist you with getting checked in for the ceremony. Graduates will be in the Pavilion of the Mexican Heritage Plaza until the ceremony starts. You will line up by your department and be assisted by a Faculty Marshall to process you into the ceremony. We ask that you look for your program flag while lining up to ensure this goes quickly. The degrees will be announced by program; therefore, it is important that you be seated in the correct section.
The ceremony will include speeches from the Administration and a student speaker, followed by the highlight of the ceremony, conferring of degrees. The degrees will be announced by program. As you prepare to line up to cross the stage, please be prompt in reaching the center of the stage then proceed to exit off the stage. There will be staff to guide you during this process. Please be attentive and follow their instructions.
It is important that you return to your seat after receiving your diploma and remain seated until the end. We estimate that the program will take about 90 minutes.
