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KCPA

SAVE THE DATE
2025 ECONOMICS CONVOCATION CEREMONY:

Friday, May 16th, 11:00 a.m. (Doors open for guests at 10:00 a.m.)
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts | Foellinger Great Hall | 500 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801
Names of all graduating students attending the ceremony will be read in order by degree. Booklets with all student names printed inside will be handed out to guests. (Please note, students who've added their name to the graduation list late may not have their names printed in the booklet). The ceremony typically lasts 1.5 hours, depending on the number of graduating students.

Registration and Tickets: Registration will open in February 2025. Due to our venue change, this year guests will need tickets to attend our ceremony. This means students MUST have registered for our ceremony no later than April 18th. Our venue can hold over 2,000 people and students will be guaranteed at least 3 tickets each. Please indicate how many tickets you will need total on the registration form. We know this can lead to a lot of stress for students, but please know that we have always been able to accommodate families in all of our ceremonies.  Students registered AFTER the registration deadline are not guaranteed tickets for our ceremony. 

Ceremony Livestream will be posted here closer to the date. If you want to watch past ceremonies, visit https://mediaspace.illinois.edu/ and type "economics convocation" in the search bar. 
Our currently ceremony will be live streamed here: https://ensemble.illinois.edu/Watch/Economics2025

Student Graduation Document is here (this is not yet updated)

Convocation Speaker will be announced at graduation

Ph.D./Masters Registration MSPE (Master's) Registration Undergraduate Registration

***Information below is subject to change***

Undergraduate Student Eligibility Requirements

Students who plan on Graduating in Spring 2025 are eligible to do so as long as they meet the following criteria:

  • Completed all classes in the August 2024 or December 2025 semesters and DID NOT attend the May 2024 or December 2024 graduation ceremonies
  • Plan to complete all class requirements in May 2025
  • Have under 13 hours of credits to complete and plan to complete all class requirements August 2025

*** All other undergraduate students are not eligible to participate in our ceremony unless approved by Stefanie Freeman*** 
Please email Stefanie with your UIN, reason you want to walk in May, and any other information you feel is important for her to know. Requests are due by April 28th and a decision will be emailed to you by April 30. Due to space, your request may be denied. 

Pre-Check (prior to day of ceremony)

Pre-Check is required for all students participating in the Economics Convocation Ceremony.

*More information regarding pre-check will be emailed end of April.

Illini Success Survey (available in April)

Graduating students are asked to complete the Illini Success Survey and as a thank you will receive an Econ T-shirt at Pre-Check. 

To access the survey:

  • Open your Illinois email & search for: “The Outcomes Survey” or “Class of May 2024”.
  • Complete the Survey & show us the completed screen (or you may login again and show that you have the survey filled out).

Can’t find your unique link? Request a new one at: https://go.illinois.edu/IlliniOutcomes.

Still having trouble? reach out to Katie Kennealy at kennealy@illinois.edu 

Read more about the survey: http://illinisuccess.illinois.edu/

Student Check-In

All students who are graduating need to report to check in, in the basement of Krannert Center, one hour before the ceremony starts. YOU MUST BE REGISTERED FOR OUR CEREMONY TO ATTEND. Everyone who checks in must be dressed in full regalia, or you will not be permitted into the ceremony.

GUESTS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE CHECK IN AREA. You will not be allowed to carry in bags, only what you can fit in your pockets, so please leave bags and bulky cameras with your guests.

Check in information will be available in April. 

Guest Information

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts will open for guests at 10:00 a.m., and doors will close (no guest admission) during the processional, please arrive by 10:45 am. We would like to remind guests to respect all of the graduates by holding applause until after all names are read, so no names are missed. We also ask you remain in your seats during the ceremony. Professional pictures are available and students will receive information by email.

Directions and Parking

Directions and Parking

 

The historic Virginia Theatre is located at 203 West Park Avenue, Champaign, IL 61820. The theatre sits at the corner of Park Avenue and Randolph Street in downtown Champaign and is easily accessed from Illinois Interstates 57, 72, and 74. 
In town, the Virginia is best approached from the south on Randolph Street and from the north on State Street. 

 

Parking is available in metered spaces on the streets surrounding the theatre (Park Avenue, Randolph Avenue, State Street, Main Street, etc.). Please see individual meters for enforcement times and rates, as they do vary. The City of Champaign Hill Street Parking Deck (123 West Hill Street) is 1½ blocks from the theatre.

Click here for more information on the Hill Street Parking Deck and other available municipal parking lots.

 

Special Accommodations for Guests

Special Accommodations for Guests Attending Econ Convocation
If guests need special accommodations (wheelchair seating, limited mobility, sign-language interpreter, etc.), please include that information on the registration form. If you have not registered for the ceremony, you can find the form under the "student ceremony" section. 

Regalia

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regalia

ACADEMIC ATTIRE (CAP & GOWN)
REQUIRED FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THE CEREMONIES
All graduates and degree candidates participating in the university-wide Commencement ceremony AND Economics Department Convocation are required to wear appropriate academic attire, which consists of a custom blue University of Illinois gown, blue mortarboard, stole (undergraduates only), a white (Undergrad) or black (Graduate) tassel, cap, and a hood (graduate degrees only). 

 

Ordering Regalia

Academic Attire website: herff.ly/illinois.

Apparel and Price:
Bachelor’s mortarboard, gown, stole, and tassel – $76.00
Master’s or Advanced Certificate mortarboard, gown, hood, and tassel – $84.00
Doctoral mortarboard, gown, hood, and tassel – $104.00
Two-day shipping (includes a pre-paid return label) – $24.95
Additional stoles of gratitude may be purchased for $22.00.
Orange and blue souvenir tassels may be purchased for $10.00; however, they are not to be worn during ceremonies.

Regalia orders that were shipped to graduates and faculty included a return shipping label. Replacement labels are available through Herff Jones. If you do not know your order number, you may print your home ship return label via this website


More information regarding regalia can be found on the Commencement Website

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Photographs
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Photos

The Department of Economics coordinates with professional photographers to take pictures during the ceremony. Our photographer will be walking throughout the Armory to capture great, candid moments as well as posed photos of graduates before the ceremony. Following the ceremony there may be a photographer taking pictures of students with the convocation speaker, department head, and other faculty outside of Huff Hall.

Student Pictures: GradImages will take pictures of all graduating students as they walk across the stage and receive their diploma cover. GradImages will send students an email with purchase information.

We encourage family and friends to remain seated during the entire ceremony. Anyone attempting to approach the stage will be escorted back to their seat.

Additional Student Information

Additional information on certifying your degree and diplomas are below. At our Convocation ceremony, you will receive a diploma cover, your diploma will be mailed.

Certifying Degree

Certifying Degree
The University establishes a degree certification date following the completion of each term. If you are on the graduation list you must complete all degree requirements—including requirements to formally announce your candidacy for a degree—by the degree certification date for that term. It typically takes the college 2 months after the end of the semester to certify degrees and mail the diploma. Please contact the college if you need something certifying your completion and expected diploma. We also recommend using your DARS if your employer/grad program will accept the unofficial report prior to the degree being confirmed.
DARS: http://www.registrar.illinois.edu/dars/
LAS Office: http://www.las.illinois.edu/students/contact/
LAS Admissions and Records: http://www.las.illinois.edu/students/advising/college/

*MSPE students, please contact the mspe@illinois.edu with questions regarding certification of your degree*

Diploma Name Information

Your legal name appear on your diploma unless you choose to create a diploma name (DEADLINE MARCH 31st). Diploma names (https://registrar.illinois.edu/academic-records/preferred-first-name/) are displayed on diplomas and are used in the Commencement Program, lists of graduates, and Commencement related press releases.

Examples of diploma names include using a middle name instead of a first name; using an abbreviated name (Tom instead of Thomas); using an Americanized name (Wendy instead of Haiyan); or using a name that better reflects one's ethnic, racial, or gender identity. If you'd like to create a diploma name, please email us at graduation@illinois.edu (include UIN). Please be advised that in some situations, the name appearing on your diploma may need to match other legal documents you possess.

Diploma Information

Diplomas
All University of Illinois graduates with no outstanding University charges will receive one diploma per degree earned, free of charge. University of Illinois diplomas are 8.5 x 11 inches and sent by first-class mail to a student's "Diploma Address" approximately nine weeks after the date of award. Please check and update this address in the University system (self-service) before leaving the University.
If the diploma is returned to the Office of the Registrar, you will be responsible for providing a corrected address and paying for any forwarding mail charges as well as processing fees. If your diploma is not returned to the Office of the Registrar and 90 days from the mailing date has passed, you will be responsible for providing the correct address and paying for the cost of the replacement diploma.
University of Illinois' policy prevents mailing a diploma if the student has a past-due account. You may contact the University Student Financial Services and Cashiers Operations with questions about your account balance. Once your account had been cleared, you will need to contact the Office of the Registrar by phone at 217-333-6383 or email graduation@illinois.edu to let us know that we can order and mail your diploma. Questions about your diploma may be answered by the Office of the Registrar.

Illinois Email after Graduation

Illinois Email after Graduation
Please visit the Tech Services website for information regarding your @illinois.edu email account: https://techservices.illinois.edu/news/2016/it-services-after-graduation

Illio - Yearbook

Illio - Yearbook
Please refer to the Illio website for questions about the yearbook and pictures: http://illioyearbook.com/

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University-wide Commencement Ceremony Information
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The University-wide Commencement Ceremony will be held May 17th, 2025, 9:30 a.m. at Memorial Stadium. Information about the University-wide Commencement Ceremony, and other related information (including congratulatory ceremonies and special receptions) may be found on the Commencement Website: commencement.illinois.edu.