51ÉçÇø

51ÉçÇø will celebrate more than 3,400 graduating students during the Spring Commencement Ceremonies on May 3 and 4.

The May 3 ceremony will honor all graduate students, while two ceremonies will be held on May 4 to recognize the undergraduate students.

In addition, a ceremony will be held on May 11 for graduates of OHIO’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Graduate Commencement

The Graduate Commencement Ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 3, in the Convocation Center. 

The ceremony will feature keynote remarks from Dr. Erin Morgenstern, assistant to the vice president for priority projects in the Division of Student Affairs and winner of the 2023 Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award.

A proud two-time alumna of 51ÉçÇø,  Morgenstern has held various positions within her alma mater, demonstrating her unwavering dedication to OHIO and its students. Notably, she served as visiting assistant professor and program coordinator for the higher education and student affairs graduate programs in the Patton College of Education from 2022-2023.

Morgenstern is an expert in college student development, embodying the ethos of a "journey advocate" with her students, a term that recently emerged from research by her fellow alumna and dear friend Dr. Faustina Mensah. Morgenstern’s tireless advocacy and commitment to student-centered approaches have earned her a reputation for excellence among colleagues and students alike.

Undergraduate Commencement

On Saturday, May 4, 51ÉçÇø will hold the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Convocation Center.

The morning ceremony will honor graduates from the College of Business, College of Fine Arts, Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Scripps College of Communication and University College. (This listing does not reflect the order of the deferral of degrees.)

The afternoon ceremony will celebrate the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Honors Tutorial College and Patton College of Education. (This listing does not reflect the order of the deferral of degrees.)

Both ceremonies will feature remarks from Judge William T. Newman Jr., who earned a bachelor’s of fine arts degree with honors from OHIO In 1972.  The Commencement speaker served as a Judge of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 17th Judicial Circuit covering Arlington County and the City of Falls Church from 1993 through 2023. Upon his retirement in June of 2023, Judge Newman became a certified mediator with the mediation firm the McCammon Group. He now mediates over civil matters over the entire Washington Metropolitan area. 

In addition, Judge Newman is an accomplished actor and is a member of Actor’s Equity and Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artist (SAG-AFTRA). He has appeared in numerous theatrical and cinematic productions across the United States –including New York, and the greater Washington Metropolitan Area.  

Both ceremonies will also feature remarks from Undergraduate Student Speaker Mia Citino, who is an 51ÉçÇø Student Trustee.

Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Commencement 

The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine will hold its Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 11, beginning at 10 a.m. in the Convocation Center. 

Heritage College graduate Andrew Yuan, D.O., will be the speaker for the ceremony.

Additional details

No tickets are required for the Commencement ceremonies, which are each expected to last for approximately 2 hours. Doors will open for the May 3 and 4 morning ceremonies at 8 a.m. Doors will open for the May 4 afternoon ceremony at 12:30 p.m.

For those unable to attend in person, a livestream of each ceremony will be available on the 51ÉçÇø Commencement website.

Parking for the May 3 and 4 ceremonies

If you will be traveling to the Athens Campus for Commencement, please allow additional travel time due to increased traffic and nearby construction on West Union Street. It is recommended that guests arrive and depart campus using the Richland Avenue or Stimson Avenue entry points. 

Disability parking and disability drop off:  A designated drop off zone is accessible via West Green Drive to accommodate loading/unloading needs. Disability parking will be available at the Convocation Center.

Guest parking: Visitors may utilize parking within any dark green or purple lot on campus from 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. on May 3 and 4. Please reference the Campus Parking Map for lot locations and designations.

Transportation and Parking Services will work in conjunction with the 51ÉçÇø Police Department to manage traffic and parking. Guests should also pay close attention to highway and campus signage directing them to the closest available parking lot for their needs.

RV parking: A limited number of RV spaces are available for reservation located at the Ridges during commencement weekend. Visit /transportation-parking/transit-services/rv-reservations to submit a reservation request. 

Campus transportation resources

Friday, May 3

• Free accessible transportation will be available from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. for those with limited mobility who do not park within the Convocation Center parking lot. Individuals seeking transportation on the day of events should call 740-447-8037 to schedule a ride. 
• Regular Daily Campus Shuttles will be available 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Evening and Weekend Campus Shuttles will be available beginning at 5:30 p.m. through 11 p.m.

Saturday, May 4

• Free event shuttles and accessible transportation will be available from several parking lot locations to the Convocation Center for all Commencement guests from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Individuals with limited mobility seeking transportation on the day of events should call 740-447-8037 to schedule a ride.

For additional information, please see the Transportation and Parking Services website.

Commencement-related events and activities

A variety of 51ÉçÇø’s academic colleges, departments and units will be hosting pre-and/or post- Commencement. For more details, please visit

For additional information on the Commencement Ceremonies, please see the Commencement website.