Bellarmine University Commencement
Bellarmine University is pleased to announce the May 2008 Commencement Ceremony, Saturday, May 10, Two thousand eight, at 12 Noon, at Knights Hall

General Information
Bellarmine University Commencement is held in December for students completing their degree requirements in August or December and in May for students completing degree requirements at the end of the spring semester.  Both Commencement ceremonies are held in Knights Hall on campus.  A graduation rehearsal is held prior to Commencement.  At rehearsal students will learn where to check in for Commencement processional line-up, correct way to wear the academic apparel, and the order in which they will process and be seated at the ceremony. 

Students are expected to check in and be in line for the processional at least 30-minutes prior to the beginning of graduation.  The rehearsal each semester is followed by an Alumni Reception to welcome new graduates to the Alumni Association.  A Baccalaureate Mass for the graduates and their families is held in May at St. Agnes Church located at 1920 Newburg Road.  A Senior Mass is held in the Our Lady of the Woods Chapel the Sunday before Commencement in December.

Graduation Fair
A Graduation Fair will be held in the Fall and Spring each semester approximately eight (8) weeks prior to Commencement.  At the Graduation Fair, students will have the opportunity to order announcements, academic apparel, order tickets for Senior Week activities, meet with Career Center, Bursar, Registrar, and Financial aid staff members, have a professional portrait made in cap and gown and other activities.

2 Required Steps for All Students – Applying for Graduation and Declaring Intention to Commence

Applying for Graduation
In order for a student to complete his or her degree at Bellarmine, you must submit a Graduation Application Form.  Applying for graduation will produce a degree audit which will determine whether or not you are on track for graduation by your anticipated date.  This process must be completed well in advance of graduation.  Please refer to Applying to Complete Your Degree for more information and deadlines.

Declaring Intention to Commence
Students who wish to participate in the Commencement Ceremony must complete an Intent to Walk Form (these forms will be available at the Graduation Fair or at the Registrar’s Office after the Graduation Fair).  Once the Intent to Walk form is completed, the Registrar’s Office will provide you clearance to order graduation apparel.  It is important for all students to complete the Intent to Walk form so that names are read and diplomas distributed correctly at the commencement ceremony.

Should you decide after submitting your Intent to Walk Form that you are not going to participate in the ceremony, you must notify the Registrar at 452-8133 or registrar@bellarmine.edu as soon as possible to remove your name from the participation list.

Graduation Fee
All Bellarmine students must pay the graduation fee before commencement regardless of whether or not they participate in commencement exercises.  The graduation fee is:  $50 for undergraduate students; $60 for masters degree students; and $70 for doctoral students.  This fee covers the cost of the student’s academic apparel, diploma and other related expenses.  Once the student has applied for graduation, the fee will be placed on his/her tuition statement during the semester in which he/she plans to graduate.  If the student does not graduate as planned, the fee will be refunded. 

Tickets for Commencement
Tickets are required for the May Commencement due to the large size of the Spring graduating class.  Each student is allocated six tickets for his/her immediate family.   Students with larger families may request additional tickets by placing their name on the list at the Graduation Fair or by contacting Joyce Stephenson at jstephenson@bellarmine.edu.  All tickets are picked up in Horrigan, CC-231 during the week prior to commencement. Tickets are not required for December Commencement. 

Graduation Requirements
Application for Graduation/Degree Completion
All students must formally apply for graduation, whether or not you plan to participate in the graduation ceremony.  To be considered for graduation/degree completion, you must submit a Graduation Application Form (available in the Registrar’s Office) according to the schedule of deadlines below.  This is your first step in the process to be eligible for graduation.  It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of the application process and deadlines.  The University does not assume to know your intended graduation date and will not automatically complete your degree without a Graduation Application Form from you.

Undergraduate Students – Application for Graduation/Degree Completion
Undergraduate students must apply for graduation a full year in advance of your intended completion date.

• May and August candidates – must apply for graduation by April 1 of the junior year.
• December candidates – must apply for graduation by December 1 of the junior year.

Accelerated Second Degree students must apply for graduation at the end of the semester prior to your intended completion (December 1 for May graduates and August 1 for December graduates).

Once an undergraduate student has submitted a Graduation Application Form, you will be added to the graduation list of the semester for which you applied, however you will not be considered an “official” candidate for that semester until a formal “Degree Audit” has been completed by the Registrar’s Office. 

It is the goal of the Registrar’s Office to provide candidates with an official “Degree Audit” in a timely manner.  For May candidates this will be over the summer prior to the senior year.  For December and August candidates this will be two semesters prior to graduation.  Your degree audit will be sent to your Bellarmine University email account and will either inform you that you are on track and have been officially added to the graduation list, or that you are not on track for that semester and request you to take follow up action.

Graduate and Doctoral Level Students – Application for Graduation/Degree Completion
Graduate and Doctoral students must apply for graduation one semester prior to your intended completion date.  You will apply for graduation in consultation with your degree program advisor or director.  Your program advisor or director must approve your Graduation Application Form prior to submitting it to the Registrar’s Office.  Your degree progress is tracked by your graduate program so you will not receive a formal “Degree Audit” from the Registrar’s Office.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that you are on track with your course requirements.  Contact your degree program advisor or director for assistance with advising and to determine the status of your degree progress and graduation eligibility.

Participation in the Commencement Ceremony
To be eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony, a student must complete all degree requirements by the end of the semester in which he/she is graduating.

Summer Graduates
Students completing a degree in the summer are invited to participate in the subsequent December Commencement Ceremony. 

Graduation with Honors
Honors are based on a student’s cumulative Quality Point Index. Honors will be granted at graduation and indicated on the student’s permanent record and diploma in keeping with the following scale of academic achievement:

1. Cum laude, for a Quality Point Index of 3.50 to 3.69.
2. Magna cum laude, for a Quality Point Index of 3.70 to 3.84.
3. Summa cum laude, for a Quality Point Index of 3.85 to 4.00.

Transfer students and Accelerated Second Degree students must have earned a minimum of 60 semester hours in residence at Bellarmine University and meet the current standards regarding honors (Bellarmine GPA of 3.5 or better) in order to be a candidate for graduation with honors. For these students, grades received both in courses transferred to Bellarmine and in courses completed at Bellarmine will be used in determining the student’s GPA for the recognition of honors. In the Spring, students receive their honors medallions at the Honors and Awards Dinner.  Medallions are given at the rehearsal in December.

Honors and Awards
Each year the faculty of each college nominate and select graduating seniors for academic awards from the disciplines of the college.  From these Faculty Merit Awards an overall Bellarmine University Faculty Merit Award winner is selected from each college (Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education, Bellarmine College of Arts & Sciences, Donna and Alan Lansing School of Nursing and Health Sciences, W. Fielding Rubel School of Business).  The University Honors & Awards Committee solicits nominations for a variety of academic, service, and leadership awards that are presented at the reception in late April or at the Honors & Awards Dinner.  Students graduating with Latin honors or receiving senior awards will receive an invitation to the Honors and Awards Dinner held prior to Commencement.

Academic Awards for Graduating Seniors
Each year at the spring commencement, the University confers two awards for outstanding intellectual achievement. The Wilson Wyatt Fellowship of Academic Excellence recognizes a graduating senior’s sustained intellectual distinction; the recipient is selected through a rigorous process, which includes an essay competition and interviews with faculty and trustees. The Archbishop’s Medal for Scholastic Excellence is awarded to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade point average. The Archbishop’s Medal is also awarded at the Fall Commencement. 

Special Needs/Disability Services
Due to limited reserved seating space, graduates must make arrangements for Reserved Seating Passes for guests with disabilities. Please contact the Disability Services Coordinator in the Counseling Center at 452-8480. We can provide a maximum of four Reserved Seating Passes.  The reserved seating section for guests with disabilities is on the main floor of Knights Hall, and has a “Reserved Seating” sign at the end of each row. All other guests will be seated in the upper section of the gym. Guests with Reserved Seating Passes are encouraged to use the main/front entrance of Knights Hall, which is accessible and has a power-assisted door. Proceed down the wide ramp to the gym floor. Student Ambassadors and staff will be available to direct you to the Reserved Seating section. When possible, wheelchair users are encouraged to sit at the ends of rows for easier access and exit. Guests are encouraged to arrive at Knights Hall one hour before Commencement to obtain adequate seating.

Academic Apparel/Accessories
Academic apparel is ordered at the Graduation Fair held each semester (Spring 08 Grad Fair will be held on 3/10 & 3/11) for graduating students to order their cap and gown, announcements, the official class ring, etc. The Balfour representative is on-site to take orders and answer questions at the Spring 08 Grad Fair.  A package with information about cap and gown, personalized graduation announcements and the official class ring is sent to each graduate’s home address prior to the graduation fair.  If you are unable to order at the graduation fair, you can also order class rings and graduation announcements by visiting: www.balfour.com or call 1.877-BALFOUR. Cap & gowns may also be ordered in the Bellarmine Bookstore.  Shipping fees will apply for all cap and gown orders placed after the deadline stated in the information packet.

There is no charge for ordering your cap and gown.  The cost is included in the graduation fee that all students are charged the semester in which they apply for graduation.

Important!  Attention all Bachelor degree candidates:  You must list the correct degree – Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts - to receive the appropriate hood and tassel color.  The following are Bachelor of Science degrees:  Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Computer Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Actuarial Science, Nursing (BSN), Health Science (Clinical Laboratory Science, Respiratory Therapy, and Physical Therapy).  All other undergraduate degrees receive the Bachelor of Arts.  When ordering online, make sure you enter this correctly.

Announcements can also be ordered online at www.balfour.com or 1-877-BALFOUR.    Payment in full is required on all announcement orders.  Announcement orders take two weeks (regular delivery).  Rush orders are available (7 days) and additional fees apply.  Rush orders can only be placed online.

Class Ring orders require a small deposit of $75 and take about 6 weeks to deliver. Balfour offers an interest free and no fee payment plan on all rings. There is a limited lifetime warranty on all rings and lifetime resizing. For more information visit www.balfour.com or 1-877-BALFOUR.

Alumni Association
Each spring, immediately following the graduation rehearsal, the Bellarmine Alumni Association holds a reception in the quad patio area outside the Campus Center to welcome the newest graduates into the alumni association.  Traditionally, the Senior Gift Committee presents Dr. McGowan with the senior class gift.  The alumni association gives each student a welcome gift along with congratulations and leads them in a champagne toast. 

Knights Hall/Parking
Knights Hall is located on Norris Place in the northwest portion of Bellarmine's campus, with parking available in surrounding lots. For directions to Knights Hall, please see the campus map and directions.

Lodging for Family and Guests
Families and guests from outside the Louisville area may need to find lodging for their visit during Bellarmine’s Commencement.  There are a number of hotels in the area near campus, the Louisville downtown area, and near the airport.  Information for several hotels in the area is listed below; please contact individual hotels for rate and reservation information. 

Holiday Inn Airport East
www.hiairporteast.com
4004 Gardiner Point Drive
Louisville, Kentucky 40213
Phone: (502) 452-6361
Toll Free: (888) HOLIDAY -- Reservations

Courtyard by Marriott Louisville Airport
www.marriott.com/sdfap
819 Phillips Lane
Louisville, KY  40209
(502) 368-5678

Louisville Marriott Downtown
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sdflm-louisville-marriott-downtown/
280 West Jefferson
Louisville, KY  40202
(502) 627-5045
(800)-533-0127

The Brown Hotel
www.brownhotel.com
335 W Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 583-1234

The Galt House
www.galthouse.com
140 N 4th St # 9
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 589-5200

The Seelbach Hilton
www.hilton.com
500 Fourth Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 585-3200