UMGC Stateside | Adelphi | December 12–15 Winter Commencement 2024

UMGC Stateside Commencement consists of both in-person and virtual celebrations. Grad Walk is UMGC’s in-person celebration that will be held at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at UMGC Headquarters in Adelphi, Maryland.

As part of our virtual celebrations, UMGC will also host an on-demand ceremony, featuring presentations by guests and the formal conferral of degrees by UMGC President Gregory Fowler, PhD. An online Gallery of Graduates will showcase personalized recognition slides that can be shared via email and social media.

Winter Grad Walk 2024 for associate, bachelor's, and master's degree candidates and graduates is Thursday, December 12, through Sunday, December 15 (daily times vary).

Winter Grad Walk 2024 will be held in person at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at UMGC Headquarters. The Marriott is located at 3501 University Blvd East, Adelphi, MD 20783. View a Google map and get directions.

You will register, in advance, for a day- and time-specific arrival at Winter Grad Walk 2024. 

In October, eligible students will receive an email containing the RSVP link. Please reply promptly to lock in your preferred appointment, as reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please confirm your preferred email address via MyUMGC.

Winter Grad Walk 2024 is a continuously moving walk-through event. You and your guests will spend approximately 60 minutes inside the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center from check-in to exit.

Yes! A link to a live stream of the Grad Walk stage will be shared on the UMGC Commencement website the week of the event. 

Graduates and guests will also be able to access an on-demand ceremony featuring the student speaker, as well as the formal conferral of degrees by UMGC President Gregory Fowler. An online Gallery of Graduates will showcase personalized recognition slides that can be shared via email and social media.

Graduates who completed their degree requirements in August and September 2024, and candidates for graduation who expect to complete their requirements in December 2024, will be invited to participate in Winter Grad Walk 2024.

Check your eligibility status by contacting the Graduation Services Team at graduationserv@umgc.edu or 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2299.

If you're still unsure about your eligibility to participate in Winter Grad Walk 2024 after verifying your graduation status, email Commencement Services at commencement@umgc.edu.

Remember: At UMGC, graduation and commencement are different. (Commencement comprises the special events hosted by UMGC, both in person and online.)

But applying for your diploma and applying for graduation are the same thing; both terms refer to the same administrative process.

You must apply for your diploma via MyUMGC by the appropriate deadline. Meeting the diploma application deadline automatically puts you on the list to be invited to Winter Grad Walk 2024.

Apply through the Graduation page in MyUMGC. Submit the form and pay the $50 graduation fee.

No.

Eligible graduates and candidates receive an email invitation to RSVP online.

The email invitation contains a link to our online registration system. Follow the instructions in your RSVP email.

Online registration opens in October.

If you are eligible to attend, you will receive an email with instructions.

To be eligible as a member of the Class of 2024, you must have already applied for graduation via the Graduation page in MyUMGC by the appropriate deadline. If you are unsure whether you're eligible or what the deadlines are, contact the Graduation Services Team at graduationserv@umgc.edu or 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2299.

You must also ensure that your preferred email address is updated in your Profile in MyUMGC to receive communications about commencement.

If you have trouble registering, contact Commencement Services at commencement@umgc.edu or 240-684-2225.

Once the RSVP system opens, please email commencement@umgc.edu if you want to change your initial registration.

The official UMGC Winter 2024 Commencement program will be published online at the beginning of Grad Walk. This digital program will include the names of August and September 2024 graduates and December 2024 graduation candidates who apply before the diploma application deadline.

Graduates and their guests will be able to share and view the official program online as a digital flipbook; a downloadable PDF will also be provided.

Update your postal or email address in your Profile in MyUMGC.

If your name has been legally changed, you need to send a copy of your driver's license and a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or divorce decree (as appropriate) to Graduation Services. You must include your student ID number on the request. Contact Graduation Services for instructions on sending your documents.

After taking the above steps, if you have any remaining questions about how your name will appear on your diploma and in the commencement program book, contact the Registrar's Office at 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2222, or registrar@umgc.edu.

When you RSVP online, you will immediately receive a confirmation email with instructions for ordering your regalia and other information.

You will receive a “what to know before you go” email just before Winter Grad Walk 2024 with any last-minute updates, along with a helpful guide that is packed with important information for you and your guests.

We may also send periodic emails that contain specific announcements or updates.

All graduates are required to wear a cap and gown to Winter Grad Walk 2024. (Active-duty servicemembers may wear their service dress uniform in lieu of regalia.) We encourage you to wear appropriate business casual attire under your gown.

There will be a table at each photo station to momentarily place your belongings. Plan to leave large items in your vehicle.

The confirmation email you receive after you RSVP for Winter Grad Walk 2024 will contain the link to order your regalia.

You may also click here.

Pricing will be posted on the vendor’s website; however, for planning, you should budget

• Master’s—about $67

• Bachelor’s or associate—about $39

Prices above include home shipping.

Other items, such as the stole of gratitude, are extra. The vendor’s website will have pictures and pricing for everything.

Active-duty servicemembers are encouraged to wear their service dress uniform to Winter Grad Walk 2024.

Only the U.S. Army specifically prohibits wearing gowns over the uniform; however, UMGC asks graduates belonging to the other branches of the armed forces to follow this practice too. If you choose to wear your uniform, you are welcome to purchase a cap and gown as a souvenir, but please do not wear it over your uniform.

Associate degree recipients wear gray regalia with a black tassel. Bachelor's and master's degree recipients wear black gowns and caps with a black tassel, regardless of degree. But master's degree candidates also have hoods lined with UMGC’s school colors and edged in velvet colors matching their academic discipline.

You may have seen some university commencements where the graduates' tassels contain charms denoting the year. The tassel worn at UMGC's commencement does not contain the year. We prefer a more traditional look where the tassels are uniform (i.e., no charms).

Grad packs, mailed in early November, will contain souvenir tassels with your graduation year. You may also purchase a souvenir tassel (which comes in our official school colors) when you order your regalia online. Souvenir keychains are also available.

Online regalia ordering closes on November 19. We cannot make exceptions to this deadline.

If you miss the November 19 deadline, there will be a limited amount to buy on-site at Winter Grad Walk 2024.

If you order on time but do not receive your regalia before the start of Winter Grad Walk 2024, contact Oak Hall Customer Service at 800-456-7623.

Use the hashtag #UMUCgrad to join the conversation on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) and see what's trending among your fellow graduates and alumni.

No. COVID-19 vaccination is strongly encouraged but not required.

Students and guests do not have to be vaccinated against COVID-19. UMGC will comply with local COVID-19 regulations and guidance from the CDC in effect at the time of Winter Grad Walk 2024; additional information will be provided and updated, as necessary.

Wearing masks is optional inside of the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center.

Guests do not have to be vaccinated or wear a mask, though the use of masks is encouraged.

UMGC will comply with local COVID-19 regulations and guidance from the CDC in effect at the time of Winter Grad Walk 2024; additional information will be provided and updated, as necessary.

No. You will receive a congratulatory letter from UMGC President Gregory Fowler inside a diploma cover when you cross the stage.

For more information and to activate your free membership, visit the UMGC Alumni Association.

Following Grad Walk, be on the lookout for an email from GradImages with a link to proofs of your photos. You will also receive an email from Stage Clip with a complimentary video clip of your on-stage moment that can be shared on social media and with family and friends.

UMGC provides honor cords for bachelor's degree recipients who qualify for the following academic honors: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. If you are eligible, Commencement Services will mail your cord to you about one month before Winter Grad Walk 2024.

You must have at least a 3.8 grade point average and have completed at least 30 credits of graded UMGC coursework to be eligible for one of the aforementioned academic honors. For honors to be conferred with a second bachelor’s degree, you must have earned at least 30 new UMGC credits and the requisite GPA. Refer to your academic catalog for official policy governing your eligibility for academic honors.

For honors eligibility questions, contact Graduation Services at 800-888-8682 ext. 2-2299, or graduationserv@umgc.edu.

Graduate students can qualify for the President’s List. Students must graduate with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. If you are eligible, Commencement Services will mail your honor cord to you about one month before Winter Grad Walk 2024.

Academic honors are based on your cumulative GPA for coursework completed at UMGC.

• Cum laude = 3.800 to 3.900

• Magna cum laude = 3.901 to 3.999

• Summa cum laude = 4.000

White cords represent cum laude. Blue cords represent magna cum laude, and gold cords represent summa cum laude.

Yes. At check-in, you will be given a card with your name and honors designation. Your name and honors will be read as you cross the stage.

We do not provide honor cords or other accessories for honor societies. Graduates who believe they should receive an honor cord from a specific honor society should contact the organization directly.

Contact your honor society at least one month before Winter Grad Walk 2024 to ensure timely delivery of any cords or other accessories you are entitled to wear.