Faculty Day-Of Instructions

Please review important information for your participation in the EVMS Commencement Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 14, 2022.

Commencement Ceremony

EVMS Commencement is Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Norfolk Scope. The ceremony begins promptly at 10 a.m. and lasts approximately 3 hours. Your arrival time and other details are below.

The Norfolk Scope is located at 201 E. Brambleton Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510.

Parking

• $5.00 cash upon entry in the Scope underground garage
• $5.00 cash upon entry in Brambleton Lot across the street from Norfolk Scope
• Other City of Norfolk self-pay parking located near Norfolk Scope

Check In

• Enter through the Norfolk Scope Exhibition Hall doors (glass doors closest to the gate, not the box office entrance).
• Faculty should check in between 9 to 9:30 a.m. to pick up regalia and prepare for the processional line up.
• Faculty who own their own regalia should bring it with them, ready to wear, and should check in no later than 9:30 a.m.
• Processional line-up is facilitated by EVMS staff and begins at 9:30 a.m.
• Further instructions about protocol, seating and processional order will be provided on site.

Enhanced security procedures have been implemented at Norfolk Scope. Upon entrance, all guests will be subject to physical and visual inspections, bag checks and/or wanding which will affect entrance times.

In order to expedite entry, please consider leaving personal items such as purses, bags, etc. in your vehicles. EVMS is not responsible for lost or stolen personal belongs. Please plan and schedule accordingly.

Personal belongings will not be permitted on the arena floor during the ceremony. Keys and cell phones only may be checked in with Police & Public Safety for the duration of the ceremony.

If you no longer plan to attend, email EVMS Special Events.

Attire

Professional attire is required. Individuals who are not dressed appropriately will not be allowed to participate.

• Women:
  • Dark, low-heeled footwear
  • No conspicuous jewelry outside the regalia
• Men:
  • Collared shirt and tie, dark colored pants (no jeans or shorts)
  • Appropriate footwear (no athletic footwear)
  • Men are requested to remove their mortarboard or tam for the national anthem

Regalia

EVMS will provide and steam rental regalia for all faculty participants who do not have their own regalia. It will be waiting for them upon check-in at Scope. Faculty who own their own regalia should bring it with them, ready to wear. EVMS staff will be on site to assist with donning regalia. EVMS faculty are permitted to wear honor cords, Fine Family Academy of Educator or other stoles and medallions they have earned at EVMS and should bring them on Commencement day. Please read more about Faculty Academic Honors.

Processional and ceremony

Faculty will begin lining up at 9:30 a.m. Once the Processional has begun, no late-arriving faculty will be allowed to join, nor will they be allowed to be seated on the arena floor. No exceptions will be made.

The Ceremony will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Graduation programs will be placed on your seat; nothing may be carried during the Processional. The ceremony is expected to last approximately 3 hours; please plan accordingly. Faculty participants are not excused from the arena floor before the end of the program and are expected to recess as a formal part of the ceremony.

Recessional

The audience will be asked to remain in place until the Recessional has concluded. Marshals and ushers will direct the Recessional with the Platform Party leaving first, followed by the faculty, and then the graduates and returning alumni.

Post ceremony

Faculty members who ordered regalia must return it in the Exhibition Hall immediately following the Ceremony.

COVID-19 and public health information

EVMS will not require vaccinations or masks to attend EVMS Commencement. However, due to the nature of large gathering, close contact and potential risks, EVMS supports any individual who wishes to wear a mask during the ceremony.

Find current information about masking and public health protocols.

Additional information

For questions or additional information, please contact EVMS Special Events. Find more details about this year’s Commencement. Thank you for participating in this joyful event!