WEST CHESTER, PA — West Chester University will celebrate 1,124 new graduates during a series of four winter commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, December 12 and 13, marking a major milestone for students preparing to begin the next chapters of their lives. All events will take place in Hollinger Field House on the University’s North Campus.
Three undergraduate ceremonies will recognize 863 students eligible to receive bachelor’s degrees, including 12 who completed their coursework at the University’s Philadelphia location. The ceremonies are organized by college and will take place Friday evening and Saturday morning and midday.
A separate ceremony at 3 p.m. on Saturday will honor 261 graduate-level students representing all of the University’s colleges and instructional sites. That total includes five students who completed their degrees at the Philadelphia location.
Tickets are required for all ceremonies, but each event will be livestreamed for families and friends who cannot attend. Recordings will also be posted to the University’s Commencement website.
The University is encouraging graduates and guests to park in the Sharpless Garage or the New Street Garage, both of which will offer free parking during ceremony hours.
The schedule is as follows:
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12
6 p.m. — College of Health Sciences; College of Education and Social Work; University College
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13
9 a.m. — College of Business and Public Management
12 p.m. — College of Arts and Humanities; College of the Sciences and Mathematics; School of Music
3 p.m. — Graduate School
Local traffic may be affected Saturday due to the Borough of West Chester’s Christkindlmarkt, which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gay Street will be closed between Matlack and Darlington streets from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Church Street will be closed from Chestnut to Market streets. Special event parking rates of $20 per vehicle will be in effect at borough garages and uptown lots from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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