Use the following steps to make sure you are ready for Commencement!

For any additional questions, the Tabor College Registrar’s Office can be reached by email, registrar@whgaolian.com, or by phone, 620-947-3121 (ext. 1041). See the menu below to skip to a section of the checklist.

Start Your Checklist
Commencement Program
Academic Honors
Attending Commencement
Pre-Ceremony Arrival
Regalia
Walking Across the Stage
Other Information

Start Your Checklist

1. Intent to Graduate Application

  • Please visit the Registrar’s Office to complete this form.
  • Must be submitted by March 1, 2023.

2. Purchase your regalia

  • Visit the JayShop in the Student Center (link JayShop & Student Center to campus map)
  • All regalia must be ordered by March 1, 2023.

3. Invitations

  • Institutional Commencement invitations will be sent out in April.
  • The Senior Invitation form MUST be filled out by Feb. 1, 2023, to ensure you and your family receive invitations.
  • Personal invitations need to either be purchased individually or you can visit Baker Bros. Printing Co. at 113 South Main Street in Hillsboro.

4. Reserve your Commencement tickets

  • All undergraduate students will be required to reserve tickets for their friends and families to attend.
    • Tickets can only be reserved by graduates at l4.whgaolian.com/tickets beginning April 1, 2023.
    • Ticket reservations will close on April 28, 2023.
  • A minimum of six tickets will be available to each student if a reservation is made.
    • More tickets may be available at a later date.
    • Seniors will receive a form to request additional tickets if made available.
  • Two tickets will be made available if no reservation is made by the deadline date.
  • There will be a non-ticketed livestream available in the Franz Family Heritage Lobby of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts.

4. Special Accommodations

  • Graduates need to inform the Registrar’s Office of any special needs so proper arrangements can be made to cross the stage and participate in the processional and recessional.

5. Be ready to graduate!

113th Commencement of Tabor College

Saturday, May 6, 2023
Richert Auditorium of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts
400 S. Jefferson
Hillsboro, KS, 67063

Undergraduate and Graduate & Online ceremony: 10 a.m. (symphonic band at 9:30 a.m.)

Commencement Program

Look back at the program (Undergraduate and Graduate & Online) of the 112th Commencement of Tabor College to see custom honors, recognition, and Tabor traditions.

How do I make sure my name is included in the program?

  • Students must submit their Intent to Graduate Application by March 1, 2023, to be included in the Commencement Program.
  • Students will need to meet with the Registrar to make sure all hours needed for graduation have been fulfilled and must pass all courses with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
    • If all courses have not been completed by graduation, arrangements for completion must be made with the Registrar and Academic Dean’s office. 
  • Tabor College reserves the right to remove a student from Commencement exercises for disciplinary reasons.  Participation in the commencement exercise is defined as a privilege, not a right.
  • The program is not an official list of confirmed graduates for the ceremony. Students listed in the program are candidates for degrees in the current academic year.
  • Students’ names are read during the university commencement ceremony as they appear on the graduation name card provided.

Academic Honors

  • Degrees are conferred with distinction upon undergraduate students who have shown exceptional scholarship in their cumulative and Tabor College grade point averages.
  • Candidates for degrees and college honors have been tentatively determined based on the work completed through the semester prior to the student’s graduating semester.  

Summa Cum Laude: 3.85-4.0
Magna Cum Laude: 3.70-3.849
Cum Laude: 3.50-3.699

Attending Commencement

We’ve compiled helpful information for faculty, staff, and guests who plan to attend in person. You’re welcome to skip ahead to jump directly to a certain section.

Guests
Faculty
Volunteers

Guests

  • All undergraduate students will be required to reserve tickets for their friends and families to attend.
    • Tickets can only be reserved by graduates at l4.whgaolian.com/tickets by April 1, 2023.
    • Ticket reservations will close on April 28, 2023.
  • A minimum of six tickets will be available to each student if a reservation is made.
    • More tickets may be available at a later date.
    • Seniors will receive a form to request additional tickets if made available.
  • Two tickets will be made available if no reservation is made by the deadline date.
  • There will be a non-ticketed livestream available in the Franz Family Heritage Lobby of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts.
  • No tickets are required for the Graduate & Online ceremony. Please join your graduate in support of their special day!

Faculty

Before Commencement

  • Faculty are expected to participate in Commencement to show support and encouragement to those who are graduating. 
  • Faculty will sit in reserved seating located on the Richert Auditorium stage.
  • To be excused from participation, a faculty member needs to request an official excused absence from the Academic Dean and President.
    • Only certain faculty will be required to process and attend the master’s ceremony. 
  • Faculty will be given an order of seating and procession on the day of Commencement. 
  • Faculty will process in full regalia that has been pressed or steamed and looks professional.

Day of Commencement

  • Faculty participants need to check in for the undergraduate ceremony by 9:30 am in the Vogel Choral Room in the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts. 
  • Those participating in the ceremony (faculty chair, benediction, etc.) will check in the green room on the south side of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts. 
  • Please come with full regalia.
    • Hanging racks will be provided. 
  • Required faculty participants for the master’s ceremony need to check in to the green room on the south side of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts by 1:30 pm.
    • Hanging racks will be provided.
  • Please try to park in parking lots further from the facility to leave plenty of room for families and friends of our graduates. 

Volunteers

Before Commencement

  • Generally, unless a staff member is given a ticket by a student, we do not have space in the Richert Auditorium for staff members to attend Commencement. 
  • However, staff is welcome to view Commencement via livestream from the Franz Family Heritage Lobby. 
  • Staff members are also welcome to show their support to the graduates by volunteering for one or both of the Commencement ceremonies. 
  • Volunteers are needed to help check-in graduates, direct graduates, and help with ushering or hospitality.  Please contact Miriam Kliewer, miriamkliewer@whgaolian.com or 620-947-3121 (ext. 1757) for more information.

Day of Commencement

  • Volunteers, for the undergraduate ceremony, need to check in at the ticket booth in the Regier Atrium at 9 a.m.  Wear comfortable shoes as there may be a fair amount of walking required. 
  • Volunteers, for the master’s ceremony, need to check in at the ticket booth in the Regier Atrium at 1 p.m. Wear comfortable shoes as there may be a fair amount of walking required. 
  • Please try to park in parking lots further from the facility to leave plenty of room for families and friends of our graduates. 

Pre-Ceremony Arrival

Undergraduate

  • Check-in time for graduates is 9:15 a.m.
    • Graduates should check in to the chapel on the main floor of the H.W. Lohrenz Administration Building.
  • Please arrive dressed appropriately for the ceremony, including a cap, gown, and tassel.
  • Extra tassels will be available if you are missing yours.
  • Your prompt arrival for check-in and lining up will help ensure the event runs smoothly for you and other graduates.
    • NOTE: Graduates will remain in the same lineup for the recessional after the ceremony.
  • The processional will begin promptly at 9:50 a.m. and the ceremony at 10 a.m.
  • If there is inclement weather, undergraduate students will check in to room 215 on the second floor of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts.  The procession from the Lohrenz will not take place; rather, the students will line up behind the faculty in the Regier Atrium.
  • Please do not bring personal valuables as there will be no way to secure them.  Bring only what you intend to carry with you for the duration of the ceremony.

Graduate & Online

  • Check-in time for graduates is 1:15 p.m.
    • Graduates will check in to Room 215 on the second floor of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts.
  • Please arrive dressed appropriately for the ceremony, including a cap, gown, and hood.
  • Program medals will be distributed at arrival.
  • NOTE: Graduates will remain in the same lineup for the recessional after the ceremony.
  • Your prompt arrival for check-in and lining will help ensure that the event runs smoothly for you and other graduates. 
  • The ceremony will begin promptly at 2 p.m.
  • Please do not bring personal valuables as there will be no way to secure them.  Bring only what you intend to carry with you for the duration of the ceremony.

Regalia

Information on purchasing regalia can be found by contacting the JayShop in the Student Center or through program directors for master’s students.

Regalia for Bachelor Degree Candidates

  • Bachelor degree candidates should purchase a bachelor’s gown, mortarboard cap, and tassel.
  • Your tassel should be worn on the right side of your mortarboard until you are told to move it to the left by the Vice President of Academics after all graduates have been recognized.

Regalia for Master Degree Candidates

  • Master degree candidates should purchase a master’s gown, mortarboard cap, master’s hood (by color), and tassel.
  • Your tassel should be worn on the left side of your mortarboard as you have already received a degree. Your tassel will stay and not be moved. 
  • You will process with your hood draped over your arm.
    • You will carry it as such to the stage where your hood will be placed on you by your program director as you walk across the stage.

Walking Across the Stage

Undergraduates

  • Once your name is called, you will walk to the other side of the stage where the faculty chair will put cords on you, if appropriate.
  • The president will then reach out to shake your hand and give you your diploma cover. 
  • Once you receive your diploma cover, continue exiting off side stage, across the hall to the photo area where your official graduate photograph will be taken.  Then follow the guides back to the auditorium door where you will be released back to your seat when appropriate.  

Graduate & Online

  • Once your name is called, you will walk to center stage where you will pause in front of the platform facing the auditorium. 
  • You will be hooded by your program director and an assistant. 
  • You will then proceed to receive your diploma cover and shake the hand of the president. 
  • Once you receive your diploma cover, continue exiting off side stage, across the hall to the photo area where your official graduate photograph will be taken. Then follow the guides back to the auditorium door where you will be released back to your seat when appropriate.  

Other Information

Diplomas

  • Diplomas will be ready for pick-up or mailed to students when all academic and financial requirements are met and degrees have been verified.
  • Please allow up to four weeks for the final transcript to reflect degree conferral.

Photography

  • Graduates will be photographed as they walk across the stage and again after they have received their diploma just off the stage. 
  • All images will be available within a week after graduation by going visiting Tabor College Flickr. All photographs will be able to be downloaded for print at no charge.
  • Families may take photographs in the Richert Auditorium behind the stanchioned areas.