Commencement 2024
What is Commencement?
Commencement is the annual ceremony at which we celebrate completion of your degree. While the commencement ceremony is not required for actual degree conferral, you are invited to celebrate your accomplishments with Humphrey School faculty, staff, fellow students, friends, and family who have enthusiastically supported your hard work and efforts.
Humphrey School Commencement Ceremony
Saturday, May 11, 2024, 4–6 p.m.
Ted Mann Concert Hall
University of Minnesota West Bank
Reception to follow
ASL and live captioning will be provided.
Keynote speaker
We are pleased to announce that Melvin Carter III, mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, will deliver the commencement address at this year's ceremony.
A lifelong resident of St. Paul, Carter was elected mayor in 2017 and reelected in 2021. He is the city's first African American mayor.
Prior to 2017, Carter was a member of the St. Paul City Council. He also served as founding board chair of the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood, director of the Minnesota Office of Early Learning, and executive director of the Minnesota Children’s Cabinet.
Carter is an alumnus of the Humphrey School, having earned his Master of Public Policy in 2011. He received the Hubert H. Humphrey Public Leadership Award in 2015.
Livestream
For family and friends unable to attend the ceremony in person, the event will be live streamed on the Humphrey School’s YouTube channel.
Important information for Humphrey School graduates
Eligibility
If your degree was, or will be, awarded September 2023 through August 2024, you are eligible and encouraged to participate in the May 2024 commencement ceremony.
Dress
Graduates are required to wear caps and gowns for the ceremony (unless you are in international ceremonial dress). Regalia is available for rental or purchase at the University Bookstores.
Guests
Tickets are not required for attendees. But due to capacity constraints, graduates may bring a maximum of six guests to the ceremony.
Arrival
Please plan to arrive at Ted Mann Concert Hall by 3 p.m. Graduates and their guests should enter through the front doors on 4th Street. A volunteer will point graduates toward the backstage area, where dressing rooms are available for use. Faculty and staff will assist graduates in lining up.
Parking
The nearest parking facility is the 21st Avenue parking ramp, about two blocks away from Ted Mann Concert Hall. More information is available from University Parking and Transportation Services. There is no parking in front of Ted Mann, but guests can be dropped off in the roundabout near the front door. There will be other events around campus at the same time, so please plan accordingly.
Valuables
Leave valuables at home or with guests/family members. You can also rent a locker on the entrance level of Ted Mann to store them during the ceremony. Please do not leave any items in the backstage area; there is no secure storage available there, and items are often forgotten after the ceremony.
Ceremony
The ceremony will begin promptly at 4 p.m. and conclude at approximately 5:45 p.m. All graduates and their guests are expected to stay until the end of the ceremony. All electronic devices and cell phones must be silenced during the ceremony.
Reception
A reception for graduates and guests will be held following the ceremony on the terrace between Ted Mann Concert Hall and Ferguson Hall. Refreshments (cupcakes, coffee, and punch) will be served.
In case of rain. If inclement weather is expected, the reception will be moved indoors to the Humphrey School. That decision will be made by noon on Friday, May 10, and will be communicated on the Humphrey School website, through email, and on social media.
Photos
A Humphrey School backdrop will be set up in the Ferguson Hall lobby, where a professional photographer will take photos of graduates individually and with guests, classmates, faculty, and staff. These photos will be uploaded to the Humphrey School’s Flickr page and shared with graduates about a week after the event for download.
End-of-Year Awards
The End-of-Year Awards brunch will take place on the morning of commencement, May 11, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Mondale Commons. Student award recipients will be notified of their award closer to the end of the academic year. Guests are welcome to attend.
Accommodations
If you or your guests have questions or needs regarding access and accommodations at Ted Mann Concert Hall, please contact [email protected].
A few things that may be helpful when making an accessibility accommodation request:
- ASL and live captioning services will be provided.
- There is no parking in front of Ted Mann Concert Hall, but guests can be dropped off in the roundabout near the main entrance.
- Ted Mann has an elevator to access all levels of the concert hall. The entire auditorium is ramp style, so there are no stairs to access a seat.
- If any guests need a wheelchair-accessible seat in the auditorium or have trouble walking far distances, we can reserve seats for small groups in accessible areas.
Please check back for further updates.
If you have questions or concerns, or to request accommodations, please contact [email protected].