GRAD FAIR

Students have two options for attending the graduation fair this year. Students only need to attend ONE fair date. Wednesday, April 12 (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) OR Monday, April 24 (4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.)

Students will need to complete a few requirements before attending. Once these are complete, an authorization email will be sent so you can collect your tickets and cap/gown.

1. Complete the destination survey (the link will be provided in the grad fair invite) beforehand.
2. Ensure your student account balance is paid in full before attending.

At the graduation fair, graduates will:

• Pick up their commencement apparel (cap, gown, and medallion or hood if Graduate student). Apparel may be picked up during either event, or any time after April 12 in the bookstore during regular business hours (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon-Thur; 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Fri). Commencement apparel does not need to be returned. Should the cap or gown need to be replaced prior to graduation, a charge of $75.00 will be assessed. We are unable to replace medallions due to limited quantity.
• Receive their family and guest tickets for the Commencement ceremony.

To receive commencement apparel and ceremony tickets, a student must have a printed authorization form from the Business Office to present to Bookstore personnel. Authorization forms will be emailed by the Business Office to all eligible students who have a paid in full balance, on or after Monday, April 10. For more information, students should contact the Business Office at 563.588.7232.

 

REQUIREMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMENCEMENT
To be eligible to participate in commencement, a student must:

1. Complete all degree requirements no later than December 2023, as stated in the Loras College Undergraduate Bulletin.
2. Submit a completed Application for Graduation Form to the Registrar’s Office no later than February 15, 2023. Students applying for graduation after this date may not be eligible to participate in commencement, however will graduate in absentia.
3. Pay Account balance in full.

COMMENCEMENT PRACTICE
Commencement practice will be held on Friday, May 19, 2023 at 9:45 a.m., Rock Bowl Stadium. Please be in place by 9:30 a.m. A seating chart/directions for lining up will be available to graduates prior to commencement practice. Rehearsal will last approximately 45 minutes.

 

BACCALAUREATE MASS
Baccalaureate Mass will take place Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of the Nativity, 1225 Alta Vista Street, Dubuque, IA.  The doors to the church will open at 9:30 a.m. Following are the instructions for faculty and graduates planning to attend the Mass:

• Graduates and faculty gather in front of Christ the King Chapel at 9:30 a.m. for the procession to the Church of the Nativity. The procession from Keane Hall to Nativity will begin at approximately 9:50 a.m. 
• Graduates should wear their caps and gowns for the procession and Baccalaureate mass.

MASTERS-LEVEL STUDENT HOODING CEREMONY AND RECEPTION
A hooding ceremony and reception will be held for all masters-level students. This is an invitation-only event. R.S.V.P. is required. If you would like additional information, please contact office.academicdean@loras.edu.

 

LUNCH OPTIONS 
Following Baccalaureate Mass, we will offer lunch in the Alumni Campus Center Cafeteria (11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.).

• Online ticket sales are now closed. If you were not able to pre-purchase your lunch tickets online, you can simply pay at the entrance of the cafeteria on Saturday.
•  Cost is $9.99 per person (ticket must also be purchased for graduates) and includes:

• • Asiago Chicken
  • Wild Rice
  • Mixed Vegetables
  • Vegetable lasagna
  • Pizza
  • Salad and sandwich options
  • Assorted beverages
  • Dessert

If you have questions regarding the purchase of tickets, please contact Janell.wollschlager@loras.edu.

COMMENCEMENT
Commencement exercises for the Class of 2023 will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. in the Rock Bowl Stadium. Please bring umbrellas or rain ponchos in case of showers. Tickets are not required to enter the Rock Bowl.

 

Streaming - We will offer livestreaming in the Alumni Campus Center (ACC) Ballroom for guests who prefer to watch the ceremony indoors. Seating will be limited and will be first come first served. For those unable to be on-campus for Commencement, livestreaming can be viewed loras.edu/live.

 

Seating - Gates will open for guests at 12:30 p.m. Families/friends are welcome to sit in available seats on a first-come basis. Seating will be available in the Duhawk Stands, on the turf, and in the visitor stands. Guests will find a reserved area for handicap-accessible seating in the Duhawk Stands; please ask an usher for assistance. Your comfort is important to us, so if you use an assistive device such as a walker or wheelchair, please feel free to bring it to the ceremony.

 

DIPLOMAS
Students will receive a diploma cover during the ceremony. Diplomas will be mailed to students approximately four to six weeks after the degree has been conferred to the address indicated on the Application for Graduation form. If the diploma is to be sent to a different address, other than that which was originally indicated on the Application for Graduation, contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@loras.edu or 563.588.7779.

 

Note: Participation in the commencement ceremony does not signify graduation from Loras College. Diplomas will not be sent for students who do not complete the academic requirements for graduation or who have an outstanding balance due to the college.

 

PICTURES
Lifetouch Photography will photograph each graduate as he/she crosses the stage. A second picture will be taken as the student leaves the stage. The proofs and an order form will be emailed to the graduate. No pre-ordering or pre-payment is necessary. After Commencement, picture proofs may be viewed at: https://events.lifetouch.com/loras

 

LAPTOP, EMAIL & NETWORK ACCOUNT INFORMATION
Graduating seniors’ email accounts, network space and personal web pages will stay active until the first of July. Please contact the Technology Center Help Desk for more information helpdesk@loras.edu.

 

LORAS BOOKSTORE
Loras College Barnes and Noble Bookstore will be open on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The bookstore carries Loras logo apparel and other college memorabilia. Announcements and class rings are ordered directly through Jostens (www.jostens.com). Please reach out to bookstore staff with questions regarding ordering. Note: there is a 3-6 week timeframe for ordering announcements.

 

Contact the Loras College Barnes and Noble Bookstore at 563.588.7130 or visit online at loras.bncollege.com.

 

PARKING
All parking lots on the Loras College campus will be open, and parking is free. Free parking is also available on Alta Vista Street and Loras Boulevard, except where posted as prohibited. A limited number of golf carts will be available to shuttle guests from the Keane Hall parking lot to the Rock Bowl beginning at noon and continuing until the 1:30 p.m. ceremony begins. The golf cart shuttle service will also provide return service to the Keane Hall lot when the ceremony ends.

 

LOCAL HOTELS
If you are traveling to Dubuque and plan to stay overnight in the Dubuque area, we recommend that you call early to reserve a hotel room. For information on local hotels and attractions, please feel free to take advantage of our partnership with Best Western Dubuque or visit Dubuque Chamber of Commerce or Visit Galena for additional local options.

 

 

The Hennessy Hall parking lot (13A on the campus map) will be reserved for guests in need of handicap-accessible parking, and Safety Officers will be on hand to distribute campus maps and provide directions.

 

View Campus Map.