Commencement FAQ

All December and January graduates, May candidates, and other candidates who are within eight credits of completing requirements may participate in the commencement ceremony.

Questions about credits and eligibility should be directed to the Registrar’s office at [email protected].

Seniors receive periodic emails throughout the year. If you have questions for any office/department, please reach out to them directly via email.

See the Graduation Checklist page for more information.

Students will receive information from the Student Accounts Office throughout the spring semester reminding them to clear any balance due on their account that could prevent them from receiving their diploma. Graduates who have a balance due may participate in commencement but might not receive their diploma or transcripts until the financial obligation to the college has been met.

Email [email protected] with questions.

Yes, you must register to participate in the May, 2026 ceremony.

More information and a registration link will be shared with graduates via email in late January, 2026.

Yes, all guests must have a ticket to attend the ceremony in the Fieldhouse. (Exception: Any child under two years of age, not occupying a seat, may attend without a ticket and therefore not count towards a graduate’s guest ticket limit.)

More information and a link to claim tickets will be shared with graduates via email in late January, 2026.

• At that time, each graduate will be able to claim up to five (5) tickets.
• After the initial ticket requests are fulfilled, we will distribute additional tickets equitably between those who have requested them. Each graduate may request up to six (6) additional tickets.
• There will be an on-campus space for any guests who do not have Fieldhouse tickets to gather and watch a live stream of the ceremony.

Please note that all ticket requests are handled directly with graduates. Family and friends may not request tickets independently.

Caps and gowns are ordered via the Herff Jones webpage (link to come) and will be distributed by The Highlander. More information will be shared via email in late January, 2026.

Renting regaila is not mandatory to participate in the ceremony.

Yes, we will live stream the May Commencement ceremony. The link for the live stream will be posted on our main Commencement webpage prior to the event. We will also post a link to the recording shortly after the ceremony.

Yes, a professional photo will be taken of each graduate, and students can typically expect proofs via email (to your Macalester email address) within two weeks of commencement.

If you don’t receive an email, please use the search function at gradimages.com to find your proofs.

No, at Macalester, we allow graduates to select their own seats for the commencement ceremony. This seat selection happens at the commencement rehearsal. 

No, with the exception of reserved seats for those who have requested accessible seating in advance.

Macalester College strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully.

We will provide accessible seating for access for individuals with disabilities with specific accommodation needs. To prioritize this seating, there is a limit of two (2) tickets for this area: one for the individual requesting seating and one for a companion to accompany that individual. These two (2) tickets/seats do count toward the graduating senior’s ticket limit.

Sign language interpreters and Captioning will be provided during the Commencement Ceremony.

More information and a link to request accessible seating or other accessibility accommodations will be shared in late January.

Questions? Email [email protected].

All campus parking lots will be open to guests, and designated ADA accessible parking spots will be available.

Use 130 Macalester Street, St. Paul, Minnesota for GPS directions to available parking.

See our Interactive Campus Map for details.

At the beginning of spring term, all seniors, as well as faculty and staff, are invited to nominate a senior to give the student address. The selection committee consists of one faculty member, three students and two staff.

The commencement speaker selection rests with the college president. Generally, speakers are selected because their work or activities embody Macalester’s core values; they have a record of outstanding achievement; and/or they have a special connection to Macalester.

The length of our commencement ceremony varies from year to year depending on the number of graduates, the length of speeches, and other factors. Please allow at least 2.5 to 3 hours for the ceremony.

Graduates who have rented robes will be required to return them before they leave campus, so please consider that when making travel plans or restaurant reservations.

• African Music Ensemble, Kente Stoles
• Alpha Kappa Delta – Sociology Honors Society, Teal Honor Cords
• Anthropology Major, Lilac Honor Cords
• Chanter Literary and Arts Magazine, Orange and Black Honor Cords
• Delta Phi Alpha – German Honor Society, Black, Red, and Gold Honor Cords
• Epsilon Kappa Chapter of Gamma Theta Upsilon – International Geography Honors Society, Gold, Dark Brown and Light Blue Honor Cords
• Eta Sigma Phi – Classics Honor Society, Purple and Gold Honor Cords
• Ethics Bowl/Mock Trial, Orange Honor Cords
• First Generation Graduates, Pale Blue Honor Cords
• International Students, Home Country Flag Sashes
• Iota Sigma Pi – Chemistry Honor Society, Green, White and Yellow Honor Cords
• Lavender Graduation Participants, Rainbow Tassels
• Lealtad-Suzuki Center for Social Justice, Stoles / Tribal Blankets
• M Club Varsity Athletes, Navy, Orange and Silver Honor Cords
• Macalester First Aid, Royal Blue and Silver Honor Cords
• Macalester College Student Government, Royal and Light Blue Honor Cords
• Mac Weekly, Plum Honor Cords
• Omicron Delta Epsilon – Economics Honor Society, Yellow, Gold, and Royal Blue Honor Cords
• Phi Alpha Theta – History Honor Society, Light Blue and Red Honor Cords
• Phi Lambda Upsilon – Chemistry Honor Society, Light Blue, and Pink Honor Cords
• Pi Sigma Alpha – Political Science Honors Society, Red, Black, and White Honor Cords
• Psi Chi – Psychology Honors Society, Orange and Blue Honor Cords
• QuestBridge, Teal, Blue and Silver Honor Cords
• Resident Assistants, Green and Light Blue Honor Cords
• Rites of Passage, Woven and Embroidered Stoles
• Sigma Tau Delta – English Honor Society, Black and Red Honor Cords
• Tri Beta – Biology Honors Society, Red and Green Honor Cords
• Summa cum laude, Gold Honor Cords
  • The designation of summa cum laude is based on achieving a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.90
  • The designation magna cum laude is based on achieving a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.80
  • The designation cum laude is based on achieving a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.65