Frequently Asked Questions

Food Policy

• No outside food or drink.
• Exception: An unopened bottle of water (20 oz. or less) will be allowed.

Bag Policy

No large bags are allowed in the stadium for graduates or guests.
Guide to permitted and prohibited bags (PDF).

Approved bags:

• One clear plastic bag
  • 12" x 12" x 6" clear plastic stadium bag
  • One (1) gallon clear plastic storage bag
    - or - 
• One clutch purse
  4.5" x 6.5" or smaller

Prohibited bags:

• Backpack
• Large purse
• Camera bag
• Binoculars case
• Fanny pack

Strollers are not allowed in the arena where the ceremonies are held due to the tiered seating

Updated 1/27/23

All ceremonies will require guest tickets.All students who submit their RSVP by May 1 will be allotted 10 guest tickets. All guests two (2) years or older require a ticket for admission. Due to capacity issues, we do not anticipate the availability of additional tickets

The event will also be live-streamed so that family and friends can watch from anywhere across the world.

Updated 2/28/23

No. However, you must be wearing a black cap and gown to participate in the ceremony. They will not be available on site. 

Updated 9/14/22

1. If you don’t submit an RSVP by May 1, you won’t be eligible for guest tickets.
2. Tickets will be put into student graduate accounts between May 8 and 10.
3. Please access and transfer your tickets as soon as you are notified they are available. Staff are busy preparing to celebrate you, and it is hard to answer lots of last minute emails about ticket access. Give yourself, your guests, and us as much time as possible to ensure things go smoothly.

Please follow these instructions to access and transfer mobile tickets:

• Ticket transfer instructions (DOCX)
• Ticket transfer instructions (PDF)

If someone doesn’t have a smartphone or tablet to electronically receive a guest ticket, you can print your tickets as long as you view them as a PDF when you see that option appear. You can hold all the tickets on your own device arrive with your guests and scan them all at once. You can text a photo of the ticket, however, make sure they are individually identified as once one ticket is scanned, even from a photo, that ticket is no longer valid.

YES. While you are at home where WIFI is not being accessed by hundreds of guests, upload your tickets and save them in your device. This will avoid delays at the doors.

The Convocation Center and Huskie Athletics no longer uses Ticketmaster. Your accounts are set up through Paciolan.

For your name to appear in the commencement ceremony program, you will need to apply to graduate according to the deadline set by Registration and Records.

Please note, your name will not appear at all if you have a FERPA hold (which forbids the university from releasing your name in any public context) set up in your MyNIU privacy settings. You will need to request a FERPA change before graduate application deadlines.

No. Diplomas will be mailed directly from the vendor about six weeks after the ceremony. All graduation requirements need to have been met. Further, please note that you must clear any monetary or other obligations to the university to receive your diploma. You can check your diploma status after six to eight weeks.