General information

Convocation rehearsal

All those receiving degrees at the ceremony are required to attend the convocation rehearsal in the Hazen Hall Lecture Theatre on Thursday, May 29, from 5 – 6 p.m.

Led by the Student Marshal, the rehearsal provides graduands with instructions and information not only on their role in what can be a rather complex pattern of events during the actual ceremony, but on topics such as the proper way to wear academic regalia as well as the degree-granting process.

Graduands will receive their parade cards from the Student Marshal at this rehearsal. This is the card to be presented to the Orator from which your name will be read as you cross the stage to graduate. In addition to your name, it will contain a number to ensure that you are lined up and seated in the correct order. If you are not able to attend the rehearsal, you must locate a student marshal in the Quad on the day of the ceremony to obtain your parade card.

UNB asks that graduands do not take personal belongings such as purses, jackets, flowers and confetti into the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre. Backpacks are not permitted within the ceremony’s venue.

Convocation schedule

Graduand name pronunciation recording feature

Although not mandatory, graduating students are invited to self-record themselves pronouncing their name for the purpose of assisting orators in learning the proper pronunciation. Orators call the names of graduands as they cross the stage. UNB aims to support orators in announcing names as accurately as possible.

Upon submitting your application to graduate, you will receive an auto-response email with additional information. A link to access the optional name pronunciation recording feature is available on the auto-response email. You will read a privacy statement and if you give permission, you will answer a few questions about the ceremony from which you will graduate and have an opportunity to upload your voice recording. If you do not give permission, you can just leave the site. Please email graduation@unb.ca if you have questions.

Tickets

Although graduands do not require a ticket, guests who wish to attend must have a ticket for admission, including children. Each graduand may have up to two tickets for the Spring Convocation Ceremony. Young children must be accompanied by an adult.

All tickets will be available for pick up on Thursday, May 29, from 4 – 5 p.m., in the upper foyer of the Hazen Hall Lecture Theatre.

If unable to attend the rehearsal, you may pick up tickets on the day of convocation from the Registrar’s Office front counter, from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Student identification is required.

To receive additional tickets for the ceremony in Saint John, email unbsjreg@unb.ca no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, April 26. Submissions will not be accepted after this time/date. All graduands submitting a request for additional guest tickets will be given consideration after this date and will receive an email notification of whether their requests were able to be accommodated no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 3. Students may or may not receive up to five additional tickets as venue space is limited.

Please advise your guests that the gymnasium at the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre will be open for seating beginning at 1:30 p.m. Seats are unassigned and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Friends and family who do not have a ticket will be able to view the ceremony either from the overflow area in the Hazen Hall Lecture Theatre or from the comfort of their homes via a live feed at UNB.ca/graduation.

UNB has introduced new safety measures and personal belongings such as backpacks are not permitted within the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre and its gymnasium during the graduation ceremony.

UNB Associated Alumni toast

Join members of the UNB Associated Alumni at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 30 in front of the Hans W. Klohn Commons for the traditional alumni toast to celebrate the accomplishments of the spring 2025 Saint John graduands.

The toast will be delivered by a member of the #ProudlyUNB alumni family with a class photo taken immediately following.

Accessibility

UNB is committed to providing accessible and inclusive spaces and experiences on campus. The G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre has barrier free entrances, and is equipped with an elevator. Ushers are available to direct guests with limited mobility to the accessible seating area in the gymnasium. See the campus map for accessible parking, accessible entrances, and accessible washrooms. Additional accessible parking has been designated on the west side of the Athletics Centre for this event – for access, simply show your disabled parking placard to attendee.

Ceremonies will be live-streamed at UNB.ca/graduation for those who wish to watch from the comfort of their homes.

UNB is scent aware. Please respect the health of others by using products without perfume/cologne or reducing the amount you wear.

UNB asks that balloons not be brought to campus during graduation, as they create a visual barrier in the seating area as well as pose a threat to those with latex anaphylaxis.

Photos during the ceremony

The UNB photographer will take a photograph of each graduate receiving a diploma with a dean on stage. You will be able to easily download a free print quality photograph a few weeks after the ceremony. Details will appear in the graduation program.

Please encourage your guests to take their photographs prior to and/or after the ceremony.

Purchase a degree parchment frame

Frame your success! Purchase a degree parchment frame from your UNB Associated Alumni and display your degree with pride. The UNB Alumni Office will be on-site selling frames in the Baird Dining Hall during the Convocation reception.

Flowers available for purchase

Flowers may be pre-ordered and picked up prior to the ceremony or purchased on-site in front of the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre.

Pre-order your bouquet

UNB branded products available

During the Convocation Reception, the Campus Store will have UNB branded merchandise on-site in the Baird Dining Hall.

Alumni honour guard

Family members or friends of graduates who are UNB alumni, and would like to attend the ceremony, are welcome to participate. For more information about the alumni honour guard, or to reserve regalia, email your name, height and degree information to erika.king@unb.ca by Friday, May 9, 2025.

Won’t be able to attend the ceremony?

If you are unable to attend the ceremony, arrangements can be made to pick up your degree parchment, by booking an appointment.

Degree parchments designated as “to be picked up” will only be held at the Registrar’s Office for three weeks after the ceremony. They will then be mailed to the graduates’ address appearing on the application to graduate form. For those who selected to have their diplomas mailed, they will be sent out the week of June 2, 2025.

If you are unable to attend the ceremony, your name will not be announced but will appear in the program.

Has your address changed?

If you are an undergraduate student who needs to update the address you provided on your application to graduate, email unbsjreg@unb.ca. For graduate students, email andrea.ruehlicke@unb.ca.