

MayÌý2027ÌýCommencement Ceremonies
ÌýÌý (Please note this information is subject to change.)
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“Members of the graduating class, demands will be made upon you which were not made upon us. Your training, if you are true to it, will amply qualify you to meet those demands. No wiser blessing could I wish for you than that you may be true to every God-appointed work.�
-The Benson Charge: Catherine Brewer Benson, 91¶¶Òõ’s first graduate, Class of 1840
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* Reminder – Graduation Fee: As stated in the academic catalogue and on your application for diploma, a one-time $150 fee is assessed to all graduating students. This fee is required and is not adjusted or
prorated based on participation in graduation activities. The graduation fee will be billed to your student account and payment should be remitted to the Business Office by May 1.
Each Month - Please check the 91¶¶Òõ commencement website for updates.
All Month - Please check the 91¶¶Òõ commencement website for updates.
All Month - Regalia (cap, gown, hood & tassel) can be purchased through the .
Information on how to order your regalia will come from commencement@wesleyancollege.edu
February 1 - First day to order Commencement tickets. Check your email for more information.
All Month - Please check the 91¶¶Òõ commencement website for updates.
March 1 - Deadline to notify Registrar registrar@wesleyancollege.edu - of official name change on diploma. (Legal documentation is required.)
March 1 - Deadline to file application for diploma for students completing degree requirements.
March 1 - Deadline to turn in Candlelighting Forms. Contact: alumnae@wesleyancollege.edu
March 22 - Senior Toast (7 - 8:30 pm) in Burden Parlor
All Month - Please check the 91¶¶Òõ commencement website for updates.
April 29 - Join us for the Senior First Destination EventÌýon Thursday, April 29 from 5–7 PM. Seniors will complete their graduation survey, pick up commencement tickets, and celebrate with their classmates. Attendance is required, and tickets will only be distributed after the survey is completed.
April 30 - Deadline at 12:00 pmÌýfor Federal Student Loan Borrowers to finish Direct Loan Exiting Counseling at . Please contact financialaid@wesleyancollege.edu with questions.
All Month - Please check the 91¶¶Òõ commencement website for updates.
May 13 - Last day to pick up Commencement tickets in Students Affairs Office by 12:00 pm
May 14 – Commencement Rehearsal & Class Photo, 1:00 pm, Porter Auditorium. ALLÌýGRADUATES MUST ATTEND. *Bring your cap, gown, & hood.
May 14 – Baccalaureate Service, 6:30 pmÌý- a celebratory tradition honoring the graduatingÌýclass. Seniors and faculty gather at the original 91¶¶Òõ location in downtown Macon, and thenÌýprocess to Mulberry St. UMC.
Wearing stoles, cords, or pins of academic standing issued by the College or College-approved entities (e.g., Phi Kappa Phi, Mortar Board, Beta Beta Beta, and honor societies).
Decorating top surface of caps. Cap decorations should be no taller than 1� and not hang down. Glitter, curse words & content that’s offensive, demeaning or degrading to others isn’t permitted.
Adding stoles or other markers of tribal, ethnic, or religious identity.
Students must comply with these guidelines in order to participate in Commencement.
Students who do not comply with this policy will be required to remove and store all unapproved items prior to the ceremony. The Faculty Marshal will interpret and implement this policy.
Rain Plan: If the weather looks rainy, check your 91¶¶Òõ Gmail for updates from Faculty Marshal Megan McMahon. If we switch to our Rain Plan, meet downstairs in Porter Auditorium and follow Junior Marshals.
**Graduates Only to gather at 91¶¶Òõ Historic Marker at 6:15 p.m. at the corner of College Street and Georgia Avenue**
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**Reception to follow in the Anderson Dining Hall**
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**Reception to follow ceremony**
91¶¶Òõ has a long history of welcoming visitors to campus to celebrate our graduates. We strive to provide first-class experience and ask that all guests adhere to the following policies:
What is the Baccalaureate Ceremony?
The Baccalaureate Ceremony is a 91¶¶Òõ tradition of celebration, prayer and song held to honor the graduating class. Graduating seniors and faculty gather at the original 91¶¶Òõ location in downtown Macon, and then process to Mulberry Street United Methodist Church for the second portion of the ceremony.
Where do we meet?
Graduating seniors and faculty will gather at 6:15 p.m. at the site of the original 91¶¶Òõ campus (intersection of College Street & Georgia Ave) for a small gathering, which begins at 6:30 pm. Graduating seniors and faculty then process to Mulberry United Methodist Church for the Baccalaureate Ceremony.
Where should I park?
You may park at the Mulberry United Methodist Church at 719 Mulberry Street. Graduates can ride in the 91¶¶Òõ shuttle to the top of the hill for the first part of the ceremony.
What if I can’t find a ride?
Free shuttles from campus to the Baccalaureate Ceremony will be provided. Check your email for more information.
Where should myÌýfamily and friends go?
Guests should find a seat in the Mulberry United Methodist Church and wait for the procession to arrive. Doors will open at 6 PM.
Do I need tickets?
No – you do not need tickets. However, seating will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis.
What should I wear?
Graduating seniors and faculty are required to wear regalia. Graduates must wear a College-issued black cap, black tassel and black gown. Hoods will not be worn at Baccalaureate. For more information, including ways students may personalize their regalia, please review the Regalia Policy here.
What if it rains?
In the event of inclement weather, students will meet downstairs in the Fellowship Hall of Mulberry United Methodist Church and process upstairs. Please check your 91¶¶Òõ email for updates.
Where do we meet?
Graduates will meet in the OSP basement hallway outside Trice and the campus post office at 9:20 a.m. BE ON TIME! We will begin processing at 9:50 a.m. SHARP. When you arrive, follow the Junior Marshals’ lead.
What should I do with my stuff?
Leave all personal belongings with a friend or family members, in your dorm room, or secured in your vehicles. You hands need to be free to accept your diploma!
Where should myÌýfamily and friends go?
Doors open to Porter Auditorium at 9 a.m. for ticket-holders only. Please encourage your guests to arrive on time, and to allow time for parking and walking to Porter. Doors close to Porter Auditorium when the procession starts at 9:50 a.m. At that time, all ticket holders who are not seated will be asked to wait until the procession is complete.
What is a hooder and why do I need to choose one?
A hooder is a person who places an academic hood over your head during Commencement. Each graduate will designate a hooder to bestow this honor. You may choose anyone as your hooder. They are typically a person who has held an essential, supportive role in your educational journey.
Your hooder will sit directly behind you during the Commencement Ceremony. The hood is their ticket into Porter Auditorium. Details on how your hooder can find seating will be communicated directly closer to the date.
What ifÌýmy family member doesn’t have a ticket?
Guests without tickets should proceed directly to Pierce Chapel for overflow seating. They will be able to view the ceremony on a large screen.
Where do I get tickets?
Tickets will be distributed by the Office of Student Affairs. Please watch your 91¶¶Òõ email for details on how to obtain them.
What should I wear?
Graduates must wear a College-issued black cap, black tassel and black gown. For more information, including ways students may personalize their regalia, please review the Regalia Policy here.
What if it rains?
In the event of inclement weather, we will meet downstairs in Porter Auditorium to line up. Please follow the Junior Marshals’ lead. Check your 91¶¶Òõ email for more information.
* Reminder – Graduation Fee: As stated in the academic catalogue and on your application for diploma,
a one-time $150 fee is assessed to all graduating students. This fee is required and is not adjusted or
prorated based on participation in graduation activities. The graduation fee will be billed to your student
account and payment should be remitted to the Business Office by May 1.
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All Month - Please check the 91¶¶Òõ commencement website for updates.
May 1 – Deadline (12:00 p.m., noon) to settle all financial obligations to the College. Please contact businessoffice@wesleyancollege.edu with questions.
* Glitter, curse words & content that’s offensive, demeaning or degrading to others are not
permitted.
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In 1840, Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson became the first woman to receive her degree from the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women.Ìý
Catherine Elizabeth Brewer Benson 1840 In the 1839 Georgia Female College catalog, twenty young women are listed in the Junior Class. Of this number, eleven graduated on the night of July 16, 1840, and were pioneers in education for women. By virtue of being alphabetically the first in line, Catherine Elizabeth Brewer was the first woman to receive her degree from the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women. READ MORE
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