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, Oct. 19, from 6 – 7 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 on the day of the ceremony, in the Grand Hall (40 Charlotte St.), to obtain your parade card.

Convocation schedule

5 – 6 p.m. | Hazen Hall upper foyer – pick up guest tickets and parade cards

6 – 7 p.m. | Hazen Hall Lecture Theatre – Convocation rehearsal


2 – 3 p.m. | Imperial Theatre – Tickets available for pick up in lobby, if they weren’t picked up at the rehearsal the evening before

2:30 – 3:45 p.m. | Pick up parade cards from Student Marshals, in the Grand Hall, if you didn’t pick up prior to the rehearsal

2:30 – 3:45 p.m. | Grand Hall - Graduands pick up convocation regalia (gown, academic cap, hood)

3:45 p.m. | Grand Hall – Associated Alumni toast

4:20 p.m. | Process from the Grand Hall to the Imperial Theatre

4:30 p.m. | Imperial Theatre – Convocation ceremony begins. Immediately following the ceremony, return gown and hood to the Grand Hall

Following the ceremony, graduates, their guests and ceremony participants are invited to a Convocation Reception in the Grand Hall.


Tickets

Although graduands do not require a ticket, parents and guests who wish to attend must have a ticket for admission. Each graduand may have up to two tickets for the Fall Convocation Ceremony.

All tickets will be available for pick up on Thursday, Oct. 19, from 5 – 6 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 in the Imperial Theatre lobby, from 2 – 3 p.m.

To receive additional tickets for the ceremony in Saint John, email unbsjreg@unb.ca no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22. 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, Sept. 29.

Please advise your guests that the auditorium at the Imperial Theatre will be open for seating beginning at 4 p.m. Seats are unassigned and are available on a first-come, first-served basis./p>

Friends and family who do not have a ticket will be able to view the ceremony from the comfort of their homes via a live feed at unb.ca/graduation.

UNB Associated Alumni toast

Join members of the UNB Associated Alumni at 3:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20 in the Grand Hall for the traditional alumni toast to celebrate the accomplishments of the fall 2023 Saint John graduands.

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

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 diploma frame

Frame your success! Purchase a diploma frame from your UNB Associated Alumni and display your degree with pride.

Alumni honour guard

Family members or friends of graduates who are UNB alumni, and would like to attend the ceremony, are welcome to participate in the alumni honour guard. For more information or to reserve regalia, email your name, height and degree information to erika.king@unb.ca before Friday, Sept. 22, 2023.

Won’t be able to attend the ceremony?

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

Diplomas 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’ addresses appearing on the application to graduate form. For those who selected to have their diplomas mailed, they will be sent out the week of Oct. 23, 2023.

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