Commencement & Pinning

Friday, May 9, 2026

Investiture of the Academic Hood ceremony | May 8, 2026 at 2:00pm | Magnolia Lawn on the Peabody campus

You are required to RSVP. In your RSVP, you will indicate the number of guests that you will bring. Please monitor your Vanderbilt email address for the instructions to RSVP.

Please arrive at Magnolia Lawn at 1:00pm dressed in your gown (doctoral graduates should also wear the cap). You should drape your hood over your left arm. All graduates taking part in the Investiture ceremony must wear Vanderbilt’s newly designed regalia to participate. If you do not wear regalia, you will not be allowed to participate. Please review Vanderbilt’s Adornment Policy.  If you have not ordered regalia, you may pick up regalia at the Vanderbilt Bookstore during the week of Commencement.

You will not receive your diploma at the ceremony. Instead, your diploma will be mailed to your home address listed in YES.

When you arrive at Magnolia Lawn, please make yourself known at the VUSN check-in table. The check-in tent will be located on stage left of the ceremony tent.

The maximum number of guests for each graduate is 10 guests. Graduates will not be permitted to request extra guests. Guests are seated first come, first served. There are no tickets, instead we ask you to abide by the honor system.

The ceremony will last approximately two hours. Immediately following the ceremony, graduates and guests are invited to a reception held on Magnolia Lawn.

The ceremony will be livestreamed on this page. We suggest sharing the VUSN Commencement webpage with your remote family and friends in advance.

While your ceremony will take place under a tent, you may wish to bring an umbrella or rain poncho.

Guests and graduates can park at the following locations: Wesley Place Garage, Sony, and  Lot 77. Parking is free at those designated locations. At Wesley Place Garage, there will be shuttles running to and from Magnolia Lawn.

Restrooms are located in One Magnolia which is the brick building closest to 21st Avenue, immediately to stage left of the tent.

***If you are no longer able to attend the ceremony, please email the Associate Director of Student Affairs, Mrs. Allie Noote, immediately.

VUSN Investiture of the Academic Hood Frequently Asked Questions 

Will photos be taken at the ceremony?

• A professional photography (Grad Images) will take photos as you shake hands with the Dean on stage. As a courtesy to all in attendance, please ask your guests to refrain from advancing to the front of the stage area to take photos.

Who will hood me?

• Your program/academic director (or their designated proxy) will hood you at the Investiture of the Academic Hood.

What places on campus will be open for lunch on May 8th?

• Graduates and guests can eat lunch at Kissam from 11am-6pm.

How will we learn about weather delays or cancellations?

• All events will go on, rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, you should monitor the VUSN Pinning and Investiture website for updates. You can also download the Alert VU app for general severe weather updates affecting the entire Vanderbilt community.

Is there an overflow room?

• There will not be an overflow space for the Investiture of the Academic Hood ceremony.

My guest uses a wheelchair. Is the venue accessible?

• For the Investiture of the Academic Hood ceremony, Magnolia Lawn is accessible. The seating area for guests and graduates will be a grassy area without cemented pathways.

Is there a nursery available?

• The Investiture of the Academic Hood ceremony will not have a nursery available. You may use the bathrooms of the Kennedy Center, Peabody Library, Payne Hall, Mayborn, and the Home Economics Building.

Am I allowed to attend Graduates Day and the Commencement Celebration?

• Yes, you are warmly welcome to attend both events. Graduates Day will be a ticketed event. Ticket claiming will open in April. Be sure you are checking your email for updates regarding tickets. You may find details of the events at the Vanderbilt Commencement website.