UNC will celebrate its Spring 2024 Commencement this weekend. It’s typically one of the busiest weekends of the year around Chapel Hill, and this year is no different. Here’s everything you need to know:
The Ceremony
A major change for UNC’s Spring 2024 commencement is the day: the main ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 11, as opposed to Sunday. It’s scheduled to start at 7 p.m. in Kenan Stadium.
“We have moved to an evening ceremony to provide a more celebratory atmosphere for our graduates,” the university said, “and offer families coming from long distances more time to return home on Sunday.”
Graduates should arrive in the Loudermilk parking lot at 5:30 p.m. to be ready for the ceremony. Graduates will need to present a One Card to proceed to the stadium seating area. Staff will be on hand to direct.
For guests, Kenan Stadium gates 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 will open at 6 p.m. Wheelchair seating is located near the Kenan Football Center, between Gates 3 and 5. Guests are encouraged to leave bags at home, but clear bags are allowed in the stadium. Kenan Stadium’s Clear Bag Policy can be found here, as well as a list of prohibited items for both guests in the stands and students on the field. Hydration stations will be available, and guests are also encouraged to bring refillable water bottles.
The keynote speaker is Zena Cardman, an astronaut who received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UNC. She is the commander of NASA’s Crew-9 mission, which will launch to the International Space Station later this year.
A livestream will be available for viewing both in the stadium and remotely. A link will be posted on the commencement website on the day of the ceremony and will be streamed on the university’s YouTube channel.
UNC lists the inclement weather date and time as Sunday, May 12 at 9 a.m.
Parking and Transit Options
The following public parking lots will be open between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. on the day of the ceremony:
- Ehringhaus Lot
- Craige Deck
- Park Place
- Forest Theatre
- Graham Circle
- Nash Lot
- Jackson Deck
- Dogwood Deck
Shuttles are not provided from these locations.
Chapel Hill Transit will provide shuttle service from the Friday Center Park and Ride lot to Kenan Stadium Gate 2. The buses will operate continuously from 5 p.m. until approximately 45 minutes after the end of the ceremony, which will likely be 9:30 p.m. Return service from Kenan Stadium begins immediately following the ceremony and runs continuously for 45 minutes.
Carolina Livery will also operate shuttles from the Manning Lot, Bowles Lot and Cardinal Deck to Kenan Stadium Gate 6, with the same schedule as the Chapel Hill Transit shuttle.
For more transit information, click here.
Smaller Department Ceremonies
Smaller departmental ceremonies will take place throughout the week. To find your individual ceremony, click here. UNC recommends reaching out directly to the department for specific ceremony details.
The Graduate School’s Doctoral Hooding ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Dean Smith Center. For more information on that ceremony, click here.
What else is happening on campus?
The UNC baseball team is hosting a three-game series against Louisville at Boshamer Stadium from Friday through Sunday. Students and families using Ridge Road, which is the only way to get to Boshamer Stadium, should plan to accommodate for game traffic.
Featured image via UNC/Johnny Andrews
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