Fall Undergraduate Commencement
DECEMBER 12, 2025
STEGEMAN COLISEUM
As the birthplace of public higher education, the University of Georgia has fostered a tradition of academic excellence, intellectual inquiry, and service to others since 1785. For our graduates, Commencement is a beginning, the start of the next chapter in their lives.
Whether you’re participating in the undergraduate Commencement ceremony or supporting your graduate, this information will help you prepare for and navigate graduation day.
Announcements
Regalia Orders – Order online by Friday, October 24.
CLEAR BAG Policy
The CLEAR BAG Policy is in effect for Commencement. Please follow the guidelines in the Permitted/Prohibited Items section.
General
Ceremony start time: 10:00am
Doors open: 8:00am
Tickets are REQUIRED for all graduates AND guests to attend the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony.
Tickets
TICKET REGISTRATION CLOSED
Tickets are required for graduates AND guests of the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony.
Ticket Delivery
Tickets will be delivered electronically on Wednesday, November 19, and must be presented upon entry via a smartphone. If available, additional guest tickets will be also allocated on November 19.
Please note tickets are digital and must be transferred to graduates’ guests. See transfer instructions here.
Questions regarding eligibility for graduation: please contact the Office of the Registrar at reghelp@uga.edu.
Questions regarding digital tickets: Please call UGA Ticket Office at 706-542-1231.
Ticket Return: Plans changed and don’t need all your tickets? Return by December 5 so other graduates may use them!
Graduates can return commencement tickets via their online account at www.georgiadogs.com/myaccount. In order to return a Commencement guest ticket, login with the email address and password. Then navigate to the ‘My Account’ page, click ‘Return’ beneath the ‘My Tickets’ menu option, select the Commencement event to return, and confirm selection.
Graduates have until 12:00 p.m. (Noon) on December 5 to return tickets.
Once a Commencement guest ticket is donated, students cannot receive another ticket or have a returned ticket reallocated to them.
Speaker Information
A 1969 UGA accounting graduate, Doug Ivester presides over Deer Run Investments LLC. He was elected chairman of the board and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company in 1997, a company he joined in 1979.
In 1981 Ivester became the youngest vice president in the company’s history. Two years later he was named senior vice president of finance, and in 1985 he became Chief Financial Officer at the age of 37. He retired from The Coca-Cola Company in 2000. Ivester is an emeritus trustee of the University of Georgia Foundation, a trustee of Brenau University, and a director of the Melvin Douglas & Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation.
He and his wife, Kay, are tireless supporters of UGA and the Terry College of Business. Ivester Hall, one of six buildings comprising UGA’s Business Learning Community, was dedicated in his honor in 2019. In 2024, he helped fund and create the M Douglas & V Kay Ivester Institute for Business Analytics and Insights at the Terry College.
His continued contributions to the university community include establishing Georgia Commitment Scholarships to support students from Hall County. For 14 years the Ivesters have invited students every fall and spring to be a part of the Deer Run Fellows Program, which includes a weekend of learning and team building at the Ivester family properties in southwest Georgia. At the conclusion of that program, the Ivesters endowed the Deer Run Global Fellows Program, a program intended to provide scholarships for Terry College students to complete international studies.
For his outstanding contributions to the University of Georgia, Doug Ivester will be presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the undergraduate ceremony. The honorary degree is the university’s highest recognition short of an earned doctorate and honors those whose achievements have had a lasting impact.
Student Speaker
Reid McAdams, a Morehead Honors College student earning a bachelor’s in business administration in finance, will deliver the student address. McAdams has gained valuable experience during his time at UGA, including studying international business in Cortona, Italy, and interning with Goldman Sachs as an investment banking analyst.
UGA’s Student Government Association manages the application process through which the Undergraduate Student Commencement Speaker is selected.
Assembly Instructions
There will be no student processional for the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony. All undergraduate candidates should arrive before 9:15 a.m. and proceed directly to the floor of Stegeman Coliseum. Any graduates arriving later than this time are not guaranteed to be seated on the floor and/or with their school or college. Marshals will assist students in finding the correct section.
New Weapons Detection System
Weapons are not allowed inside Stegeman Coliseum. A weapons detection system has been implemented at Stegeman Coliseum for all events to help enhance safety at the venue. Each guest and graduate will be required to pass through the system prior to entering the Coliseum. We encourage you to arrive early to allow time for a smoother entry process. See this list for items that could lead to further screening and delay your entry.
Seating Chart
Viewing Options
In addition to watching the ceremony in person, the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony will be broadcast live on the Commencement homepage starting at 9:55 a.m.
Eligibility
Undergraduates who apply to graduate for Fall semester 2025 will be allowed to participate in the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony. Students who are eligible for the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony are not eligible to participate as a Fall 2025 graduate in any future ceremonies.
Only undergraduates who applied prior to the October 1 graduation deadline will have their names printed in the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement program.
For general information regarding graduation requirements, please consult the UGA Bulletin. To ensure that all the requirements for graduation have been met, students should check with their school or college. Students should check their progress via DegreeWorks and confirm progress with an advisor. All undergraduates must apply to graduate for the semester in which they will take their last course(s) toward their graduation requirements using the graduation application in Athena.
Graduate Recognition
Undergraduate degree candidates will rise with their school or college when degrees are conferred, as able. Candidates will not individually cross the stage.
Degree candidates earning Latin honors (i.e., cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) will be recognized during the ceremony. Degree candidates who meet the following GPA criteria and who do not have a FERPA restriction will be noted in the Undergraduate Commencement program. Latin honors distinctions effective for Fall 2025 are listed below:
| Latin Honors Distinction | GPA Requirement |
|---|---|
| Cum Laude | 3.60-3.74 |
| Magna Cum Laude | 3.75-3.89 |
| Summa Cum Laude | 3.90-4.00 |
First Honor Graduates have maintained a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average on all work attempted at the University of Georgia as well as all college-level transfer work attempted prior to or following enrollment at the University of Georgia. These students are celebrated for their high standards of academic excellence and their outstanding achievements. Their regalia includes a fourragère, worn on the left shoulder, and a braided cord.
For the purposes of the Undergraduate Commencement program, Latin honors recognition is based on a student’s overall undergraduate GPA going into their last semester. Final Latin honors will be determined following the conclusion of the student’s last semester.
Keepsakes
Programs
A summary program featuring the order of events will be handed out at the ceremony.
Digital programs will be available to download for the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony. The program will contain the names of those undergraduates who applied for Fall 2025 graduation by the October 1 deadline and did not have a FERPA restriction. In order to appear in the program, candidates for degrees must remove their FERPA restrictions.
If you would like to receive a printed copy of the full Fall 2025 Undergraduate Commencement program, please fill out this form by January 9, 2026. The limit is two copies per graduate.
Diploma Frames and UGA Merchandise
UGA merchandise, including diploma frames, can be purchased from the University of Georgia Bookstore located next to Sanford Stadium, the Tate Student Center, and the Zell B. Miller Learning Center, and online through Jostens.
Lost & Found
For items believed to have been lost in Stegeman Coliseum, please contact the University of Georgia Police Department at detectives@police.uga.edu.
First Aid
First Aid and ambulance services will be onsite to assist with emergency needs. First Aid is located behind Section L in the Stegeman Coliseum concourse.
Inclement Weather Policy
Stegeman Coliseum is an indoor arena. In case of inclement (severe) weather affecting UGA’s Undergraduate Commencement ceremony, a notice will be placed on the University’s homepage.
Helpful Tips
- Please follow the Clear Bag Policy.
- On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. If a guest has difficulty walking, they are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair.
- Graduates should leave purses, coats, and other belongings with family members.
- In advance of the ceremony, graduates should pick a place to meet family and friends once the ceremony is completed.
- Once graduates have found their seat on Stegeman Coliseum floor, they should remain in the seat and not stand in the aisles.
- Please be respectful of those around you and the fact that this is a formal academic ceremony. Beach balls, air horns, and other similar distractions may be confiscated.
- Alcoholic beverages are not permitted at any UGA Commencement ceremony.First Aid and ambulance services will be onsite to assist with emergency needs. First Aid is located behind Section L in the Stegeman Coliseum concourse.
Permitted/Prohibited Items
Security has the right to inspect any item at any time for the purpose of safety.
Prohibited items must be returned to cars or disposed of before entering Stegeman Coliseum and will not be accepted by employees nor stored at the gates.
The CLEAR BAG POLICY is in effect for Fall 2025 Commencement. Please follow the guidelines below.
Permitted Items
- Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and do not exceed 12″x 6″x 12″
- One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags
- Small clutch bags, with or without a handle or strap, that do not exceed 4.5″ x 6.5″
- Bags that contain necessary medical items, which must be inspected and approved at a designated gate
- Food: items must fit inside the permitted-sized bags
- Beverages, including water, in sealed plastic bottles; items must fit inside the permitted-sized bag
- Umbrellas
- Cameras and video recorders (Clear Bag Policy applies to camera bags)
- Strollers may be stored in designated areas in the concourse but are not allowed in the seating areas.
Prohibited Items
For the safety, security, and experience of all guests, the following items are prohibited:
- Backpacks
- Diaper bags
- Wrapped gifts or packages wherein the contents are not visible
- Alcohol
- Glass and aluminum containers
- Tobacco: UGA is a tobacco-free campus.
- Large items, such as balloons, flags, banners and posters, or amplification equipment, such as bullhorns or megaphones
Parking
Parking for the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Suggested parking areas include South Campus Deck (S11), Carlton Street Deck (S15) and Foley Field Lot (S14).
The McPhaul Lot (S10) and the Coverdell Lot (S16) are reserved for designated participants by permit only.
For disability parking, see disability access.
For additional parking questions, please contact Parking Services at 706‑542‑7275.
Disability Access
Visitors with disability concerns are strongly encouraged to arrive early at Stegeman Coliseum. Doors open 2 hours prior to the start of the ceremony.
Main entrances to Stegeman Coliseum along Sanford Drive and Carlton Street are wheelchair- accessible.
On-site wheelchairs are NOT available. If a guests has difficulty walking, they are strongly encouraged to bring their own wheelchair. Wheelchairs are commonly available for short-term rental from medical supply stores and some pharmacies.
Disability Parking and Transportation
Parking for guests with disabilities is available in the Hoke Smith Annex Lot (S12) adjacent to Stegeman Coliseum. The main entrances to Stegeman Coliseum along Sanford Drive and Carlton Street are wheelchair-accessible.
Disability Seating
Seating for guests in wheelchairs is very limited in Stegeman Coliseum. Disability and companion seating is located along the top row of the lower level. Disability seating allows access for one person in a wheelchair and one companion. Additional family members will need to sit separately in general seating. Please plan accordingly.
The Arch
For University of Georgia alumni with mobility impairments who choose to pass through the Arch after graduation, the University will have a temporary platform in place on Saturday, December 13 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
For related questions, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 706-542‑7912 or ugaeoo@uga.edu.
Academic Regalia (Cap and Gown)
Program-Specific Colors
With the exception of the honors tassels, the color of tassels are indicative of the academic subject area.
The color of the velvet on the hoods worn by PhD candidates is dark blue regardless of academic subject.
The colors associated with these subject areas are as follows:
| Subject Area | Color |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | maize |
| Arts, Letters, Humanities | white |
| Business and Accountancy | drab |
| Education | light blue |
| Engineering | orange |
| Fine Arts and Landscape Architecture | brown |
| Forestry and Natural Resources | russet |
| Family and Consumer Sciences | maroon |
| Journalism and Mass Communication | crimson |
| Law | purple |
| Music | pink |
| Pharmacy | olive green |
| Public Administration | peacock blue |
| Public Health | salmon pink |
| Science | golden yellow |
| Social Work | citron |
| Veterinary Science | gray |
Honors Tassels
Review complete information regarding respective standards for honors graduation.
Undergraduate students who anticipate graduating with honors may wear an honors tassel:
| Honors Distinction | Tassel Color |
|---|---|
| Summa Cum Laude | Red, Silver and Black |
| Magna Cum Laude | Red and Silver |
| Cum Laude | Red and Black |
Regalia Orders
Caps, gowns, and hoods may be purchased online from Jostens. Please click the button below for purchasing information. Announcements can be ordered online from Jostens.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Order by 10/24/25. Regalia will be shipped to your home.
Please note: If you order your academic regalia from a different vendor, Jostens will not be able to assist you with missing or replacement items.
Diplomas
Students will be issued a printed diploma that will be mailed to the student’s provided address as well as a Certified Electronic Diploma, or CeDiploma, to their UGA email account. Both the printed diploma and CeDiploma will be issued approximately 8-10 weeks following the official graduation date.
Please see the Registrar’s Office website for complete information regarding applying to graduate and diplomas.