A Special Notice Regarding Commencement Exercises

Thursday, May 30, 2013 

Morning Exercises

To accommodate the increasing number of those wishing to attend Harvard’s Commencement Exercises, the following guidelines are proposed to facilitate admission into Tercentenary Theatre on Commencement Morning: 

  • Degree candidates will receive a limited number of tickets to Commencement. Parents and guests of degree candidates must have tickets, which they will be required to show at the gates in order to enter Tercentenary Theatre. Seating capacity is limited, however there is standing room on the Widener steps and at the rear and sides of the Theatre for viewing the exercises.  
    Note: A ticket allows admission into the Theatre, but does not guarantee a seat. Seats are on a first-come basis and can not be reserved. The sale of Commencement tickets is prohibited.

  • Alumni/ae attending their reunions (25th, 35th, 50th) will receive tickets at their reunions. Alumni/ae in classes beyond the 50th may obtain tickets from the College Alumni Programs Office by calling (617) 496-7001, or through the annual Tree Spread mailing sent out in March with an RSVP date of April 15th.

  • Alumni/ae from non-reunion years and their spouses are requested to view the Morning Exercises over large-screen televisions in the Science Center, and at designated locations in most of the undergraduate Houses and graduate and professional schools. These locations provide ample seating, and tickets are not required.

  • A very limited supply of tickets will be made available to all other alumni/ae on a first-come, first-served basis through the Harvard Alumni Association by calling (617) 496-7001.

Afternoon  Exercises

The Harvard Alumni Association’s Annual Meeting convenes in Tercentenary Theatre on Commencement afternoon. All alumni and alumnae, faculty, students, parents, and guests are invited to attend and hear Harvard’s president and the Commencement speaker deliver their addresses. Tickets for the afternoon ceremony will be available through the Harvard Alumni Association by calling (617) 496-7001.                                                     

        ~Jacqueline A. O’Neill, University Marshal

Click here for the May-June 2013 issue table of contents

You might also like

Oldest and First in 2025

Stanley G. Karson ’48, AM ’50, KSG ’50 and Linda Cabot Black ’51 led the alumni parade into Tercentenary Theatre on Alumni Day.

Saluting the 2025 Centennial Medalists

Four alumni of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences are honored.

The 2025 Pulitzer Prizes Announced

Winners across five categories, from commentary on Gaza to criticism on public architecture

Most popular

This is How Universities Die

Higher ed thrived in Berlin and Beijing. Then government stepped in. 

Harvard President Responds to Secretary of Education

Alan Garber outlines steps the University has taken, and emphasizes compliance with the law.

Harvard Medical School Renames Diversity Office, Revamps Recruitment Program

The latest in a broader rollback of DEI at the University

Explore More From Current Issue

Lawrence Bacow on the Auschwitz Memorial

President Lawrence S. Bacow reflects on the liberation of Auschwitz

Springtime with Mass Audubon

Springtime with Mass Audubon

Jessica Shand—Math and Music at Harvard

Jessica Shand blends math and music.