Guest Information

Graduation Main Page | General Commencement Information

The commencement ceremony is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Center on the University of South Alabama campus. Doors will open one hour prior to the ceremony.

Guests are not required to have a ticket for admission to the ceremony and there is no limit to the number of guests a candidate may invite.

Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the Mitchell Center during graduation activities.

Guest Parking

Parking signs are posted throughout the campus and shuttle service is available if you park in the posted areas. Lighted (LED) signage will be set up on University Boulevard and Old Shell Road directing traffic to the shuttle/parking areas. In addition, Yellow Directional Parking signage will be displayed. The shuttle service will run from 12:00 Noon – 6:00 p.m. The pickup and drop off points are University Commons, Gamma Dorm Parking Lot, and the parking lot east of the Computer Science Building. Click on the link (http://www.southalabama.edu/maps/maincampus.html) for a map of University locations.

There will be a limited number of parking spaces available for those needing handicapped access to the Mitchell Center. Entrance to this lot will be from Old Shell Road only. Proper tags must be visible for access to this lot.

Guest Seating

Select the link (http://www.mitchellcenter.com/commencechart.html) to see the commencement-seating chart of the Mitchell Center. This site will be updated closer to the date of the ceremony showing which colleges by degree will be seated on Side A or B. You may want to visit this site the Friday prior to commencement. Also this information will be available the day of commencement in the Mitchell Center.

Wheelchair seating is available through portals 1, 3, 28, 30 on the north side of the Mitchell Center and portals 13, 15, 16, 18 on the south side of the Mitchell Center. Look for the yellow handicapped signage.

Mobility impaired seating is available through portals 6, 7, 9, 10 on the east side of the Mitchell Center and portals 21, 22, 24, 25 on the west side. Look for the yellow handicapped signage.

Guest Photography

After the processional, guests may go down to the arena floor by using the elevator or the northeast or northwest stairwells to take photographs. Note: No guests are allowed inside the center aisle or the rope stands.

Refreshments

For Fall Commencement refreshments will be served inside the Mitchell Center on the concourse level following the ceremony. For Spring Commencement 2008, due to the threat of inclement weather, refreshments will be served inside the Mitchell Center on the concourse level following the ceremony rather than on the north lawn of the Mitchell Center.