12/13/21

HAYS, Kan. – The week that summer and fall 2021 graduates of Fort Hays State University have been awaiting is here. Following are a few reminders for Friday’s in-person ceremonies at Gross Memorial Coliseum (GMC).

Those ceremonies will begin at 8:30 a.m. Central time for undergraduate, master’s, and Ed.S. candidates in the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics.

The 11 a.m. ceremony will recognize undergraduate, master’s, and Ed.S. candidates in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and in the College of Education.

Masks are not required for the in-person ceremonies, but they will be available at each door, along with sanitizer.

Saturday’s virtual ceremonies will begin at 8 a.m. Central time with Ed.S. and master’s students, followed by the undergraduate ceremony at 10 a.m.

All ceremonies – in-person and virtual – will be broadcast live Central time at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-pTViuiXfMeJilvmltyrg and the Fort Hays State Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/forthaysstate. An individual is not required to sign up for a Facebook account to view the ceremonies.

Recordings of the virtual ceremonies will be archived on the FHSU YouTube channel, with the link provided on the commencement website on the “Programs and Videos” tab.

Traffic in the GMC area is anticipated to be high during the transition period between each commencement ceremony. Parking lots adjacent to the coliseum typically fill up quickly, but parking is available on the main campus. In the event of inclement weather, unpaved lots near GMC will be closed, making it necessary to park on the main campus.

Here are a few suggestions from the University Police Department to help ease the congestion, as well as other reminders for guests:

• Doors to GMC and the adjoining Cunningham Hall will open at 7:45 a.m. for the first ceremony.
• Guests arriving for the second ceremony are encouraged to arrive no earlier than 10 a.m. Arriving too early will result in guests being forced to park further away or face departing traffic from the first ceremony. Delaying arrival will allow time for departing guests from the first ceremony to clear the area in preparation for the second ceremony.
• Graduates driving themselves are encouraged to arrive early and park on the main part of campus and walk or take the shuttles to GMC. This will better ensure they avoid traffic congestion, get a parking spot, and arrive on time for their ceremony. Shuttles will be available before and after both ceremonies with the drop-off station at Gate 3.
• Faculty and staff attending are also encouraged to park on the main part of campus and walk or take the shuttles to the ceremonies.
• All guests are encouraged to carpool when possible. Fewer cars will ease traffic congestion and increase the amount of parking at GMC.
• VIP parking is available on the west side of GMC, with handicapped parking on the east side.
• The graduates and faculty will be seated on the main floor of the coliseum. Guests will be seated in the upper level.
• The elevator is accessible by Gate 3. Seating for persons with mobility impairment and patrons in wheelchairs is available on the main floor; a commencement staff member will escort the individual(s) and one guest to the disability seating area on the GMC floor. There are no reservations for this area, and seating is limited. Drivers will find Gates 2 and 3, at the northwest and southwest corners, most convenient for dropping off passengers with disabilities.
• An interpreter for those who are hearing impaired will be located near the left side of the stage and shown within the commencement livestream video feed.

Graduates, families, and friends are encouraged to sign and write a message on the Kudoboard. Share photos and messages on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook by using the hashtag #tigergrad.

Maps, directions, links to accommodations in Hays, and general information can be found at www.fhsu.edu/commencement/.