4/26/24

By FHSU University Communications

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State University will recognize approximately 1,666 graduates during its spring commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 10-11.

Graduates who have chosen to participate in person will be honored in two ceremonies on Friday and two ceremonies on Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum (GMC). All graduates will be recognized in two virtual ceremonies on Saturday afternoon.

The ceremonies will begin on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Central Time for undergraduate and graduate candidates in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, followed at 11 a.m. by undergraduate, Master's, Ed.S., and DNP graduates in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.

Saturday’s ceremonies will begin for undergraduate and master’s candidates in the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics at 8:30 a.m., followed by undergraduate, graduate, and Ed.S. candidates in the College of Education at 11 a.m.

Saturday’s virtual ceremonies will begin at 2 p.m. for graduate-level students. The undergraduate virtual ceremony will follow at 4 p.m.

All ceremonies – in-person and virtual – will be broadcast on Central Time and will be located on the Tiger Media Network and through the FHSU Facebook. A Facebook account is not required 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.

The in-person commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-pTViuiXfMeJilvmltyrg and the Fort Hays State Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/forthaysstate.

Doors to GMC and the adjoining Cunningham Hall will open at 7:45 a.m. Graduates and guests will be asked to enter through Gate 2 or Gate 3. The graduates will check in at these two gates, and guest seating will be on the upper level of the Coliseum.

Students are asked to wear their regalia into GMC. Graduates may arrange to pick up their regalia prior to May 10 at the Victor E. Apparel & Gift Co. in the Memorial Union by calling 785-628-4417. Regalia will also be available before Friday and Saturday’s ceremonies at the Robbins Center (directly north of the GMC parking lot) from 7 to 11 a.m.

Graduates and faculty will be seated on the main floor of Gross Coliseum, with guests seated on 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 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 northeast corners, most convenient for dropping off passengers with accessibility concerns.

Closed captioning will be available on the screen and visible from any seating area.

Traffic in the GMC area is anticipated to be high during the transition periods 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.

Ongoing construction at the Gross Memorial Coliseum is taking place, which may cause limited access to the facilities during the commencement ceremonies. We apologize for any disruption this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our building for future events. Thank you for your cooperation.

Here are a few suggestions from the University Police to help ease the congestion:

• Guests arriving for the second ceremony are encouraged to arrive no earlier than 9:45 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 also 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, park on the main 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 both days 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 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 and accessible parking are available on the east side.

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

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