Aggie Family Pack: Briefly speaking

Peter Gregorio looks on as Maddy Rehrman, commencement coordinator for the College of Letters & Science, demonstrates proper tassel etiquette with help from Eric Zamora. Both graduating seniors were selected as commencement speakers. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis)

Graduation -- the day you and your student have been anticipating for four years (or more!) -- finally is here. Your student has already ordered a cap and gown, mailed announcements and is studying down to the wire for those last finals. But have you made your own preparations for the big day?

“It’s often the parents, not the students, who are excited about the ceremony,” says Maddy Rehrman, commencement coordinator for the College of Letters and Science. “They’ve put so much effort, and often money, into seeing this day. Students feel a fair amount of pressure during this time that can be quite stressful.”

While students are surely relieved to be finishing school work, they may be preparing for graduate school, their first “real” job, or another challenge. In the process, they are leaving behind their UC Davis family, which can be especially bittersweet if they have formed tight friendships working for Unitrans, the Coffee House or as members of a campus organization.

“This time is exciting, but there is still a fair amount of trepidation associated with making big changes,” Rehrman says.

With this in mind, Rehrman urges parents to appreciate commencement as a celebration, keep things light, and be prepared. Ceremonies run about two and a half hours, a good hour and a half of that is reading the list of graduates. Here are some practical tips and insights to help make the most of the celebration:

Tickets

Admission tickets are required for all guests attending commencement. If there are more guests than tickets available, Rehrman suggests planning a small gathering for family and friends after the ceremony, where more people can attend and enjoy spending time together.

For individuals unable to get tickets, a nice option is to watch a live Web cast of commencement ceremonies or view an “on-demand” file at a later date and time provided by Mediaworks. Links for all live commencement services will be posted on the UC Davis home page. The “on-demand” Web casts will be listed on the Commencement site.

Seating

Arrive early for the best seating. Doors to the Pavilion at the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) open an hour before all scheduled commencement ceremonies. Guests in wheelchairs or with other disabilities can be dropped off at the designated entrance on the northeast corner of the Pavilion, where they can take a ramp leading to the concourse level. Wheelchair seating and fixed seats are available there as opposed to the bleacher seating. However, the Pavilion does not provide wheelchairs. Individuals may also bring a padded seat cushion for use in the bleachers -- which may provide a little comfort after two hours of sitting!

Photos

A professional photographer will take a posed photo of your student before going onstage and while crossing the stage. Proofs will be e-mailed to your student within a few days of the ceremony for ordering commencement photos. Often the best, most memorable photos are taken outside with friends and family in a relaxed setting. There is also a small photographer’s box on the concourse level where a few people may stand for a limited time to catch a shot as their student crosses the stage. Remember to bring extra batteries and film, or have ample free space on your memory card.

Flowers

Vendors will be selling flower arrangements and leis outside the Pavilion. Students are welcome to carry flowers or wear leis during the ceremony, but please reserve any helium balloons for afterward.

Food

The Center Court Café at the ARC, featuring Starbucks, will be open before, during and after all commencement ceremonies. Only bottled water may be brought into the Pavilion. If you plan to have lunch at a local restaurant following graduation, make your reservations as soon as possible. In a pinch, you can visit a deli and take a picnic to a park or the arboretum.

Lodging

Accommodations in Davis generally fill about a year in advance. If you still need a place to stay, check out the nearby cities of Dixon, Woodland or West Sacramento.

Parking

Free parking is available in designated areas. Follow signs reading “Commencement Parking” at all campus entrances. A portion of Lot #25 is reserved for vehicles displaying disabled person placards or plates. Shuttle service to and from parking lots will also be available for guests with mobility problems.