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Commencement

Simmons congratulates the graduates of 2021. In virtual ceremonies on Friday, May 28, 2021, Simmons University will recognize recipients of Baccalaureate, Masters, and Doctoral Degrees and present Honorary Degrees to four distinguished local and national leaders. Simmons' 2021 Commencement ceremonies are all virtual to allow students to celebrate together with their families, without limits on attendance.

Email invitations were sent to graduating students beginning on Friday, April 23. May 5 was the deadline to RSVP to attend the May 28 Commencement Ceremonies. Students should email [email protected] immediately if they did not RSVP and wish to attend.

We will send additional instructions to students who RSVP'd yes beginning on May 14.

Students at Commencement

Commencement 2021

This year we will hold a University Commencement followed by Undergraduate Commencement Exercises and separate Graduate Commencement Exercises. Commencement 2021 will celebrate all of the work and achievements of this year's graduates. Attending graduates will be recognized live on camera at our ceremonies.

Get information on Commencement Celebrations and Regalia.

Commencement Schedule

  • 9:00 am: University Commencement
  • 10:15 am: Undergraduate Exercises
  • 12:30 pm: School of Nursing Graduate Exercises
  • 1:00 pm: School of Social Work Graduate Exercises
  • 2:30 pm: Behavior Analysis, Health Professions Education, Nutrition, Physical Therapy Graduate Exercises
  • 3:15 pm: Education, Master in Public Policy, Master of Public Health Graduate Exercises
  • 4:30 pm: Ifill College and College of Organizational Computational and Information Sciences Graduate Exercises

See below for information on our Commencement week celebrations, how to order regalia, where to address your questions, and for an opportunity to congratulate 2021 Simmons graduates.

Questions?

Headshot of Ayanna Pressley

Speakers & Honorary Degree Recipients

Learn more about our 2021 Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipients.

Learn more
Cap at graduation

Regalia

Regalia for Bachelors, Master’s, and Doctoral degree candidates is available for sale online according to deadlines. 

About Regalia
Student at Commencement

Recent Ceremonies

See recent Commencement ceremonies held by Simmons University.

Recent Ceremonies

Frequently Asked Questions

We've tried to answer some of the common questions received about the May 28 Virtual Commencement and the Commencement Week Celebration events.

Where can I order regalia for commencement from?

Regalia for commencement can be ordered online. This page will also tell you what you will need to order based on your degree level.

When should I order regalia if I want to have it by commencement?

In order to ensure your regalia arrives before commencement, please order before May 2nd.

Do I need to pick between the in-person Celebrations or Virtual Commencement?

No, you may attend both the celebration events being held on campus and the commencement exercises being held online. The in-person events at Simmons the week before Virtual Commencement on May 28th are celebration events and are not commencement or graduation ceremonies. The Class of 2021's commencement is still being held virtually. On May 28th there will be a virtual commencement ceremony for the university; followed by an undergraduate commencement exercise and then graduate commencement exercises for specific graduate programs to follow. 

Does participation in in-person events affect my eligibility to attend virtual commencement?

No it does not. The in-person events being held at Simmons the week before Virtual Commencement on May 28th are celebration events and are not commencement or graduation ceremonies.

What is the difference between the College Celebrations and Commencement/Graduation?

Commencement is the formal graduation ceremony where degrees will be granted. The celebrations are chances to do exactly that: to connect with students, faculty, and staff (those able to attend) and celebrate together.

Who is being invited to the May 28 Commencement Ceremonies?

All students who completed their Simmons degree since August 2020 and all students finishing in May will be invited to the May 29 Virtual Commencement.  Certain students who will complete their degrees by August 2021 will also be invited. Invitations were sent to students' Simmons email addresses on April 23.

Is Nursing pinning taking place this year?

Yes, pinning will be virtual and invitations will come directly from the School of Nursing

I registered for the wrong celebration event, how do I register for the correct event?

You will receive an email from Eventbrite. Within the body of the email, click the cancel ticket link and return to the website to purchase a new ticket.

Which celebration events can I bring guests to?

No guests are permitted at any on-campus event. Only students can register for themselves.

How many guests can I bring to events?

None. All events are only for students, except for the two family-only programs. Students cannot attend the family programs.

Is housing available for in-person celebration events?

Limited housing is available for students. Visit the logistics web page for more information.

Are there a limited number of students who can attend celebration events?

In compliance with City of Boston regulations, total attendance is limited to 100 students per event.

Where/How do I register for events?

On the website, you can find the links to register for College Celebrations (both Undergraduate and Graduate) and for Undergraduate Senior Week events.

Who is being invited to the Commencement Week Ceremonies?

Undergraduate students and graduate students in campus-based programs are being invited to the campus celebrations. Due to capacity restrictions we are unable to invite all graduate students to the College celebrations.