All graduating students must be wearing registered smart wristbands to participate in the University Procession, and to access the College Green area for the University Ceremony and other events on Sunday. Family members and other guests will watch the Procession via livestream at ceremony locations and also must be wearing wristbands, registered and printed by their student, to access these areas. Guest Services stations will be located outside the greens to assist guests with any wristband questions or issues; however students must arrive for Procession lineup on Sunday morning ready to have their wristband scanned to avoid delaying the event.

The Procession is livestreamed and viewable by friends and family all over the world. Guests attending Commencement will watch the Procession via livestream from seats on the College Green, Pembroke Field (guests of doctoral students), First Unitarian Church (guests of medical students) or other livestream locations around campus. Viewing the Procession via livestream ensures that guests are seated in time for the ceremonies and have a clear view of the event, and that they don’t miss any important moments.

Ceremony Locations

College Green — Guests of graduating seniors should find their seats on the College Green before the Procession begins to ensure they can enjoy all the important moments from the Procession, College Ceremony and University Ceremony. Guests of graduating master’s students may watch the livestream from the College Green, or from one of the other livestream viewing locations. Seating on the green is limited; specific seating is reserved only for students. Wristbands are required to access all locations.

Pembroke Field — Guests of graduating doctoral students should find their seats on Pembroke Field before the Procession begins to ensure they can enjoy all the important moments from the Procession and the Doctoral Ceremony. Guests may join their students on the College Green afterward for the University Ceremony; however seating is limited, and specific seating is reserved only for students. Guests are also welcome to watch the University Ceremony from other livestream locations. Wristbands are required to access all locations.

First Unitarian Church — Guests of graduating medical students should find their seats at First Unitarian Church before the Procession begins to ensure they can enjoy all the important moments from the Procession and the Medical School Ceremony. Guests may join their students on the College Green afterward for the University Ceremony; however seating is limited, and specific seating is reserved only for students. Guests are also welcome to watch the University Ceremony from other livestream locations. Wristbands are required to access all locations.

Other Livestream Viewing Locations

• Metcalf Research Building, Friedman Auditorium
• Smith Buonanno, Room 106
• Salomon Center, Room 101
• Salomon Center, Room 001
• Sayles Hall, Auditorium

Graduating seniors are asked to report, wearing wristbands and full academic regalia, to Angell Street by 9:15 a.m., where they will join the Procession lineup. Seniors may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Thayer and Angell streets.

The Procession will step off at approximately 9:45 a.m. Graduating seniors will process through the Van Wickle Gates and follow the Procession route to the grounds of the First Baptist Church for the College Ceremony. Only graduating seniors are permitted on the church grounds; guests may view the ceremony via livestream from the College Green. Seniors will then partake in a return procession from the church to the College Green for the University Ceremony, arriving as a group to the green, where they will be guided to their reserved sections.

Master’s and professional graduates participating in the University Procession are asked to report, wearing wristbands and full academic regalia, to Angell Street by 9:15 a.m., where they will join the Procession lineup. Master’s and professional graduates may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Prospect and Angell streets.

The Procession will step off at approximately 9:45 a.m. The master’s division will process through the Van Wickle Gates and follow the Procession route. At the conclusion of the Procession, graduates are free to rejoin their guests, and may return to the College Green for the University Ceremony, which will begin at around 1:15 p.m. Wristbands are required to access the College Green area for the ceremony. The closest entrance to master’s and professional students’ reserved seating section at the University Ceremony is at the intersection of Waterman and Thayer streets.

Graduating doctoral students are asked to report, wearing wristbands and full academic regalia, to Angell Street by 9 a.m., where they will join the Procession lineup. Doctoral students may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Prospect and Angell streets.

The Procession will step off at approximately 9:45 a.m. The doctoral division will process through the Van Wickle Gates and follow the Procession route to Pembroke Field for the Doctoral Ceremony. At the conclusion of the Procession, doctoral students are free to rejoin their guests, and may return to the College Green for the University Ceremony, which will begin at around 1:15 p.m. Wristbands are required to access the College Green area for the ceremony. The closest entrance to doctoral students’ reserved seating section at the University Ceremony is at the intersection of Waterman and Thayer streets.

Students graduating from the Warren Alpert Medical School are asked to report, wearing wristbands and full academic regalia, to Angell Street by 9 a.m. Medical students may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Thayer and Angell streets.

The Procession will step off at approximately 9:45 a.m. The medical school division will process through the Van Wickle Gates and down to First Unitarian Church, where the Medical School Ceremony takes place. After the ceremony, graduates and their guests may return to the College Green for the University Ceremony, which will begin at around 1:15 p.m. Wristbands are required to access the College Green area for the ceremony. The closest entrance to medical students’ reserved seating section at the University Ceremony is at the intersection of Waterman and Thayer streets.

Brown medical school alumni who are participating in the Procession are asked to assemble at Brown RISD Hillel, 80 Brown St., by 8:30 a.m. Alumni will need their Reunion access badges to access the Procession staging area and the College Green area throughout the weekend. Medical school alumni may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Thayer and Angell streets.

Brown alumni who are participating in the Procession are asked to assemble at their assigned class locations by 8:30 a.m. Alumni will need their Reunion access badges to access the Procession staging area and the College Green area throughout the weekend. Alumni will line up by class, from the 50th to the most recent alumni class, on Brown Street starting at Maddock Alumni Center. The 45th+ alumni classes will line up on the College Green. 

Faculty members participating in the Procession must complete the Ceremonies and Procession RSVP form by Wednesday, May 6. Faculty members will be sent a confirmation email with a code they will use to print their wristband before Commencement and Reunion Weekend. Wristbands are required to attend the Master’s Ceremony on Saturday and to access the Procession staging area, participate in the Procession or attend the University Ceremony on Sunday. 

Faculty members arriving separately for the University Ceremony will need to have their wristbands scanned at the entrance to the College Green area before taking a seat in the reserved section.

College Division

Faculty members who have indicated plans (via the RSVP form) to process with the College are asked to report to Brown Street via Angell Street by no later than 9:15 a.m. on Sunday. Faculty processing with the College may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Thayer and Angell streets. Faculty will process through the Van Wickle Gates and follow the Procession route. 

Master’s Division

Faculty members who have indicated plans (via the RSVP form) to process with the master’s division are asked to report to Brown Street via Angell Street by no later than 9:15 a.m. on Sunday. Faculty processing with the master’s division may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Prospect and Angell streets. Faculty will process through the Van Wickle Gates and follow the Procession route.

Doctoral Division

Faculty members who have indicated plans (via the RSVP form) to process with the doctoral division and attend the Doctoral Ceremony are asked to report to Brown Street via Angell Street by no later than 9:15 a.m. on Sunday. Faculty processing with the doctoral division may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Prospect and Angell streets. 

Medical Division

Faculty members who have indicated plans (via the RSVP form) to process with the medical division and attend the Medical School Ceremony are asked to report to Brown RISD Hillel, 80 Brown St., by no later than 9:15 a.m. on Sunday. Medical faculty may arrive through either entrance on Angell Street, where staff members will check their wristbands, but the best location is at Thayer and Angell streets.