Graduate Commencement

DATE: Friday, May 13, 2022

TIME: 4 p.m.

LOCATION: The Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium, 400 Oriskany Street West, Utica NY 13502

To register and order regalia, students must complete the Commencement Participation Form no later than May 21st.

Who Can Participate in Graduate Commencement

Students completing one of the following degrees are eligible to participate in the Graduate Commencement Ceremony:

Doctor of Physical Therapy
Master of Business Administration
Master's degree in Cybersecurity
Master's of Professional Studies in Cyber Policy and Risk Analysis
Master's degree in Criminal Justice Administration
Master's degree in Data Science

Master's degree in Financial Crime and Compliance Management (Economic Crime Management)
Master's degree in Education
Master's degree in Health Care Administration
Master's degree in Liberal Studies
Master's Degree in Nursing
Master's degree in Occupational Therapy
Advanced Graduate Certificate

Commencement Videos

2021 Graduate Ceremony

2021 Commencement Photos (slide show)

What to Expect:

Because the majority of our graduate students are online and many have significant, even intercontinental, distances to travel for a commencement; and because New York State’s rules about gatherings prevent us from having invited guests, or from having students cross the stage to be hooded in the traditional manner; we have decided to offer a more inclusive virtual graduation this year.

One of the questions we often get about hooding is whether the student can be hooded by someone significant to them. In previous years we have had to say “no” but this year we can enthusiastically say “yes!” During the ceremony there will be a time for students to be hooded by significant people of their choosing.

We hope you will gather with friends and family in accordance with your national, state, and local guidelines. The ceremony will take place simultaneously around the world as students and their guests use the streamed content to share in the global event.

The ceremony will start streaming at 10:00 am New York time on Saturday, June 12th and include:

A ceremonial opening by the College’s Mace Bearer
The singing of the national anthem
A welcome from the President
A commencement address from Amilcar Guillermo Ramirez, M.S., CAMS, a 2011 alum of UC’s Economic Crime Management program
The official awarding of degrees by the President and the Chair of the Board of Trustees
A time for graduates to be hooded by the people of their choosing
Closing remarks by the Chair of the Alumni Council

We anticipate the ceremony will take approximately 45 minutes.

We will miss seeing you all in Utica this summer, but we hope you can take this opportunity to celebrate with friends and family your remarkable achievement and make the awarding of your degree as significant and triumphant as it should be.

To participate in the June 2021 Commencement Ceremony:

Students wishing to participate in the Graduate Commencement Ceremony MUST notify Utica College of this intention by submitting an RSVP via the link below by the May 21st deadline. Due to mail and shipping delays missing this deadline may result in not receiving your regalia by the ceremony date.
Order Regalia (cap, gown, and hood) no later than May 21st - Students are required to order their cap and gown through the Utica College Bookstore.

Graduate Application for Degree Graduate RSVP/Regalia Order Form

Commencement Prep

As the milestone of commencement approaches, there may always seem like one more thing to do. Utica College's Commencement Committee strives to make the process as easy as possible with a checklist for preparation, rehearsal to better understand the logistics of the ceremony, and numerous activities all week long to celebrate your achievement.

Students graduating with their Master's or Doctoral degree have special academic regalia for commencement, different from each other and from their undergraduate regalia. All three robes are different, so it's important to know which degree you are receiving. For both Master's and Doctoral degree regalia, a hood is an additional component with colors that represent the graduate's academic program and college/university, which goes around the neck and drapes down the back. The hoods vary slightly in size depending of the level of degree. Because hoods are a key component of the graduate academic regalia, stoles will not be allowed (stoles only can be worn with undergraduate regalia). Doctoral graduates wear a tam (soft-sided hat) instead of the traditional mortarboard cap.

Your academic regalia (cap, gown, and hood) must be ordered and purchased from the UC Bookstore. The regalia order form is part of the Commencement RSVP. Ordering your regalia is a three-step process: (1) reserving your regalia based on size and academic program by May 21st, (2) arranging payment with the UC Bookstore, and (3) arranging pickup or shipping of your regalia with the UC Bookstore. You will be asked to take a brief survey before being connected to the regalia order form. Orders MUST be placed by the May 21st, 2021 deadline to ensure receipt in time for participation in commencement!

Graduate RSVP / REGALIA FORM

How to wear your regalia:

On the day of the ceremony graduates should wear their gown and cap (the tassel should hang on your left side), the hood should be kept readily accessible, but not worn. Please make sure that cord the back of the hood is un-buttoned to make it easier for to place over your head.

Borrowing regalia from a previous UC graduate:

Due to changes in vendors and color the Office of Graduate Studies will need to verify that the regalia you are borrowing is uniform with what we currently use. If you wish to borrow regalia from a previous UC graduate you must contact the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) at OGS@utica.edu or 315-792-3335 and provide them with the name, program, and graduation year of the student you wish to borrow from. Please note if your request is granted OGS will need to take your RSVP over the phone (you will not be able to submit it online) and you will still need to purchase a new tassel for the cap with the correct year. Also if the regalia you wish to borrow is from a different academic program than you will need to purchase the correct hood from the UC Bookstore. If your request is denied you will need to purchase a full set.

Master's Degree Regalia

Master's gown, includes mortarboard cap w/tassel
Master's hood

Doctoral Degree Regalia

Doctoral gown, includes doctoral tam
Doctoral hood

The Regalia Order form has been combined with the Attendance Notification - RSVP form to streamline the process.

Have you:

Ordered your cap, gown, and hood from the UC Bookstore via the link to the left? Orders MUST be placed by the May 21st, deadline to ensure receipt in time for participation in commencement.

Completed the online RSVP - Attendance Notification form via the link to the left letting Utica College know whether or not you plan on participating in the Graduate Commencement Ceremony? Deadline to RSVP is May 21st.

Received your graduation announcements in your regalia package.

Paid the $80 graduation fee charged to your student account via your BannerWeb Student Account? Note that this fee appears on your account at the beginning of the semester in which you plan to complete your degree requirements (your graduation date) after you've Applied for Degree.

Completed your Exit Interview with Student Financial Services if you received federal student loans? Note that this happens the semester in which you plan to complete your degree requirements (your graduation date) or if you drop below half-time.

Submitted the Graduate-to-Be Survey?

When is commencement?

The Graduate Commencement Ceremony will be held virtually on on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. EST.

Who is eligible to participate?

At Utica College, commencement is a ceremony held each Spring for students who completed their degree requirements and applied to receive their degree in December or May of the same academic year.

All students wishing to participate in the commencement ceremony must submit the RSVP-Attendance Notification form and Order their Regalia.

What should I expect from a virtual ceremony?

The ceremony will start streaming at 10:00 am New York time on Saturday, June 12th and include:

A ceremonial opening by the College’s Mace Bearer
The singing of the national anthem
A welcome from the President
A commencement address from Amilcar Guillermo Ramirez, M.S., CAMS, a 2011 alum of UC’s Economic Crime Management program
The official awarding of degrees by the President and the Chair of the Board of Trustees
A time for graduates to be hooded by the people of their choosing
Closing remarks by the Chair of the Alumni Council

We anticipate the ceremony will take approximately 45 minutes.

Do I need to let anyone know if I will/will not be attending?

Yes, students wishing to participate in the Graduate Commencement Ceremony MUST notify Utica College of this intention by submitting the RSVP – Attendance Notification form by the May 21st deadline. Due to mail and shipping delays, missing this deadline may result in not receiving your regalia by the ceremony date.

How do I reset my password so that I can log in to the required commencement web-pages?

To get your password go to https://password.utica.edu, the same website you use to activate and reset passwords for your email, ENGAGE, and network accounts. Enter your student ID number, last four digits of your social security number, and date of birth. Remember to include all four numbers in the year of your birth. Click "Activate/Reset Account."

How long will the ceremony last?

Students and guests should expect the ceremony to last approximately 45 minutes.

How do I obtain my cap, gown, and hood?

Your academic regalia (cap, gown, and hood) must be ordered and purchased from the UC Bookstore either via the link on the Caps, Gowns, and Hoods webpage. Ordering your regalia is a three-step process: (1) reserving your regalia based on size and academic program by May 21st, (2) arranging payment with the UC Bookstore, and (3) arranging pickup or shipping of your regalia with the UC Bookstore. Orders MUST be placed by the May 21st deadline to ensure receipt in time for participation in commencement.

How do I wear my cap, gown, and hood?

Prior to the start of the ceremony you should be wearing your gown and cap (the tassel should hang on your left side), the hood should be readily available and it will be placed on you during the ceremony. Please make sure that cord the back of the hood is unbuttoned to make it easier to place over your head.

Can I borrow a cap, gown, or hood used in a previous year’s ceremony?

Due to changes in vendors and color the Office of Graduate Studies will need to verify that the regalia you are borrowing is uniform with what we currently use. If you wish to borrow regalia from a previous UC graduate you must contact the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) at OGS@utica.edu or 315-792-3335 and provide them with the name, program, and graduation year of the student you wish to borrow from. Please note if your request is granted OGS will need to take your RSVP over the phone (you will not be able to submit it online) and you will still need to purchase a new tassel for the cap with the correct year. Also if the regalia you wish to borrow is from a different academic program than you will need to purchase the correct hood from the UC Bookstore. If your request is denied you will need to purchase a full set.

Can someone special hood me on stage?

In previous years we have had to say "no" but this year we can enthusiastically say "YES!" During the ceremony there will be a time for students to be hooded by significant people of their choosing.

Do grad students graduate with honors?

No. At the graduate level students do not graduate with honors (e.g., Dean's List, President's List, Cum Laude, Valedictorian). Such honors are only recognized at the undergraduate level. Successfully completing an advanced degree at the graduate level is a significant accomplishment in and of itself due to higher academic standards (including the requirement to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better to graduate), and this separate Graduate Commencement Ceremony is a special recognition of that achievement.

Do I still need to pay the $80 fee if I don't want to participate in Commencement?

Yes. The $80 fee is used to help cover administrative costs of you graduating from Utica College (receiving your diploma), which is separate from participating in the commencement ceremony - graduation and commencement are two separate events.

DEFINITIONS:

"Graduation" is an academic process that involves the official conferral of your Bachelor's degree. It involves a careful review of your academic record and approval by the College. This happens every May, August, and December.
"Commencement" is the annual ceremony where we celebrate our achievements and recognize our degree candidates. This happens once each year, in May.

What if I have a question?

If you have additional questions, you may contact the Commencement Committee at commencement@utica.edu or the Office of Graduate Studies at ogs@utica.edu or (315) 792-3335.

If you have any special needs that may require special accommodations, please contact the Office of College Events and Conference Programs at (315) 792-3322 or email eventsandconferences@utica.edu. There will be closed captions for the virtual graduate ceremony.

Day-of Details

Information to help you the day of commencement.

Amilcar Guillermo Ramirez, M.S., CAMS

A 2011 alum of Utica College's Economic Crime Management program, Amilcar Guillermo Ramirez has more than 20 years of experience in financial crimes, compliance and investigations, including matters involving anti-money laundering (AML)/counter-terrorist financing (CTF) and securities fraud.

Mr. Ramirez is currently an Assistant Vice President within the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Risk Analysis Team at State Street Corporation, the second largest custodian bank in the world located in Boston, Massachusetts. His responsibilities include the identification, assessment, development and implementation of new risk typologies to help ensure effective monitoring. Prior to his current role, he led the day-to-day operations of the FIU Investigations Team.

Mr. Ramirez also held AML positions at various financial institutions including FleetBoston Financial, Bank of America and Santander Bank prior to joining State Street Corporation in 2015.

Mr. Ramirez has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in Economic Crime Management from Utica College and earned his Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) certification in 2007.

In addition, Mr. Ramirez received various Certificates of Appreciation from the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and was a recipient of the Honoring and Recognizing Private Industry for Excellence Program (HARPE) Award from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in 2012.

Video and Remote Viewing Options

Utica College brings commencement to you through live streaming and video archives of past ceremonies that allow you to stay in the comfort of your own home and enjoy the ceremony.

The undergraduate ceremony will be streamed on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at TBD. Eastern Daylight Time. It can be viewed on the Adirondack Bank Center YouTube page.

The graduate ceremony will be streamed on Saturday, June 12, 2020 at 10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. It can be viewed on the Adirondack Bank Center YouTube page.