Commencement

The Class of 2023 Commencement was held on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.

The Commencement ceremony was be held outdoors on the Winslow Great Lawn. Goucher will adhere to all state and national public health guidance for physical distancing, face coverings, and other measures due to the continuing pandemic, should there be any.

Winslow Great Lawn is between the Athenaeum (#2) and Katharine and Jane Welsh Hall (#14) on the Campus Map (PDF).

Playwright, actor, educator, and Baltimore native Anna Deavere Smith delivered the keynote address at Goucher College’s Class of 2023 Commencement ceremony.

Baccalaureate

---

We invited all graduates, families, friends, faculty, and staff to reflect on the meaning of the college experience and the transition of Commencement through responsive readings, prayers from many religious and ethnic traditions in different languages, music, and reflections from a graduate and a faculty or staff member.

Baccalaureate

Convocation

---

The Goucher community was cordially invited to celebrate the academic and artistic achievements of its students at the annual Convocation celebration. Convocation not only recognizes students who have earned academic honors but also celebrates artistic and civic achievements. A variety of honors and awards will be bestowed.

Convocation

Affinity Graduation Ceremonies

---

Affinity Graduation Ceremonies honor the accomplishments and experiences of Goucher graduates from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities. These ceremonies highlight the personal and academic successes that have shaped a student’s journey at Goucher College. While celebrating common experiences, Affinity Graduation Ceremonies also provide an opportunity for reflection, gratitude, and inspiration for aspiring seniors.

Affinity Graduation Ceremonies

The website for regalia has closed. If you have not purchased your regalia yet and are planning on attending Commencement, contact the College Store at customer.service@goucher.edu for options. There is a small number of caps and gowns for those few graduates who did not meet the ordering deadline.

Students will receive a diploma cover when they walk across the stage. Diplomas will be sent to graduating seniors by the end of June 2023. Goucher College does not confer cords for Latin Honors, but they appear on Diplomas and are read at Commencement to honor our high achieving students.

Family and friends who were not able to attend the ceremony can watch a livestream of Commencement. It is also available on Goucher’s YouTube channel.

Each graduate was granted the opportunity to receive up to 5 guest tickets for Commencement. All graduates must present their Commencement ticket, known as a GradPass, to enter the campus. All guests of graduates must have a ticket to enter the campus. GradPasses and tickets will be checked and scanned prior to the Main Gatehouse, which can be presented via printed copy or electronic device. Please have your GradPass ready to display at the gatehouse to be allowed onto campus. (Infants and toddlers do not need a ticket.)

We made every effort to ensure the graduates and their guests had a safe, enjoyable experience on our campus. Our COVID Task Force routinely meets to assess campus health and safety protocols. Please check the COVID-19 Information website for the latest information.

Prior to arrival, graduates and guests are encouraged to perform a self-check for COVID symptoms.

Graduates should arrive at 8:00 a.m. to accommodate the Campus Safety and ticket checks at the gate. Graduates should check-in at Dorsey Courtyard to begin lining up for the processional. Students will need to don their robes and hoods and be in Rosenberg Gallery in the Kraushaar Auditorium by 9:15 a.m. to line up for the processional. Enter through the main campus gate at 1021 Dulaney Valley Road, Baltimore, 21204.

Campus Graduate and Guest Entry

---

Graduates may drive separately from their guests due to their earlier arrival time for line-up. Each graduate must have a copy (printed or electronic) of the GradPass to enter the campus. Only students confirmed as eligible to participate in the 2023 Commencement will be granted access to the campus. Every guest must have a Commencement ticket to enter the campus. PLEASE NOTE: Graduates and guests without the appropriate check-in items, or cars with more than the allotted number of ticketed guests WILL BE TURNED AWAY. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Parking

---

The campus loop road will be ONE WAY, starting at 7 a.m. Parking for graduates is in the Dorsey Lot. Once through the gate, turn at the second left. Please do not block any roadway or park in any other area of the grounds. Staff and signs will be in place to provide direction. Parking is limited so please arrive as early as 8 a.m. and allow extra time to park. Additional parking is available for guests around the campus. Please park in designated parking areas only. Cars parked in areas not designated for parking may be towed at the owner’s expense.

Limited Mobility Drop Off

---

Those with limited mobility may be dropped off at the Athenaeum (#2 on campus map). Once checked in at the gatehouse by our ticket scanners, please follow the signs. Golf carts will also be available at the designated parking lots to help transport graduates and guests with mobility challenges. For students needing accommodations, please contact Nancy Williams-Nettles, Director of Accessibility Services, at nancy.williams-nettles@goucher.edu, or (410) 337-6591.

No Campus Re-Entry

---

If guests leave campus, they will not be readmitted.

There will be both indoor and outdoor seating options for guests. Seating is first come, first served and seats may not be saved.

Classic Photo has been hired by the college and will be on stage during the ceremony of the graduates. There will be ample time after the ceremony for guests to photograph graduates. We ask that guests not take photographs of the diploma presentations, so as not to impede the view of others. See the photo galleries page for photos from previous commencement ceremonies. 

Restrooms will be available inside the Athenaeum next to the Commencement location, Winslow Great Lawn.

We know graduates will be excited to see faculty and staff. Immediately following the ceremony, you and guests may briefly visit with faculty and staff. There will be signs directing you to those designated areas, or refer to this map for post-Commencement gathering locations.

When you mark the occasions with pictures, we’d love to see them! Use hashtag #Goucher2023 on social media to capture those special graduation moments. The campus will remain open until 3:00 p.m. Please allow time for returning to your car and follow the signs to exit the campus.

For those attending from out of town, see our hotel recommendations page for a list of nearby accommodations. A Goucher discount may be available, so please ask, but pricing is at the discretion of the hotel. On-campus housing will not be available for those students not already residing on campus.