Vanderbilt commencement occurred on May 9 at GEODIS park. Changes to this year’s commencement included how ADA accommodations requests are made for guests and a separate Student Center for Belonging and Communities graduate recognition ceremony on May 7th in Langford Auditorium.
In a March 25 email sent to graduating students, the university shared new protocols for requesting ADA changes. Unlike previous years where ADA accommodations were requested in advance, graduates now must request accommodations for their guests on-site on the day of commencement. Guests in need of transportation to the event are recommended to use a shuttle service from nearby parking lots or ridesharing apps. While parking is available on site with one parking pass allotted per student, GEODIS Park has limited parking for guests.
In a message to The Hustler, the university shared its process for evaluating ADA, saying this varies depending on the location and the previous year’s commencement.
“The university evaluates our accommodations each year based on the event venue and previous year’s requests to ensure as many guests as possible can participate in the commencement experience,” the university said.
SCBC graduation ceremony
The SCBC hosted a combined graduate recognition ceremony to support the following initiatives: MilitaryVU, First Gen Low Income (FGLI), APIDA, Native & Indigenous, Students with Disabilities, Latino/a/x and International Students. In previous years, the ceremonies were separated by their respective initiatives — however, this year, the ceremonies were combined in both the fall and spring.
An email sent to graduating students on April 21 from the SCBC stated that over 1,000 people, including students and guests, were expected to attend the event. There were an estimated 150 to 200 attendees at the separate APIDA ceremony that was hosted in previous years. Food was not served at the event, in contrast to previous ceremonies.
Kelvin Herrera-Hassan, the director of the SCBC, shared how he believes the combined ceremony will enable the group to better allocate their resources to celebrate graduates’ accomplishments.
“Having a unified event this year allows us to use our resources effectively to create a successful and memorable celebration while ensuring that each graduate is honored in a way that reflects their identity and journey at Vanderbilt,” Herrra-Hassan said in an email to The Hustler.
Herrara-Hassan shared that while much remains the same about the ceremony, the SCBC plans to continue to make additional changes in the following years to ensure the ceremony is more memorable and continues to recognize each initiative.
“Graduates will still receive recognition cords, see their [banners] displayed on stage and have dedicated photo opportunities to mark this important milestone with family and peers,” Herrra-Hassan said. “We are [also] identifying other hallmarks to make this event special for all attendees, ensuring it celebrates and uplifts the unique experiences of each group.”
