Frequently Asked Questions
General
Spring Grad Walk 2023 will be held in person at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at UMGC Headquarters in Adelphi, Maryland.
UMGC will also host a Spring Commencement 2023 website for the Class of 2023, with an on-demand ceremony featuring presentations by guests and the formal conferral of degrees by UMGC President Gregory Fowler, PhD. An online Gallery of Graduates will showcase personalized recognition slides that can be shared via email and social media.
Spring Grad Walk 2023 for associate, bachelor's, and master's degree candidates and graduates is Friday, May 12, through Sunday, May 14 (daily times vary).
The Doctoral Hooding at Grad Walk for doctoral degree candidates is Thursday, May 11, beginning at 6 p.m. eastern time.
Spring Grad Walk 2023 will be held in person at the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at UMGC Headquarters. The Marriott is located at 3501 University Blvd East, Adelphi, MD 20783. View a Google map and get directions.
You will register, in advance, for a day- and time-specific arrival at Spring Grad Walk 2023.
In March, eligible students will receive an email containing the RSVP link. Please reply promptly to lock in your preferred appointment, as reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please confirm your preferred email address via MyUMGC.
Spring Grad Walk 2023 is a continuously moving walk-through event. You and your guests will spend approximately 60 minutes inside the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center from check-in to exit.
Yes! A link to a live stream of the Grad Walk stage will be shared on the UMGC Commencement website the week of the event.
The Class of 2023 will also be able to access an on-demand ceremony featuring the student speaker and singer, as well as the formal conferral of degrees by UMGC President Gregory Fowler. An online Gallery of Graduates will showcase personalized recognition slides that can be shared via email and social media.
Eligibility and Applying for Graduation
Graduates who completed their degree requirements in March 2023, and candidates for graduation who expect to complete their requirements in May and June 2023, will be invited to participate in Spring Grad Walk 2023.
Check your eligibility status by contacting the Graduation Services Team at graduationserv@umgc.edu or 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2299.
If you're still unsure about your eligibility to participate in Spring Grad Walk 2023 after verifying your graduation status, email Commencement Services at commencement@umgc.edu.
Remember: At UMGC, graduation and commencement are different. (Commencement comprises the special events hosted by UMGC, both in person and online.)
But applying for your diploma and applying for graduation are the same thing; both terms refer to the same administrative process.
You must apply for your diploma via MyUMGC by the appropriate deadline. Meeting the diploma application deadline automatically puts you on the list to be invited to Spring Grad Walk 2023.
Apply through the Graduation page in MyUMGC. Submit the form and pay the $50 graduation fee.
No.
RSVP and Registration
Eligible graduates and candidates receive an email invitation to RSVP online.
The email invitation contains a link to our online registration system. Follow the instructions in your RSVP email.
Online registration opens in March.
If you are eligible to attend, you will receive an email with instructions.
To be eligible as a member of the Class of 2023, you must have already applied for graduation via the Graduation page in MyUMGC by the appropriate deadline. If you are unsure whether you're eligible or what the deadlines are, contact the Graduation Services Team at graduationserv@umgc.edu or 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2299.
You must also ensure that your preferred email address is updated in your Profile in MyUMGC to receive communications about commencement.
If you have trouble registering, contact Commencement Services at commencement@umgc.edu or 240-684-2225.
Registration: Change or Cancel
Once the RSVP system opens, please email commencement@umgc.edu if you want to change your initial registration.
Prepare for Spring Grad Walk 2023
The official Spring Grad Walk 2023 program book will be published online at the beginning of Grad Walk. This digital program will include the names of March 2022 graduates and May 2022 graduation candidates who apply before the diploma application deadline.
Doctoral graduates from August and December 2022, and March and May 2023, will have their names and dissertation titles published in the online program.
Graduates and their guests will be able to share and view the official program online as a digital flipbook; a downloadable PDF will also be provided.
Update your postal or email address in your Profile in MyUMGC.
If your name has been legally changed, you need to send a copy of your driver's license and a marriage certificate, birth certificate, or divorce decree (as appropriate) to Graduation Services. You must include your student ID number on the request. Contact Graduation Services for instructions on sending your documents.
After taking the above steps, if you have any remaining questions about how your name will appear on your diploma and in the commencement program book, please contact the Registrar's Office at 800-888-8682, ext. 2-2222, or registrar@umgc.edu.
When you RSVP online, you will immediately receive a confirmation email with instructions for ordering your regalia and other information.
You will receive a “what to know before you go” email just before Spring Grad Walk 2023 with any last-minute updates, along with a helpful guide that is packed with important information for you and your guests.
We may also send periodic emails that contain specific announcements or updates.
All graduates are required to wear a cap and gown to Spring Grad Walk 2023. (Active-duty servicemembers may wear their service dress uniform in lieu of regalia.) We encourage you to wear appropriate business casual attire under your gown.
There will be a table at each photo station to momentarily place your belongings. Please plan to leave large items in your vehicle.
Cap and Gown
The confirmation email you receive after you RSVP for Spring Grad Walk 2023 will contain the link to order your regalia.
You may also click here:
Pricing will be posted on the vendor’s website; however, for planning, you should budget
Doctoral—$70 (rental) or $667 (purchase)
Master’s—about $67
Bachelor’s or associate—about $39
Prices above include home shipping.
Other items, such as the stole of gratitude, are extra. The vendor’s website will have pictures and pricing for everything.
Active-duty servicemembers are encouraged to wear their service dress uniform to Spring Grad Walk 2023
Only the U.S. Army specifically prohibits wearing gowns over the uniform; however, UMGC asks graduates belonging to the other branches of the armed forces to follow this practice too. If you choose to wear your uniform, you are welcome to purchase a cap and gown as a souvenir, but please do not wear it over your uniform.
Doctoral degree recipients wear customized red regalia with black velvet facing and sleeve bars piped in gold, and a gold tassel on the tam. They also wear the traditional hoods to denote their academic discipline and UMGC’s school colors.
Associate degree recipients wear gray regalia with a black tassel. Bachelor's and master's degree recipients wear black gowns and caps with a black tassel, regardless of degree. But master's degree candidates also have hoods lined with UMGC’s school colors and edged in velvet colors matching their academic discipline.
You may have seen some university commencements where the graduates' tassels contain charms denoting the year. The tassel worn at UMGC's commencement does not contain the year. We prefer a more traditional look where the tassels are uniform (i.e., no charms).
If you'd like a tassel with your graduation year on it, you may purchase a souvenir tassel (which comes in our official school colors) when you order your regalia online. Souvenir keychains are also available.
Doctoral candidates who wish to purchase regalia must order online by March 30. All other online regalia ordering closes on April 24. We cannot make exceptions to this deadline.
If you miss the April 24 deadline, there will be a limited amount to buy on-site at Spring Grad Walk 2023.
If you order on time but do not receive your regalia before the start of Spring Grad Walk 2023, contact Oak Hall Customer Service at 800-456-7623.
Connect with Other Graduates
Use the hashtag #UMUCgrad to join the conversation on Instagram and Twitter and see what's trending among your fellow graduates and alumni.
COVID-19 Protocols
No. COVID-19 vaccination is strongly encouraged but not required.
Students and guests do not have to be vaccinated against COVID-19. UMGC will comply with local COVID-19 regulations and guidance from the CDC in effect at the time of Spring Grad Walk 2023; additional information will be provided and updated, as necessary.
Wearing masks is optional inside of the College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center.
Guests do not have to be vaccinated or wear a mask, though the use of masks is encouraged.
UMGC will comply with local COVID-19 regulations and guidance from the CDC in effect at the time of Spring Grad Walk 2023; additional information will be provided and updated, as necessary.
After Grad Walk
No. You will receive a congratulatory letter from UMGC President Gregory Fowler inside a diploma cover when you cross the stage.
For more information and to activate your free membership, visit the UMGC Alumni Association.
Honors
No.
UMGC provides honor cords for bachelor's degree recipients who qualify for the following academic honors: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. If you are eligible, Commencement Services will mail your cord to you about one month before Spring Grad Walk 2023.
You must have at least a 3.8 grade point average and have completed at least 30 credits of graded UMGC coursework to be eligible for one of the aforementioned academic honors. For honors to be conferred with a second bachelor’s degree, you must have earned at least 30 new UMGC credits and the requisite GPA. Refer to your academic catalog for official policy governing your eligibility for academic honors.
For honors eligibility questions, please contact Graduation Services at 800-888-8682 ext. 2-2299, or graduationserv@umgc.edu.
Academic honors are based on your cumulative GPA for coursework completed at UMGC.
Cum laude = 3.800 to 3.900
Magna cum laude = 3.901 to 3.999
Summa cum laude = 4.000
White cords represent cum laude. Blue cords represent magna cum laude, and gold cords represent summa cum laude.
Yes. At check in, you will be given a card with your name and honors designation. Your name and honors will be read as you cross the stage.
We do not provide honor cords or other accessories for honor societies. Graduates who believe they should receive an honor cord from a specific honor society should contact the organization directly.
Contact your honor society at least one month before Spring Grad Walk 2023 to ensure timely delivery of any cords or other accessories you are entitled to wear.