For hundreds of Mihaylo College seniors and graduate students, next month’s annual CSUF commencement will mark the completion of a personal and professional milestone. Here is a guide to what the class of 2018 needs to know to participate in the university-wide and college-specific ceremonies on the weekend of May 18-20.

Mihaylo College Grads Walk on May 19

All Mihaylo College students will receive their certificates and shake hands with their department chairs on Saturday, May 19.  There will be two ceremonies — one at 8 a.m. and one at 5 p.m. Which one you go to depends on your major and concentration (see below). Both ceremonies start at Titan Track and continue on to the Intramural Field.

8 a.m. Ceremony

• accounting
• information systems
• information technology
• ISDS
• international business
• marketing
• professional business
• taxation

5 p.m. Event

• economics
• business economics
• entrepreneurship
• entertainment and hospitality management
• finance
• management
• MA in economics
• MBA

More Things to Know About the Saturday Ceremonies

• Students with multiple concentrations may choose to participate in either or both ceremonies as appropriate.
• Both ceremonies will last about two hours.
• Graduates should arrive an hour early in both cases.
• All grads must wear a cap and gown. Master’s candidates will wear a hood, while doctoral candidates will present with a hood and tams.
• Participants must complete the provided yellow name card and bring it to the ceremony, as this will be used to announce your name on stage.
• Items that distract from the ceremony, such as large signs, music or musical equipment, beach balls, or horns, are prohibited.
• Leave Fido at home. Except for service animals, no pets are permitted.

Ceremony for the Entire University on Friday Evening

Regardless of which college event you will be a part of, all Mihaylo College grads are invited to attend the university ceremony on Friday, May 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the Intramural Field. Attendance at this event, which is not mandatory for participation in the college-specific ceremonies, will draw thousands of grads, family and friends, and will feature addresses by senior university officials such as President Fram Virjee, as well as keynote speaker Earl Lewis, a noted social historian specializing in African American and African history at the University of Michigan and former president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Though commencement marks the symbolic completion of an academic degree, graduates will not receive their official diplomas on this day. The diplomas will be sent by mail during the summer for students completing their academic requirements in spring 2018. Those taking their last courses in summer may still participate in commencement and will receive their diplomas by mail in the fall.

Grads Don’t Need Tickets, But Guests Do! 

Tickets are not required for students or guests for the university-wide ceremony on Friday, May 18. For the Saturday Mihaylo-specific events, all guests will need tickets but graduating students do not.

Eight free guest tickets per student are available through this Thursday, April 19. RSVP today to reserve spots for your parents, siblings, relatives and friends. It is recommended for child guests to have their own tickets.

Tickets must be claimed prior to this Friday, April 20, as the college is unable to distribute additional tickets until each of the 1,300 graduates have opportunity to claim their initial eight tickets. A determination will then be made regarding any additional seats open for distribution, which may be available on a first-come/first-served basis. Check the site for extra ticket availability and place orders between April 24 at 5 a.m. and April 26 at 11:59 p.m.

Parking 101: How To Get Your Free Parking Permits

The parking permits used throughout the semester will not be valid during commencement weekend. Students may obtain up to three complimentary permits at the TitanCard desk of Pollak Library, the Student Success Center at the Irvine Center or by mail through a Parking Permit Request form. Send the completed form in a self-addressed envelope with your name and CWID to:

Titan Card (Commencement)

Cal State Fullerton

800 N State College Blvd

Fullerton, CA 92831

Off-campus parking will be available at Troy High School on State College Boulevard for $10 per vehicle. Requests are due by May 1, so get your parking permits today!

Ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, carpooling, and public transportation are some options to avoid the parking crunch.

Get Your Cap and Gown

Need caps and gowns, diploma frames or CSUF-branded memorabilia? It’s all available at Titan Shops, which will have extended hours during finals week and will be open on Saturday and Sunday of commencement weekend from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. But avoid the rush by stopping by the store any day before commencement week.

While You’re Here: On-Campus Eating and Things to See

Weekends are typically a quiet time around Cal State Fullerton, but that will not be the case for commencement, when nearly 60,000 people will descend on campus. Expect parking to be hard to find; be sure to arrive early.

Need a bite to eat? The food court of the Titan Student Union will be open each day from 7 a.m. to noon and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., as will the Starbucks in Pollak Library, Aloha Java between University Hall and the Humanities Building, and the Juice-it-Up trailer in Humanities Plaza. There will also be food tents near Intramural Field and Parking Lot D.

Graduates and guests might also be interested in a look back at CSUF history at Pollak Library, which will host the Pollak Library: 60 Years of Community Service exhibit at the Salz-Pollak Atrium Gallery on the first floor through June 22, including on commencement weekend.