FAQ

To order class rings/graduation announcements, visit the Jostens website.

Here is a list of area accommodations you may find useful.

A special needs parking area will be reserved at the Mitchell Center and in the parking garage, which is equipped with an elevator. Shuttles will run all day to assist guests from parking areas to the Commencement site. Check in with parking monitors, ushers, or staff for assistance. If you have specific concerns about special-needs guests, please e-mail commencement@denison.edu.

The ceremony with closed captions will be available both during the event on a large screen and on the subsequent video that will be posted to the Denison website and YouTube channel.

There is no dress code for the weekend, however, we offer suggestions that may be helpful.

Friday

On Friday, you and your student will likely be walking around campus and in Granville. We suggest you dress comfortably and for the weather.

Baccalaureate Services held in Swasey Chapel: Semi-formal or business casual attire is encouraged; however, many students and families are coming from other activities and are more casually dressed.

Senior Soiree: Students and families are celebrating in a broad range of attire; many are coming straight from the 6:30 p.m. Baccalaureate, others from athletic team events, honorary society dinners, and sightseeing/shopping in Granville. Dress comfortably and enjoy this special night!

Saturday

Commencement Ceremony: Mitchell Center may be warm — please dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather, and keep the many photos you’ll be taking with your graduate in mind!

Move-Out: You may want to bring a change of clothes and shoes with you if you will be assisting your student in moving out of their residence halls.

A video recording of the 2026 Commencement will be available to view approximately 48 hours after the ceremony.

The bookstore is open Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

Signs, banners, or other visual displays are prohibited, as are noisemakers and amplifying devices. Large totes, bags, and backpacks are not permitted. Medical exceptions are permitted.

In addition to light breakfast offerings at the Faculty Coffee, several locations will be open:

In Slayter Student Union

• Common Ground coffee shop: Open 7:30 to 11a.m.
• Main dining area, featuring snacks, beverages, and breakfast and lunch items: Open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

In Mitchell Center

• The DFuse bar, featuring grab-n-go sandwiches and beverages: Open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Caps & gowns will be distributed at the Bookstore Grad Fair in April. 

All graduating students must depart housing and return keys by 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

We recommend students pack their belongings in advance so that Commencement Day and its festivities can be enjoyed fully! Dumpsters and donation pods will be available near senior communities to make the process fast and easy.

Denison’s Baccalaureate service is a celebration that provides graduating seniors an opportunity to reflect with gratitude for the educational experience they’ve received and for all those who supported them along the way. Baccalaureate also serves as a blessing of the senior class members as they leave The Hill and go forth into postgraduate life.

The two services are identical. They are offered as a convenience in consideration of families’ differing schedules during Commencement Weekend.

The Senior Soirée is a social celebration with food trucks, a bar, and dancing for seniors and their guests. Families are encouraged to attend!

By invitation only.

The Phi Beta Kappa induction and reception on Friday evening honors the members of the Denison Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the country’s oldest national honorary society.

Denison University’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (Theta of Ohio) was founded over a century ago, in 1910, to recognize excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Election to Phi Beta Kappa takes place during the second semester of the senior year and is based primarily on a record of outstanding academic achievement. Seniors are inducted based upon their GPA by the end of the fall of their senior year and will be no more than ten percent of the graduating class. A few juniors with truly exceptional academic records are inducted as well.

Yes, professional photographers will be present to take photographs of graduates as they cross the stage. These photographs will be available for purchase after Commencement. Additional photos will be posted on our Flickr site and may be downloaded free of charge.

Authorized service animals are welcome at Commencement. Family pets are safest in your lodgings or home during the event.

Please submit your questions to commencement@denison.edu.