Walk it out: Celebrate PSU grads on Sunday, June 18

This year’s Portland State graduating seniors will celebrate commencement on Sunday, June 18 at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter.

Follow on social media using #2017PDXGrad

Ceremony times

Professional Schools & Colleges: Morning Ceremony from 10 a.m.12:30 p.m.

This includes: College of Urban & Public Affairs, School of Business Administration, Graduate School of Education, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of the Arts, School of Public Health, and School of Social Work.

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: Afternoon Ceremony from 3:306 p.m.

This ceremony will include undergraduate, masters, and graduate certificate students graduating Fall 2016Fall 2017. 

This also includes all doctoral students graduating Summer 2016 to Spring 2017 who have been certified by the Office of Graduate Studies.

2017 Commencement Speakers
 
Morning ceremony
 

Student Address
Yetta Rose Stein, Student Representative of the Class of 2017
Mania Asadi Zadeh, Student Representative of the Class of 2017

Honorary Doctorates
Anas Khaled Al Saleh
Gerry B. Cameron
Nancy L. Zimpher

Commencement Address
Nancy L. Zimpher, Chancellor of the State University of New York

 

Afternoon ceremony 

Student Address
Daniel A. Vandehey, Student Representative of the Class of 2017
Noel delaCruz, Student Representative of the Class of 2017

Honorary Doctorates
Earl Blumenauer
Phil Bogue
Avel Louise Gordly

Commencement Address
Congressman Earl Blumenauer

Tickets

Tickets are available through PSU’s online ticket portal and in-person at the PSU Box Office on the first floor of Smith Memorial Student Union. Each graduate is allotted four free tickets (graduates do not need a ticket for themselves). Get these tickets now if you haven’t already done so.

Additional tickets will be be available at $9 each and there is no limit. The Moda Center has ample seating and commencement organizers do not anticipate running out of seats.

Ceremony live stream & TV coverage

Commencement is live streamed on the day of the event at pdx.edu; you may send friends and family our homepage link to watch the ceremony. The link is only active on Sunday, June 18. The ceremony may also be viewed live on OPB+ on June 18 at the start of the ceremonies and OPB on TBA.

Cap decoration contest

Portland State  will graduate nearly 6,000 students on June 18, 2017 in two ceremonies at the Moda Center. Want to stand out in the crowd? Decorate your mortarboard and enter it for a chance to win prizes! 

PRIZES

1st Prize Winner

  • The winning graduation cap will get featured on the jumbotron on commencement day
  • $100 worth of outdoor adventure gear
  • $25 worth of gear including backpack, PSU shirts, sweater, hats, bracelets and more
  • $25 gift card

2nd Prize Winner 

  • INSTAX Mini 8 Instant Camera
  • $25 worth of Viking gear and swag
  • $15 gift card

3rd Prize Winner 

  • $15 worth of Viking gear and swag
  • $10 gift card

HOW TO ENTER

Show and Tag

  • Share a public photo of your decorated graduation cap using the hashtag #2017pdxgrad and a brief description of your design.
  • Entries can be submitted on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. You can also email them to [email protected].
  • Note that social media posts shared privately will not be entered into the contest because they will not be seen.
  • The entries will then be uploaded to an album on the PSU Facebook page where the public voting (“liking”) will take place.

Timeline

  • Submissions will be accepted from May 27 until June 10.
  • Photos will be uploaded into an album on the PSU Facebook page starting June 10.
  • Public voting begins when the album is uploaded on Saturday, June 10 and end Wednesday, June 14 at noon.
  • Winners will be notified by June 14 at 5 p.m. on the PSU Facebook page.

Rules

Decorations should be original and engaging. Caps should not be offensive, distracting or obstruct anyone’s view of the ceremony.

DECORATING PARTY

Come on over, bring your cap and express your creativity. We’ll provide some basic supplies like paint and stickers to get you started.

Grad Week: Cap Decorating Party

  • Wednesday, June 7 at 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Simon Benson House

This information pulled from pdx.edu/commencement, which includes more details for those interested.

Editor-in-cheese