When and where is commencement? CCBC’s 2008 Commencement ceremony takes place 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 31, 2008 on the Essex campus. The ceremony will be held underneath the graduation tent on the multipurpose field. A reception for graduates and their guests will be held immediately following the ceremony in B Building. How do I get there? Where do I park? Directions to CCBC Essex and a map of the campus are available on the college Web site. Free parking is available throughout the campus. Individuals with limited mobility requiring assistance will be directed to designated parking upon arrival at the main entrance to the campus. Reserved parking is available to graduates until 9 a.m. Graduates will receive their parking permits when they pick up their caps and gowns. When should I/my guests arrive? Graduates must report to the check-in/robing area of D Building (gym) by 9 a.m. for robing and lineup for the ceremony’s procession. Faculty and staff processional marshals will be there to assist you. Please do not bring valuables into the check-in/robing area, as these items will not be secure. Faculty and staff who are participating in the commencement ceremony should report for robing to D Building, Rooms 051-052. Do my guests need tickets? Admission tickets are not required, but seating is limited and it is recommended that graduates bring no more than six guests. What if I/my guests need special accommodations? If you need special seating arrangements for you or your guests, contact Beth Hunsinger, director of Special Services, at 410-780-6878 by Friday, May 16. If you do not notify us in advance, we cannot guarantee special seating. There is a drop-off area near the graduation tent for those guests with limited mobility. Guests must provide their own wheelchairs. How do I order my cap and gown? If you have applied to graduate in June 2008 and will have the necessary number of credits by the end of the Spring 2008 semester, you may order your cap and gown from any of the college bookstores: CCBC Catonsville: K Building, first floor, 410-455-4320 CCBC Dundalk: K Building, first floor, 410-285-9670 CCBC Essex: B Building, first floor, 410-780-6561 The cost of the cap and gown is covered in the graduation application fee. Orders will be taken Feb. 25 through Friday, April 4. Graduates wishing to purchase additional tassels may do so at the bookstore when they place their cap and gown orders. Additional tassels cost $3.55 each. Graduates with an overall grade point average of 3.40 or greater are eligible to wear gold honor tassels as part of their graduation regalia. The overall grade point average is determined by computing your cumulative course work from CCBC. How do I get announcements? Each graduate will receive 10 complimentary announcements when ordering a cap and gown. Additional announcements will be available in the bookstores at $5 per package of 10. When will I receive my diploma? Those who have met the graduation requirements, applied for graduation by the graduation deadline and satisfied all obligations to the college will receive their official diplomas immediately following the ceremony. Graduates will be directed to the diploma distribution area during the recessional. What should I wear? Comfortable attire is recommended beneath the regalia, but no shorts or tennis shoes are permitted. Women should wear low-heeled shoes in order to maneuver the stairs. Students who do not have proper academic regalia (cap and gown) will not be permitted to process and cross the stage. Will I get a graduation photograph? As token of our appreciation and celebration of your accomplishment, CCBC has arranged for a professional photographer to take photos of each graduate crossing the graduation platform. These stage photographs will be mailed to graduates’ homes at no cost or obligation to purchase. Graduates will be given the opportunity to order enlargements from Northeast Photo Network. Graduates will also have the opportunity to have pictures taken at the Graduation/Alumni Picnic, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday, May 10 at CCBC Essex.