When, where, and at what time will Commencement be held?
The 95th Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023, under a tent (rain or shine) on Westlands South Lawn. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. A celebratory reception on the North Lawn will follow the ceremony.
Will Commencement and the Graduate Hooding Ceremony be livestreamed or available after the ceremony?
Yes! Commencement on May 12 and the Graduate Hooding Ceremony on May 11 will be streamed live for all to enjoy.
Videos of these ceremonies will also be posted to this site, where they will be available for at least one year. We also expect that they will be available for download.
Will guests be permitted to attend the Commencement ceremony?
Yes! We're excited to welcome guests to Commencement. This is a ticketed event, and each graduating student will receive a total of four tickets (two for admission under the Westlands Lawn Tent and two for admission to the watch party location in the Barbara Walters Campus Center). Attendees must present a ticket for admission and must agree to comply with all Sarah Lawrence Health and Safety protocols in place at the time.
Students and guests should be sure to safeguard their tickets, as they cannot be replaced if lost.
Commencement will also be streamed live at https://slc.edu/commencement so family and friends may watch from anywhere in the world.
What health and safety protocols will be in place for Commencement?
All guests coming to campus for Commencement will be expected to adhere to any COVID-related protocols in place at that time.
What parking and transportation options will be available?
Sarah Lawrence parking lots will open at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, May 12.
Guests may park in any Sarah Lawrence parking lot, and will be directed by Campus Safety once they arrive on campus. Shuttles will be available from campus parking lots to the Commencement site starting at 7:45 a.m. This shuttle will also include stops at the Bronxville Metro North station.
Once all campus lots are full, there will be a designated overflow parking area at the Cross County Mall with shuttle service to and from campus. Campus Safety will be directing traffic and letting people know when parking lots are full, and will give those who need to park at Cross County directions to the overflow lot.
Please note that parking on any side street or Kimball Avenue may result in a ticket from the City of Yonkers.
Will graduates have their pictures taken by a photographer at Commencement?
We know how important this day is to students and their families, so we've arranged for a professional photographer, Island Photo, to take two pictures of every student. The first picture is taken as the student receives their diploma case from President Judd, and the second after the student has exited the stage, diploma case in hand. These pictures will be available for purchase a few weeks after Commencement; an order form for the photographs will each be emailed as well as mailed to the student’s home address. We hope that this will enable families to sit comfortably in their seats with the reassurance that they will have a professionally produced photographic recording of this very special moment.
Graduate students will also be photographed as they receive their hood at their hooding ceremony on Thursday, May 11.
When must graduates move out of their residence halls?
Graduating students must fully vacate their dorm rooms by 8 p.m. on Friday, May 12.
When will students receive their diplomas?
Diplomas will be mailed in early June. The Registrar will send an email asking graduates to indicate the best mailing address—please be on the lookout for that later in the spring semester.
For any questions regarding your diploma, please email the Registrar’s office.
Is it possible that plans will change?
It is possible that plans could change at any time based on various conditions, including the state of COVID-19 and New York state public health guidelines and restrictions. Any changes will be communicated to students and reflected on this site.