Berea College

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For those celebrating from afar, enjoy a livestream of the ceremony.

Livestream the Ceremony

Get involved with Alumni activities to stay connected to Berea College!

Stay Connected

Graduates will be provided a link to high-resolution downloadable photos in the weeks following the ceremony.

Photography 

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Students will receive instructions from the <a href="https://next.berea.edu/registrar">Office of the Registrar</a> on when and how to apply. A degree audit will be reviewed for applicants during their seventh and eighth terms.

When do I apply for graduation? 

No. Graduates will not need tickets. They will be checked in during the procession line-up.

Do I need a ticket for myself?

Yes (tickets also required due to building capacity regulations). Students will also have the chance to claim overflow general seating tickets before the rest of the campus community. Overflow seating for additional guests will be available in the Seabury Upper Gym that will live stream the ceremony. Any unclaimed overflow tickets (if available) will be available at the campus side overflow entrance for walk-ins.

Is there overflow seating?

Students will have additional opportunities to claim extra tickets should they become available. Students who do not need their entire allocation will have the option to donate tickets into a pool for other students to claim, and any unclaimed tickets by the deadline will also be put into that pool to be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis. To be as equitable as possible, there will be a limit on the number of extra tickets graduates can claim based on available extras.

What if I need extra tickets?

Yes, there is limited accessible seating available as well as seating that is specifically reserved for guests who need to remain confined to a wheelchair or scooter. For May Commencement, you will have the opportunity to claim a limited number of accessible seating tickets as part of your 6-ticket allocation. If you need more accessible tickets than what is displayed when you go in to claim your allocation, you can contact Ellie Hogg at hogge@berea.edu or call 859-985-3403 to see if additional accessible seating is available. Note: Due to limited spacing, we cannot guarantee that guests using accessible seating will be able to be seated near the rest of the guests, however, we allow up to one escort to accompany your guest in the accessible seating (they will need a ticket reserved in that area as well).

I have a guest who needs accessible seating. Are there accessible seats available? 

Student Success &amp; Transition will send out an email to all graduates letting them know when the system is officially open. Don’t worry — you’re guaranteed to have 6 main arena tickets waiting to be claimed only by you, and you’ll have a certain amount of time to claim them. When the ticketing system opens,  you will be able to login to your myBerea and claim tickets from there as long as you’re approved to graduate. The claiming process is very similar to how you would select an online airline, concert or sporting event ticket.

How do I claim my tickets?

Children under age 3 who will be sitting in a lap during the entire ceremony do not require a ticket. If the child needs a seat of his or her own, they will need a ticket. Please note that due to fire regulations, strollers cannot be in the aisles during the ceremony. Ushers will store them during the ceremony to be picked up afterward.

Do infants or children count in my allocated ticket amount?

You will be able to choose your seats to be seated together when you go in to claim your tickets. If you are able to claim extra tickets above your original allocation, it cannot be guaranteed that the extra seats will be seated in the same area as your original group of seats.

Will my guests be seated together?

Seats are guaranteed, but before claiming your allocation, please confirm that your guests plan to attend. If you find out that a guest or guests can no longer attend, we ask that you donate the ticket or tickets back into the pool for another student to use as soon as possible so that we are able to use every seat available in the arena.

What if my guests are late? Do they lose their seats?

Your ticket allocation is yours to do with as you wish, so anyone you choose can be your guest(s). However, all attendees must have a ticket, so if you wish to use tickets out of your allocation to invite friends, that is permitted. <em>Please note that faculty members and labor supervisors of graduating seniors will already have tickets since they are seated on the floor across from the graduating class.</em>

Can my friends on campus come to the ceremony?

You will be able to print out your tickets at any time by logging into the ticketing system as long as you are on the eligible graduate list. Tickets can also be e-mailed to family members and it is highly recommended that they print them out and bring them as well. We ask that your guests have their printed tickets in hand when coming into Seabury Arena, because they will have their ticket scanned in order to enter. Academic Services staff will be stationed around the arena to assist with any issues.

What if my guest loses their ticket or I forget to give them their ticket?

No. Berea College students are not charged a graduation fee.

Is there a graduation fee? Am I charged for regalia? 

The “Baccalaureate” service is, basically, a worship service offered by a school for its graduating class and their families and friends.   Because the religious inclinations of the graduates will likely vary, these days the service is very inclusive.  <em>At Berea College, Baccalaureate is lively, musical and, we hope, inspiring.  The service lasts just over an hour.</em>

The <strong>baccalaureate</strong> comes from the early years of higher education when the bachelor’s degree was called “the baccalaureate.”   It is believed that, during the 15<sup>th</sup> century, Oxford University established a tradition of sending their graduates off through a (very) long service that included sermons offered in Latin.  When this tradition was carried to the United States the ceremony was changed, with the distinctly religious aspects of the ceremony encompassed in a service before Commencement.  That service came to be called “Baccalaureate.”   The word began as <em>baccalaureus</em>, (bachelor), and was altered to <em>bacca lauri</em>, (laurel berry) to mirror the bay tree leaves that were woven into crowns to be placed on the heads of scholars.

The purpose of the service is to express gratitude.  By the time students arrive at Baccalaureate they have completed an immense volume of work, and have encountered and triumphed over countless academic, social, financial and other challenges.   They have made friends, may have fallen in love (sometimes more than once!), and have become better acquainted with themselves.  At the same time, their professors have given their very best in helping to guide them in that journey.  Countless members of the staff, including the labor supervisors, have played roles in making the Great Day possible.  And, finally, their families and friends have helped in every way they could, including holding the almost-graduates in prayer.  Let it never happen that Commencement Day arrives at Berea College without us having, first, expressed our gratitude.

What is the Baccalaureate service? 

The diploma name should match the legal first and last name on file with Berea College. You can add, remove, or abbreviate your middle name as necessary.

What name appears on my diploma?

Berea College currently confers degrees three times per year. The degree conferral date signifies that all degree requirements were met by the conferral date and is listed on the academic transcript and on the diploma. Below are the current conferral dates.

May 15

August 15

December 20

The final graduation confirmation process can take several weeks. Graduates should expect their diplomas to be available for mailing or pick-up 6-8 weeks after degree conferral.

The current size of a diploma is 8.5x11 inches. Students are provided a diploma cover at the Commencement or Mid-Year Recognition Service.

When will I receive my diploma?

An online order form will be sent through email to all eligible candidates from the Office of Student Success &amp; Transition. After the caps and gowns arrive, you will receive an email from SST with information for pick-up.

Where do I get my cap and gown?

To be formally recognized as graduating with honors, students must have received the following cumulative GPA as of the end of the graduating term (the cumulative GPA achieved in the <em>previous</em> term will be used in the program since the final term grades have not yet been finalized at that time). The traditional Latin used to designate candidates graduating with honors is interpreted as follows:
<em>Summa cum laude</em> — with highest honors (GPA 3.9 and higher)
<em>Magna cum laude</em> — with high honors (GPA 3.75-3.899)
<em>Cum laude</em> — with honors (GPA 3.6-3.749)

What are the requirements for graduating with honors?

Yes. Children cannot sit with the graduating class, however, so you need to arrange for someone to meet you with your child on the way up to the stage and for someone to take the child back with them as you exit the stage.

Can my child come with me across the stage when I graduate?

Tickets are required for the May Commencement ceremony. Tickets are not currently required for the December Mid-Year Recognition Service.

Are tickets required for my graduation guests?

The ticketing system was implemented because of growing attendance numbers at our Commencement ceremonies in recent years, which have pushed us beyond the building capacity regulations set by the city’s Fire Marshal (who has the authority to close down an event if those regulations are not followed).

Consequently, there have been guests of graduates who, after traveling to Berea with the expectation of seeing their student graduate, were not able to attend the ceremony. After considering moving to other possible venues, including off-campus and outdoor venues, it was determined that the Seabury Center remains the largest and most appropriate facility in the immediate area to hold the ceremony. Therefore, we have implemented a ticketing system in order to guarantee that all of our graduates have an equal opportunity for guaranteed seats for a set number of guests, while also ensuring we can adhere to the capacity limits of the arena.

Why are tickets required?

Graduating students will be able to claim 6 <strong>(six)</strong> main arena tickets and <strong>2 (two)</strong> overflow tickets. Only students who have applied for graduation and who have been approved to graduate will be able to claim their tickets when the system opens.

Important Notes:
<ul>
 	<li>Each unique ticket will have a specific section, row, and seat number assigned to it so that your family and guests know exactly where to go (ushers will be available to assist).</li>
 	<li>Only one copy of each ticket will work upon arrival to Seabury Arena. The first ticket to be scanned will be granted entry. Any additional duplicate copies will not work.</li>
 	<li>Tickets are not for sale. Students found to be selling tickets will be subject to disciplinary action by the College.</li>
 	<li>It is important to note that there is no way to make this event perfectly safe for all attendees, especially those who are not vaccinated.</li>
</ul>

How many tickets do I get?

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<h2>GPS Location</h2>
The College is located near the center of the city, where Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region meets the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Berea is located 42 miles south of Lexington, Ky., just off Interstate 75.

The Haaga House Admissions Office is located at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Berea+College+Office+of+Admissions/@37.5748487,-84.2893017,14z/data=!4m8!1m2!2m1!1shaaga+house+berea+college!3m4!1s0x8842e19485848173:0x7764f317d09c7350!8m2!3d37.5695232!4d-84.2932355">209 Chestnut St., Berea, KY 40403</a>.
<h2>Traveling by car</h2>
The driving time from Louisville, Ky., Knoxville, Tenn., or Cincinnati, Ohio is slightly more than two hours.

<strong>If traveling north on I-75</strong>, take exit 76 and turn right to proceed east on KY-21. Proceed approximately one mile until you reach campus.

<strong>If traveling south on I-75</strong>, take exit 77 and turn left to proceed southeastward on KY-595. At the second traffic light turn right on Walnut Meadow Pike (KY-595) and continue past the Kentucky Artisan Center for approximately two miles until you reach campus.
<h3>Visitor Parking</h3>
The interactive campus map will have information about which parking lots are available to visitors. Visitor passes are required and may be obtained for free at the <a href="https://www.berea.edu/public-safety">Office of Public Safety</a>, which is located on the first floor of the <a href="https://www.berea.edu/campus-map/woods-penniman/">Woods-Penniman</a> building. Vehicles parking on campus at any time without a properly displayed decal or pass are subject to citations.

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<h2>Web Maps</h2>
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 	<li><a href="https://berea.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4d99038fecf5428cbbcf0ae758bac768" rel="noopener">Campus ADA Accessibility Map</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://berea.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0383e6e5914f4836b10385a8f9153053" rel="noopener noreferrer">Campus/Parking Map</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://berea.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=7d40d27741b24276934f84a5d2cd503c" rel="noopener noreferrer">Water Bottle Filler Locations</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://berea.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=fbbf05ee71524210936db54fa533dd30" rel="noopener noreferrer">Priority Snow Removal</a></li>
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<h2>PDF Maps</h2>
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 	<li><a href="https://bereaedu.wpenginepowered.com/campus-map/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2021/09/Campus-Map-with-Key-210806.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer">Campus/Parking Map</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://bereaedu.wpenginepowered.com/campus-map/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2022/03/Notable-Bereans-Banner-Map_June-8-2022.pdf">Notable Bereans Banner Locations</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://4efrxppj37l1sgsbr1ye6idr-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/facilities-management/wp-content/uploads/sites/78/2019/12/Smoke_Free_Campus_15aug19.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tobacco-Free Campus</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://bereaedu.wpenginepowered.com/campus-map/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2021/07/WaterBottleFillers_9sep21.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer">Water Bottle Filler Locations</a></li>
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Directions to Campus

<strong><em>From the North:</em></strong>
From I-75, take the north Berea exit (exit 77) and make a left off the ramp onto KY 595.  The second light will be an intersection of KY 595 and the Berea by-pass.  You will want to make a right to remain on KY 595, past the Kentucky Artisan Center, over the railroad tracks and past the college farms.  When you reach the traffic light at the intersection of KY 595 and Ellipse, you will continue straight.  You will travel approximately 150 yards and make a right onto Seabury Drive, which is the first road on the right past the 595/Ellipse intersection.  The parking lot for the Seabury Center is off to your right.

<em><strong>From the South:</strong></em>
From I-75, take the south Berea exit (exit 76) and make a right off the ramp onto 25 North.  Continue straight on this road as it winds through town and eventually through the heart of campus.  As you approach the Boone Tavern Hotel, the road will become two lanes and you want to remain in the left lane.  Make a left at the next intersection (traffic light #9).  As you proceed to the bottom of the hill, you will want to make a left onto Seabury Drive.  The parking lot for the Seabury Center is off to your right.

Graduation

Commencement & Mid-Year Recognition Celebrations