The scoop on the day it is officially over

In investigating things that seniors at Ohio University would be interested in learning about, I got to wondering what graduation would really be like for all of us who are walking across the stage on June 14. So I called the Office of University Events and got the inside scoop from Molly Gilmore, a senior who works as a receptionist and stage hand for the office. She has a unique perspective on the event, however, because her father used to be the associate director for the Office of University Events and she has assisted with graduation since she was 10 years old.

The basic run-down of an Ohio University Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony goes a little like this:

• Seniors arrive at the garage at the Convocation Center by 8:45 (College of Business, Scripps College of Communications, College of Fine Arts, Regional Campuses, Russ College of Engineering & Technology and University College) or 1:15 (College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, College of Health & Human Services, Honors Tutorial College)
• Each student will get a notecard with their name on it to give to the announcer when it is time to call their name.
• Each college has its own portal to the floor of the convocation center and will start proceeding in led by a marshall holding the college flag. (Gilmore said there were a lot of spotlights going on at this time as well as the playing of the graduation song.
• After that the platform party (the president, the commencement speaker, etc.) will be processed as will the OU Mace (our OU seal)
• The speakers will give their speeches before the changing of the tassel. This years commencement speaker is Peter King, a 1979 grad and a senior writer for Sports Illistrated
• Each students name will be read off by college and they will proceed out the door to meet family and friends (Gilmore recommends you establish a spot with your family before commencement so you will be able to find each other quickly.)

Gilmore did give some dos and don'ts for the event:

1. Do decorate the top of your mortor board. She said she has seen some that light up. Gilmore did say to remember that nothing can hang down and graduates cannot decorate their gowns.
2. Do not bring beach balls to toss around. "Every year people try to neek in things like beach balls and they get taken away and people get mad, but it is too distracting.
3. Those in charge will not hesitate to take a person who looks like he or she is drunk out of the line, disappointing themselves and those who came to celebrate with them
4. Do sit with friends from your college. The announcing is not done alphabetically, so sit with the people you have suffered through all those classes with. I already know my "posse" for the big event.

One thing Gilmore told me that I found interesting was that we should be on the look out for a student who graduated in 1970. That year no commencement ceremony was held and many 1970 grads have walked in the years after. She remembers one year a 1970 alum's son was graduating so the alum chose to walk with his son.

Another thing I found interesting was that anyone who applies could be an usher or a marshal. They simoly need to apply, be interviewed and go through training.

The last and most important thing on most seniors mind is how long is it going to take and Gilmore assured me that they do a good job of not making it too long.