Welcome to Central Washington University 2008 Commencement!

See schedule of times and places for June 7, 2008.

We hope that your visit is pleasant and rewarding. If you are new to Ellensburg, the links below will introduce you to our city and suggest a few things to do while you are here.

To accommodate the growing number of graduate and their families, Ellensburg Commencement Ceremony will be split into two (2) ceremonies. The two Commencement Ceremonies will be split by colleges and held on the same day, Saturday, June 7, 2008.

Eastside Commencement Ceremony 1 will be for all graduates (undergraduates and master candidates) in the College of Education & Professional Studies and the College of Business. Graduation will be held on June 7, 9:30a.m. - 11:00a.m. at Tomlinson Stadium.

Eastside Commencement Ceremony 2 will be for all graduates (undergraduates and master candidates) in the College of Arts & Humanities, College of the Sciences, Interdisciplinary Study and Individual Study majors Graduation will be held on June 7, 1:30p.m. - 3:00p.m. at Tomlinson Stadium.

Your graduating student will know which ceremony they should be attending. Please check with your student for confirmation.

Gates Open

No tickets are required to attend Ellensburg Commencement. All are welcome!

Eastside Commencement Ceremony 1: Gates will be open for family and friends at 8:15 a.m. graduation is completed shortly after 11:00a.m. We will be setting up for second ceremony immediately following the first graduation, so the field and gates will be closed by 11:30 a.m. for set-up.

Eastside Commencement Ceremony 2: Gates will re-open for the second graduation ceremony at 12:30p.m. The second ceremony is completed shortly after 3:00p.m.

Audience Seating

Seating is available in the grandstand for 4,200 people. We anticipate a crowd of 5,000. "Lawn seating" will be available on field. Encourage guests to bring a lawn chair. The track must be kept clear for the processional and recessional.

Disabled Seating

Entrances for persons of disability are on the north and south ends of the grandstand. Special seating is on the Northwest side of the field. Please look for the designated signs. Parking is available at Tomlinson Field for those with a disabled person state parking permit. Hearing-impaired people are requested to sit on the North side of the field to be near the interpreter who will be signing on the North side of the platform.

Television

The commencement ceremony will be televised on Ellensburg's Channel Two if you wish to set your VCR (starting at 9:25 a.m. for ceremony 1 and 1:25 p.m. for ceremony 2). Each ceremony will last approximately 2 hours. Professional videos of the commencement ceremonies can be purchased from the University Bookstore. You can place your orders for the videos on Saturday morning at the concession stand.

Photographer

Individual graduation photos will be taken at commencement by a professional photographer. Graduates will receive proofs and information directly from the photographer within a short period following commencement. Your graduates may contact Image Studios at (800) 505-5594 for further information.

In-Door Seating Available

The SubRec Theatre will be open for family and friends with special needs or who can not sit outside in the weather (no tickets are necessary). There will be a live feed from Tomlinson Stadium to the SubRec.

Inclement Weather

In case of rain, we will still hold commencement outside. We recommend that you bring an umbrella if it looks like it might rain. Any changes to the graduation ceremony will be posted on the CWU website at www.cwu.edu and/or an announcement will be made on the local radio stations.

The Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce has a web site with links to lodging, dining, and event information.