Memorial University’s Fall 2021 Convocation ceremonies will proceed in person on Thursday, Oct. 21, and Friday, Oct. 22 at the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John’s. Just as fall 2021 is a transitional semester for current students, the fall convocation ceremony will be slightly different to follow anticipated health and safety measures at the university and the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre at the time of the ceremonies. Should the COVID-19 situation change, changes to Memorial convocation plans may also change and grads will be informed in a timely manner of such changes. Your understanding and patience is appreciated.

Register to attend

The deadline for grads to register to attend convocation was Sept. 30; after that date, requests to attend will be processed as resources and venue capacity permit.

Tickets

Grad seating passes and guest tickets allocated for Convocation ceremonies will be sent electronically to your Memorial email address. You will receive two emails from the Fall Convocation 2021 venue, the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre: the first email will include your seating pass, the second will feature your guest tickets. Please provide your guests with their tickets in advance of the ceremony. You and your guests may display their ticket’s unique barcode on their digital device or print the e-ticket beforehand for admission to the Arts and Culture Centre.

COVID-19 requirements

Everyone attending convocation ceremonies will be required to wear a mask at all times (except speakers and graduands when on stage) and maintain physical distancing.

Update: Oct. 18, 2021

The St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre has advised the university that it will have measures in place to meet Public Health’s NLVaxPass COVID-19 passport screening requirements at convocation ceremonies taking place Thursday and Friday this week. Graduating students and their guests attending convocation ceremonies will be required to demonstrate proof of double vaccination or an approved exemption in order to gain entry to the auditorium.

Graduating students
To help meet these new requirements and to streamline the process for graduating students, Memorial has expanded its own vaccine declaration process to include Fall Convocation 2021 graduating students. Grads are encouraged to visit my.mun.ca and complete the vaccine status declaration form by Wednesday, Oct. 20, at 12 noon. The university will then compile for Public Health a report attesting to the vaccination status of grads who have completed the online form so these grads will not have to show the NLVaxPass passport and ID when they enter the Arts and Culture Centre.

However, grads who do not submit this university form will be required to show proof of double vaccination – NLVax Pass and one piece of identification OR digital/paper copies of vaccination documentation – at the Arts and Culture Centre in order to be permitted to enter the auditorium for convocation.

Guests of grads
Public Health vaccine passport requirements also apply to guests attending convocation at the Arts and Culture Centre. Please ask your guests to bring their NLVaxPass and one piece of identification OR digital/paper copies of vaccine documentation.

For more information on NLVaxPass and Public Health vaccine status, visit https://www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/life-during-covid-19/vaccination-record/nlvaxpass-support/ .

Arrival

Graduands enter the Arts and Culture Centre using the Grad Entrance (the North Accessible Entrance adjacent to Prince Philip Drive) and follow signage. From there, you will proceed to the gown room to collect academic dress and stage card, and then on directly to your assigned seat in the auditorium. Grads must arrive at least one hour prior to their ceremony start time.

Guests of graduands enter the building via the Main Entrance (under the archway) where they will proceed directly to their assigned seats. Guest seating will be assigned in pairs (i.e., same bubble), with vacant seats between each bubble.

Graduands should minimize bringing personal belongings to convocation. Backpacks or other large bags or items will not be permitted in the auditorium and therefore should be left at home. To avoid congestion, there will be no coat check service. Should there be inclement weather, a coat rack will be available to graduands to hang their outerwear; guests can take their coats to their seats. Memorial University and the Arts & Culture Centre cannot be responsible for securing personal items.

As usual, convocation ceremonies will be webcast live so family and friends unable to attend in person may view the ceremonies remotely. Check the MUN web page for a link to watch the ceremonies.