Class of 2026 Graduation and Commencement Ceremonies

All graduating students are guaranteed FOUR graduation tickets to the main graduation venue—Sorgenti Arena for the Commencement ceremony.

Students will also receive two (2) additional viewing guest tickets for the campus viewing location, Fournier Cafe. In addition, the entire Commencement ceremony will be live-streamed via YouTube and the College website for those without tickets.

SCHOOL OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES STUDENTS: If you have not picked tickets up or made arrangement with Terry Trainer (trainert@chc.edu), you must do it now. Families will not enter the graduation space without a ticket.

SCHOOL OF CONTINUING AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES STUDENTS: If you have not picked tickets up or made arrangement with Marie Scheetz (scheetzm@chc.edu), you must do it now. Families will not enter the graduation space without a ticket.

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES STUDENTS: If you have not picked tickets up or made arrangements with Regan Mulrooney (mulrooneyr@chc.edu) you must do it now. Families will not enter the graduation space without a ticket.

School of Undergraduate and Continuing and Professional Studies – Procession for this event begins at 10:30 am & Commencement begins at 11:00 am.

Families will not be able to enter the Sorgenti Arena once the 10:30am procession begins.  Please encourage your families to arrive early. The Sorgenti Arena will open at 9:30 am.

Family members will not enter the Sorgenti Arena or Viewing Room – Dining Hall without a ticket.  Please plan accordingly. All guests must have a ticket, including kids. 

School of Graduate Studies – Procession for this event begins at 2:30 p.m. & Commencement begins at 3:00 pm

Families will not be able to enter the Sorgenti Arena once the 2:30 pm procession begins. Please encourage your families to arrive early. The Sorgenti Arena will open at 1:30 pm.

Family members will not enter the Sorgenti Arena or Viewing Room – Dining Hall without a ticket.  Please plan accordingly. All guests must have a ticket, including kids. 

As it relates to the additional tickets, we do not currently have any extra tickets available. Students are able to fill out a form to be put on a waitlist where if extra tickets become available, students will be randomly selected to receive one additional ticket. All requests must be submitted by Friday, May 8 in order to be included on the waitlist.

The entire Commencement ceremony will be live-streamed via YouTube and on the College website.  The link will be available the day before Commencement on the College website.

Yes. On Thursday 5/14, The Fournier Circle will close at 9:00pm and will remain closed through the Commencement Ceremony on 5/14. The circle will reopen following the Ceremony until Friday at 9:00pm on 5/15.

On Friday (5/15) at 9:00pm, the Fournier Circle will be closed until Saturday 5/16 after the commencement ceremony.

• No vehicles may be parked in the Fournier Circle during the timeframes listed above and along Brennan Drive on Friday (5/15) at 9:00pm until after the Saturday (5/16) Commencement. Vehicles that remain parked in these areas will be towed.

Parking is very limited. Several lots are designated exclusively for handicapped guests, faculty, and resident seniors whose vehicles remain on campus overnight. Remaining spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. All overflow parking will be accommodated at our SugarLoaf Campus (corner of Germantown Avenue & Bells Mill Road). Shuttle service will be provided to and from SugarLoaf. Parking attendants will be on-site to direct cars to appropriate parking lots.

We recommend arriving early knowing that you may not find parking on the Main Campus and that shuttling from an off-campus lot may take between 45-60 additional minutes because of the anticipated crowds and traffic.

Please see https://www.chc.edu/about-chc/maps for more details about parking and getting to campus.

By Car:

If you’re using a GPS to get to the campus, please use the following addresses:

Chestnut Hill College: 9601 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118
Chestnut Hill College, SugarLoaf Campus: 9200 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19118

By Train:

Both the Chestnut Hill East (R7) and the Chestnut Hill West (R8) lines service Chestnut Hill from Center City Philadelphia and 30th Street Station. Chestnut Hill East also provides service from Trenton, NJ and Northeast Philadelphia. If using Chestnut Hill East (R7), walk two blocks down Chestnut Hill Avenue to Germantown Pike. Take the L Bus to the campus, one mile west, or walk to campus from the train station.

You can plan your trip and find full schedules for SEPTA below.

• Chestnut Hill West Trip Planner and Schedules
• Chestnut Hill East Trip Planner and Schedules

By Bus:

The SEPTA L Bus picks up on Germantown Avenue directly across from the College’s main entrance. The L Bus provides service between the Plymouth Meeting Mall and the Olney Transportation Center. The bus stop is right across the street from the main entrance of campus off of Germantown Avenue.

You can plan your trip and find a full schedule for the L Bus here.

You can access a map of campus here, which shows the location of Sorgenti Arena and the best way to navigate there. Additionally, people will be onsite to help direct you to the arena and accessible entrances.

Because your safety is important to us, the following items are prohibited in the Sorgenti Arena and Viewing Room – Dining Hall.  Please advise your guests so they are prepared:

• Balloons (not permitted in Sorgenti Arena and Viewing Room-Dining Hall, but are permitted outside)
• Strollers (permitted Viewing Room – Dining Hall, but not in Sorgenti Arena)
• Air horns or other noisemakers
• Glass bottles and containers (including vases)
• Laser pointers or other disruptive items
• Signs, banners, sticks or poles
• Bicycles, skateboards, hover boards or wheelies
• Mace or similar substances
• Animals, except services animals
• Weapons, including but not limited to firearms and knives
• Alcohol

Additionally, graduates and guests may be asked to comply with a visual inspection of persons, bags, and clothing capable of concealing prohibited items. Your cooperation in creating a safe environment for all is appreciated.

No, we are a tobacco-free campus; this includes, but is not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, and vaping devices. This includes parking lots, on or around the soccer field, and tennis courts.

There are plenty of great restaurants in town and the nearby area, as well as two Wawas within a few miles if you are looking to grab a bite to eat before or after the ceremony. Click here for a full list of restaurants in the area.

SCHOOL OF UNDERGRADUATE AND CONTINUING AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES – May 16

Graduates report at 10:00 am to the 2^nd floor of Saint Joes to line up; you will check in and be lined up in alphabetical order (separated by Bachelor of Arts and Bachelors of Science); staff will be on hand to assist you with your cap, gown and hood.  If you are late, you may not be able to sit with your group.  Doors open at 9:30 am.

We encourage you to wear reasonable shoes (but do you! Your day 😊) because the procession requires you to go down steps into the Sorgenti Arena.

You can only walk in graduation if you are cleared from any business, student life, library or athletic holds. Please work with those respective departments and Student Financial Services to get those holds cleared prior to your respective ceremony.

Diplomas will be mailed by the Registrar’s Office after Commencement. If you need to make any changes to your name or mailing address, please contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@chc.edu.

While we are always excited to see your self-expression in the decoration of your caps, please be reminded that while celebratory, graduation is also a formal event.  Profanity or language that is offensive or threatening will not be tolerated and you will be asked to take a plain cap.

There is no locked place to leave bags or belongings, so whatever you bring to line-up, you will need to carry in the procession or leave in an unlocked classroom; please consider this before bringing a large purse, valuables, etc.

In keeping with our commitment to care for the earth, commencement programs are available digitally on this webpage.

QR codes will be posted throughout campus for guests to scan for the booklet. In addition, if a family member would like a printed copy of the booklet, they will have the option to request one here. Printed copies will be mailed after Commencement.

For questions or to arrange pick-up of your cap and gown, please contact Jermaine Mouzon from the Bookstore at jmouzon@bncollege.com or bookstore@chc.edu. If you did not order your cap and gown, you may still purchase one on campus at the Bookstore. If you ordered online but did not pick it up during Grad Finale, please visit the Bookstore to collect it.

As always, for general questions, please contact studentlife@chc.edu, and we will direct you to the appropriate person.

Congratulations on graduating! In celebration of your accomplishments, the Office of Student Engagement has put together an array of events for you taking place from Tuesday, May 12 through Thursday, May 14, leading up to Commencement on May 16th. The theme of Senior Send-off this year is “The Sky’s the Limit”, meaning that although your time at CHC has come to an end, there are no boundaries or limits to what you can achieve or pursue in the future!

To partake in any or all the opportunities provide to the Class of 2026, please complete this RSVP form. Please note that there is a fee associated with the Happy Hour to cover the cost of food and beverages. Also, the invitation is open only to current graduating students. The 2026 Senior Send-off Events include:

• Senior Send-off Luncheon
  • Tuesday, May 12, 2026 from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm
  • Location: Fournier Dining Hall
  • Cost to Senior: FREE
• Senior Send-off Happy Hour at Chestnut Hill Brewing Company
  • Thursday, May 14, 2026 from 7:00-9:00 pm; Shuttles leave campus starting at 6:30 PM
  • Location: Chestnut Hill Brewing Company
  • Cost to Senior: $15 per ticket (includes food and beverages)

Tickets for each event will be sold in the Mailroom starting in April, as well as at the Grad Finale on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Seniors will be able to purchase tickets for each individual event they wish to attend. We accept cash or card; however, we do not take Venmo, CashApp, or similar payment apps. If you have any questions, concerns, or accessibility needs, please reach out to studentengagement@chc.edu.

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) is inviting PsyD and Master’s graduates to a reception on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 1:00pm. Please note, while families are invited to the commencement ceremony, the reception is for graduates only. If you will be attending the SGS Reception, please make sure to fill out the survey here.

Students in the School of Undergraduate Studies & School of Continuing and Professional Studies are invited to participate in the Annual Kente Cloth Ceremony on May 15th at 3:00 PM. Students must RSVP here to attend.

Students in all three schools (SUS, SCPS, and SGS) are invited to participate in the Baccalaureate Prayer Service on Friday, May 15th at 5:30pm in the Motherhouse Chapel. At Baccalaureate, we bless the graduates and pray for your journey ahead in the very special Sisters of Saint Joseph Motherhouse Chapel! All faiths and friends are welcome. Please RSVP HERE by Friday, May 8. Any questions can be directed to Anna Ryan-Bender, Director of Campus Ministry: ryan-bendera@chc.edu. 

The Chestnut Hill College Commencement procession is led by the Grand Marshal who carries the College mace. The Grand Marshal is the highest ranking, tenured faculty member. The mace is a symbol of authority and indicates that the activity is an official function of Chestnut Hill College. The predominant feature of Chestnut Hill College’s mace is the College Seal. The mace was presented to the College by the Class of 1956. A color guard follows the Grand Marshal. 

Following the Grand Marshal in the School of Graduate Studies procession are candidates for master’s degrees, followed by candidates for the doctoral degree in clinical psychology. During the School of Undergraduate Studies/School of Continuing and Professional Studies ceremony, the Grand Marshal is followed by the degree candidates from the School of Undergraduate Studies. The School of Continuing and Professional Studies degree candidates follow next in the procession. 

In both ceremonies, the faculty follows the candidates for degrees. The platform party, composed of speakers, honorees, Board of Directors, and the Administration are last to process. The recessional exits in reverse order. 

The pageantry and color of an academic convocation such as today’s Commencement come to us from medieval times when academic robes and regalia were adapted from ecclesiastical garb. Most robes are black to symbolize the democracy of scholarship, since they cover any dress or rank of social standing worn beneath. Robes vary in design depending on the degree received. It may be that the wearing of the long gowns provided warmth for the students and teachers who labored in unheated academic buildings of 13th century England. 

The hood, originally a simple cowl attached to the gown, bears the heaviest symbolism of the academic costume. Its lining displays the colors of the college or university which is granting the degree, and the color of the bordering velvet indicates the field of learning in which the degree is earned. The square cap or mortarboard originated in the 13th century at the University of Paris and came to England in Tudor times. 

Through the years, European institutions had a great diversity in their specifications of academic dress. American colleges and universities opted for a definite system that all might follow. In 1895, the Intercollegiate Commission met at Columbia University and adopted a code of academic dress.The Commission has updated the code in 1932, 1959 and 1986. 

The gown for the bachelor’s degree is untrimmed. It can be identified by its long pointed sleeves. The gown is usually black in color and is designed to be worn closed. 

The hood must be three-feet in length. It is lined with the official colors of the college. The Chestnut Hill College lining is scarlet, white and gold. Chestnut Hill grants Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.The edging of the Bachelor of Arts hood is white, and the Bachelor of Science hood is golden yellow.The velvet edging is two-inches wide. 

The mortarboard has a tassel attached at midpoint to the top of the cap.  The tassel, like the mortarboard, is black. Traditionally, the graduates move the tassel from the right side to the left side of the cap once the degree is granted. 

The gown for the master’s degree is designed to be worn either open or closed.The sleeves are oblong and are open at the wrist. The rear part of the sleeve is square cut while the front has an arc cut away. The gown is usually black and untrimmed. 

The hood for the master’s degree is three-and-one-half-feet long.The edging is three-inches wide. The Chestnut Hill College hood is lined in scarlet, white and gold. The white trim signifies the Master of Arts degree, yellow trim signifies a Master of Science degree and light blue trim signifies a Master of Education degree. 

The mortarboard is black and has a black tassel attached midpoint on the top of the cap. The graduate moves the tassel from the right to the left side of the cap once the degree is granted. 

The gown for the doctoral degree has bell shaped sleeves. It is designed to be worn either open or closed. The front of the gown is faced with velvet and three bars or chevrons of velvet are used across the sleeves. The color of the velvet trim may be black or match the edging of the hood. The gown may be black or a color approved for an institution. 

The hood is four-feet long and has panels at the sides. It is lined with the colors of the degree granting institution and edged with velvet colored to represent the specific discipline in which the degree is granted. The velvet edge is five-inches wide. 

The cap may be the traditional mortarboard cap or a tam made of soft velvet. The tam may be square, six-pointed or eight-pointed. The tassel may be gold. 

Chestnut Hill College doctoral candidates wear a scarlet gown trimmed in black velvet. The gown is designed to be worn closed. The College Seal is located at the top of each velvet panel on the front of the gown. 

The hood is lined in scarlet, white, and gold with a white trim to signify the degree in psychology. The cap is an eight-pointed, black velvet tam with a gold tassel. 

The President of Chestnut Hill College wears a chain of office at formal College functions. The central medallion in the chain is the official insignia for the President of the College. The chain connects twelve, smaller medallions adorned with fleur-de-lis to symbolize the connection to the founding of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in LePuy, France. The twelve medallions also represent our past and future presidents. A large hammered fleur-de-lis at the back balances the College Seal in the front.The chain was a gift from the Chestnut Hill College Alumni Association to the College’s sixth president, Sister Carol Jean Vale, on the occasion of her inauguration. 

Service Medallions 

Fleur-de-lis medallions are worn by faculty and staff who have completed twenty or more years of full-time service to the College.The medallions are worn at official College functions. 

You can learn all about the College’s 100+ year history here.

We love thee in the sunset.
We love thee in the dawn,
Thy walls to us are hallowed
With mem’ry of days agone.

CHORUS
O, College and Teachers and we,
A loyal Trinity,
Our hearts’ deep fealty,
Is pledged unto thee,
Is pledged unto thee,
Our loved Chestnut Hill.

Oh, through life’s hurt or heal
In the going of the years,
Thy Wisdom shine aloft
To banish doubts and fears.

Lyrics: Helen R. Rowland ’29
Music: Regina Dolores, SSJ