2023 Winter Commencement

Photos

Access photos taken at commencement by photographer Randy Tunnell here. 

Date and Location

Winter Commencement 2023 will be held in person on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 1:00PM Pacific Time. The ceremony will be held on the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey campus in the Irvine Auditorium and a reception will follow at the Samson Student Center. For those unable to join in person, there will be Zoom and livestream components incorporated into the ceremony. 

General Guest Zoom Link

General Guest Zoom Link: https://middlebury.zoom.us/j/99581166997?pwd=U1BsamdZQ2lNNWhzQlZpd0puSTE4Zz09  Passcode: 268683

Graduate Information Sheet

An information sheet outlining important details for the ceremony may be found here. 

Guests

Space is limited in the Irvine Auditorium, so additional overflow seating areas in McCone will be arranged. Based on the graduation petition results received, each graduate will be allowed the number of guests requested on the survey up to a maximum of six guests to be seated in the Irvine. Additional guests that were requested above this number will be able to join a livestream setup in the overflow areas of McCone, up to a maximum of ten guests. If your number of guests has changed or if you have any questions, please contact rsvp@middlebury.edu.

All graduates will be emailed an Eventbrite link on 12/1 to reserve guest tickets. Graduates are responsible to reserve tickets for their guests through Eventbrite by December 13th.

All guests are required to present a ticket to enter the ceremony. Each ticket has a unique QR code assigned to it. Please be sure your guests have a printed or digital copy of their ticket showing the QR code with them for an usher to scan. Guests without a ticket will not be allowed to enter. 

Guests with Special Needs

If you have a guest with mobility issues who require accessible seating arrangements, please indicate this on the Qualtrics graduation petition or send an email to rsvp@middlebury.edu no later than December 8th so seating arrangements may be made for them. 

International Guests / Visa Requests

Middlebury no longer issues specific invitation letters for Commencement or other institutional events for international guests to apply for visas, based on information provided to us by the U.S. Department of State. You certainly may use your Commencement invitation, or you may use the link to the Middlebury College website where we outline steps you can take to support the visitor visa application of your guests. (You would adjust the sample letter accordingly to reflect the Institute Commencement details.) https://www.middlebury.edu/college/commencement-2023/international-guest-travel

In-Person COVID Guidelines

Guests should be prepared to show proof they are fully vaccinated and have received at least one booster shot.  Guests who are not fully vaccinated should wear a mask at all times indoors during the ceremony.

Mandatory Graduating Student Information Meeting

Watch recording of the graduating student information meeting which includes details about commencement and graduating student speaker nominees presenting summaries of their speeches: https://midd.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=6ca5d448-3b3c-4848-89ac-b0a501841d5f

Commencement Announcements

Digital announcements to share with guests may be found here.

Regalia

Caps and gowns are NOT required to participate in the commencement ceremony. In lieu of regalia, we encourage graduates to wear traditional cultural dress or appropriate business attire. Details surrounding regalia may be found here.

Celebration Kit

Enjoy this downloadable celebration kit to commemorate the occasion in your emails, texts, social media, or Zoom. You can also print, cut, and use the ready-made printable signs to decorate your home as you celebrate your virtual Commencement ceremony. 

Please share your images, celebrations, and messages of congratulations with us on Social Media using the hashtag #MIISGradWinter2023

Zoom Backgrounds

To download the Zoom Backgrounds below, right click an image and choose ‘Save Image As.’ Be aware that you may have to mirror your Zoom video if the logo is backwards to correct this.