REHEARSAL – Graduates are expected to be present on Thursday, May 10, 2012, at 3:00 p.m. in the Western Oklahoma State College gymnasium for rehearsal of the commencement exercise. Rehearsal should be completed by 5:00 p.m.

ASSEMBLING – Students will meet in the B-wing at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 11, 2012, and line up as practiced at rehearsal on Thursday.

ALIGNING – The unofficial honor graduates will be at the front of the aligned graduates.  Graduates not attending the rehearsal will be aligned in assigned seats at the time we line up.

ENTRANCE, SEATING, EXITING – The graduates will enter behind the college faculty and will be seated on the basketball court in the Western Oklahoma State College gymnasium. Please attempt to maintain a 5-6 foot interval between you and the person you enter and exit behind. The faculty will also exit in front of the graduates.

REMOVAL OF CAPS DURING THE INVOCATION AND BENEDICTION The male graduates will remove their caps during the invocation and benediction. (Pending administration determination.)

WEARING OF THE CAP AND GOWN – Please wear the cap flat (horizontal to the floor), and not on the back of the head. The tassel is worn on the right and is not changed until instructed to do so by President Birdine.
**Males are requested to wear dress pants, a buttoned-up collared dress shirt with or without a tie (no knit shirts, logos, or distinguishing marks, please), and dress shoes. Females are requested to wear a dress, skirt and blouse, or full-length dress pants and blouse with some type of dress shoe. Please do not wear t-shirts, sleeveless shirts, see-through fabrics, shorts, tennis shoes, or sandals. Do not wear corsages on gowns.

MUSICAL CHORD FOR KEYING OF CERTAIN GROUP MOVEMENTS During the rehearsal, emphasis will be placed on certain musical chords for the graduates and college faculty to respond to. Graduates should pay special attention to these chords during rehearsal in order to know when and how to respond during commencement.

INTRODUCTION OF EACH GRADUATE – At commencement practice, a card will be provided to each graduate to write his or her name on. The graduate should write their name exactly as they desire it to be announced. The IFA president will read each graduate’s name as they cross the stage to receive the diploma cover. The cards will be maintained in order of introductions for the photographer’s use in the assembling and packaging of photos.

DISTRIBUTION OF DIPLOMAS AND CERTIFICATES – Diplomas will be mailed after graduation (provided the student has completed an application for the degree and has met all requirements for that degree).

CAPS AND GOWNS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE COLLEGE BOOK STORE. COST ON ALL SIZES. IF A SPECIAL SIZE IS NEEDED, PLEASE CONTACT THE STUDENT STORE AT 580-477-7744 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS IT WILL NEED TO BE ORDERED.