Guests

Coming Together

All graduating seniors and a limited group of faculty will be in attendance. Unfortunately, we cannot welcome outside guests to the ceremony. However, guests will be allowed on campus beginning at 2:00 p.m. to spend time with students, take photos, and help move students out.

As always, we will continue to follow strict health guidelines to ensure safety. Still, this expanded opportunity to come together as a community, to celebrate achievements and success, and collectively spend some final, precious time before heading out to new adventures, is yet another sign of hope.

Note: Following New York State guidelines, people who are fully vaccinated (meaning they are two weeks past their final shot) are not required to wear a mask or maintain social distance when outside on our campus. Unvaccinated people are still required to wear a mask, even if they have had COVID-19 in the last 90 days. The expectations for masking indoors have not changed; even if you are vaccinated, you must wear a mask inside unless you are alone or with members of your pod in a private space.

Weekend Activities

Traditional activities are organized by the senior class beginning Friday evening and will continue throughout the day on Saturday. See the Weekend Schedule for more information.

Ceremony

Sunday, June 6 at 10 a.m. in the outdoor amphitheater, rain or shine. Commencement will be outdoors in all but the most inclement weather. It will also be webcast live on the Commencement homepage as well as on the College’s Facebook page. The Livestream will begin at 9:45 a.m.

The ceremony will conclude at approximately 12:30 p.m. Refreshments to-go will be available for pick up from 2 p.m.–4 p.m. at the Noyes Circle tent.

Parking

Guests should park near their student’s apartment (TH Parking Lot, South Lot, and Terrace Apartment/AFC Lot) and walk to the Main campus. The North Lot will be available at 2 p.m. to those with mobility issues or students residing on the Main campus.

The address for campus is 124 Raymond Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604. The Main Gate will be closed until 6 p.m. Please use the North Gate or Chapel Gate to enter campus after 2 p.m., when the campus is open for picture taking with guests.

Safety and Security will provide our usual support which requires certain parking and traffic changes for the day.

Parking is prohibited in several parking areas in and around Main Building. Any vehicles remaining in those areas outlined below after 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 5 will be towed.

Parking, Saturday night into Sunday morning, is prohibited in the following parking areas:

Ely Visitor Lot, Pratt Loop, Baldwin, Swift, Doubleday Lane (near TA Bridge), Main Campus Drive, Main Circle, College Center Circle (including Admissions and Visitor spaces) and the Center for Drama and Film parking lot.

Main and Chapel Gates will be closed to normal traffic on Sunday from 6:00 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. North Gate will remain open for authorized vehicles and those with Vassar faculty/staff parking decals.

The campus will re-open to vehicular traffic at approximately 2:00 p.m.