Commencement
+ Senior Information

Commencement FAQ

• Students' Names on Diplomas and Programs

  In mid-to-late February, all seniors will receive an email from Vita Thiel, Williston’s Registrar, asking them to review how their name will appear on the diploma and Commencement program. Please reach out to Mrs. Thiel with any questions about your diploma name by March 17 at 5 p.m. ET. After that, the diplomas and programs are off to the printer!

• Dress Code

  Senior Prom
  When making decisions about what to wear to the prom, we ask students to remember this is a formal event and apparel should be appropriate. Dresses should not be too revealing. No jeans, shorts, or sneakers are to be worn.
  

  Academic Awards and Stoling Ceremony
  Regular school-day dress

  Baccalaureate
  Student dress code is as follows: dresses or pantsuits and appropriate shoes; dark-colored suits, or dress slacks and sports jackets, white shirts, ties, socks, and dress shoes (no sneakers). Student attire should not be revealing and should feel proper for this formal academic occasion. Students wishing to wear the traditional dress of their homeland should speak with the Dean of Students before graduation weekend. 

  Commencement
  Student dress code is as follows: white or off-white dresses or pantsuits and appropriate shoes; dark-colored suits, or dress slacks and sports jackets, white shirts, ties, socks, and dress shoes (no sneakers). Student attire should not be revealing and should feel proper for this formal academic occasion. For additional questions, contact Dean of Students Dave Koritkoski.

• Guests + Seating

  Tickets are not necessary for either Baccalaureate or Commencement. We will not be limiting guests for the Commencement ceremony. Baccalaureate is typically attended only by the student’s immediate family.

• Photography, Video, & Livestreaming

  The school videotapes, livestreams, and photographs the Academic Awards, Stoling Ceremony, Baccalaureate, and Commencement Ceremony. We take a mix of candid and more formal shots, which will later be available on the school Flickr account. You are welcome to take your own photos, too, but we ask that you be mindful of not blocking the aisles or the view of other families. Also, please remember that drones are not allowed on campus!

• Parking and Accessibility

  For Baccalaureate, guests should park in the Homestead or Scott Hall parking lots. (Click here for a campus map).

  For Commencement, parking will be in lots at the following locations: Scott Hall, the Schoolhouse, the Middle School, and the Cain Athletic Center. If you or a member of your family need special parking for accessibility reasons, please submit a special parking request here in advance of Commencement. We have a limited number of accessible parking spaces in the Homestead lot, so it is important to contact us before Commencement day. On the day of Commencement, golf carts and shuttle vans will be available in various parking locations to help transport guests to the tent if needed.

• Campus Store

  Located on the lower level of Reed Campus Center, the Campus Store will be open from 8-9:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. on the day of Commencement. Families can also order ahead via the Campus Store website and use the pickup option at checkout.

• Dogs and Other Pets at Commencement

  Please note that no dogs or other pets—other than service animals—are allowed at Commencement, either on campus—or left in cars—during the ceremony.

• Sunday, May 17: Senior Prom

  If your student is planning to attend, he or she will need sufficient funds in his or her account to cover expenses such as flowers (students can pre-order corsages or boutonnieres through the school) and a prom ticket ($75; includes transportation and dinner). Other expenses might include tuxedo rental or other prom attire. Men’s Wearhouse will be on campus in May to offer tuxedo and shoe rentals (approximately $115), or students can choose to make their own arrangements. The school will provide a photographer who will document the evening, and pictures will be made available to students and parents afterwards. 

  Prom tickets and flowers can be purchased from the Williston Campus Store.

• Detailed Prom and Post-Prom Celebration Schedule

  Upon our return to campus, seniors have an optional overnight celebration at the Athletic Center (this event is only for Williston seniors; no underclass or non-Williston students may attend). The intent of this evening is to give our students a safe and unique way to celebrate their prom night. Senior parents: If you are interested in volunteering to help with this event, please contact Senior Class Deans Tommy Beaton and Caroline Channell.

  • Noon to 2 p.m.: Students drop personal items at the gym—clothes, sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, towels, shampoo, soap, swim suits, sneakers, etc.
  • 5 p.m.: Meet on the Main Quad for pictures.
    5:50 p.m.: Depart for the Log Cabin in coach buses; picture session on arrival
  • 10:15-10:30 p.m.: Return on buses to campus for overnight celebration. Students will be dropped off at the Cain Athletic Center after the prom. They will not be able to go back to cars or dorms first and will not be able to leave the gym until after 6 a.m. Students must have a swimsuit to be in the pool.
    • Sleeping will be in designated areas only.
    • No outside food or drink. Bags will be searched upon arrival at the Cain Athletic Center

• Monday, May 18: Senior Day

  Monday, May 18, will be Senior Day, with no classes for the class of 2026. From Noon to 2. p.m., we will have planned activities and lunch, plus students will get their yearbooks.

• Wednesday, May 20: Willy Gras

  Wednesday, May 20 is Willy Gras, our school-wide celebration on the Residential Quad, complete with zany contests, fun foods, giant water slides, and more.

• Thursday, May 21: Athletic Awards Assembly

  On Thursday, May 21, seniors will gather for an athletic awards assembly at 1 p.m.

• Friday, May 22: Academic Awards Assembly, Stoling Ceremony, and Baccalaureate

  • 1:45 p.m., Academic Awards Ceremony, on the Main Quad. The ceremony will be photographed and livestreamed for those unable to attend.
  • 4–5 p.m., Stoling Ceremony, Phillips Stevens Chapel. In this celebration of mentorship, Black students who would like to participate will be honored by their mentors and given a Kente stole—a scarf made of boldly colored cloth—which may also be worn at Commencement. All are welcome to attend this ceremony.
  • 5:15–7 p.m., Class of 2026 Student and Family Dinner. More details and registration to come in March.
  • 7:30 p.m., Baccalaureate, Phillips Stevens Chapel. Doors to the chapel will open at 7 p.m., and the service will start promptly at 7:30 p.m. Baccalaureate is typically only attended by the student’s immediate family. Afterwards, seniors, their families, and attending faculty are invited to a reception at the Head of School’s house. If it rains, the reception will be in the Reed Campus Center. (Parking for these events will be in the Homestead/Scott Hall lots; Follow “Event Parking” signs and Campus Safety will be there to assist.)

• Saturday, May 23: Commencement

  Commencement will take place on Saturday morning. The tent will be closed until 7 a.m. the morning of Commencement, May 23, which means that no one can enter the tent until that time to reserve seats. Seniors should be on the Homestead steps that morning by 8:45 a.m. They will receive their flowers then and begin to line up behind the class president. Commencement begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. A boxed luncheon will be available for seniors and their families and guests on the Main Quad following Commencement. After lunch, boarding students in the class of 2026 will move out of their rooms. It is expected that this process will be completed by 5 p.m.