Commencement
+ Senior Information

The Senior Prom will be held on Sunday, May 17, at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. A school photographer will take photos (which will be made available to students and parents after the event), and many local parents also like to come take photos on the Main Quad before we depart. (Please note that the Main Quad will be closed to vehicles. Parking is available in the Homestead/Scott Hall lots.) Upon our return to campus, seniors have an optional overnight celebration at the Cain Athletic Center (this event is only for Williston seniors; no underclassmen 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. If your student is planning to attend the prom, 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. Prom tickets and flowers can be purchased from the Williston Campus Store.

Upon our return to campus, seniors have an optional overnight celebration at the Cain Athletic Center (this event is only for Williston seniors; no underclassmen 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–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, will be Senior Day, with no classes for the class of 2026. From noon–2. p.m., we will have planned activities and lunch, plus students will get their yearbooks.

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

• 1 p.m.: Athletic Awards Assembly (this event is for students only)
​• 6:30 p.m.: Scholars Showcase, Reed Campus Center. Come see projects from all 67 of our 2025-26 Williston Scholars students.
​• 8:30 p.m.: Asian Student Alliance Stoling Ceremony, Phillips Stevens Chapel. In this new celebration of cultural identity, Asian students who would like to participate will be honored and presented with stoles, which may also be worn at Commencement. All are welcome to attend this ceremony. This event will be photographed.

• 1:45 p.m., Academic Awards Ceremony, on the Main Quad. The ceremony will be photographed and livestreamed for those unable to attend. You will be able to watch the livestream of the event right here on the Commencement page. Please note: there is no parking or drop-off on the Main Quad.
• 3 p.m., Spring Athletic Commitment Ceremony, on the Main Quad. This ceremony will honor those student athletes who have made commitments during the third trimester to play their sport in college.
• 4–5 p.m., Black Student Union 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 which may also be worn at Commencement. All are welcome to attend this ceremony The event will be photographed and recorded, and you can watch a livestream of the event right here on the Commencement page.
• 5:15–7 p.m., Dinner, Birch Dining Commons for the class of 2026, parents, and guests. Please be sure to RSVP here if you plan to attend this fun and informal buffet-style dinner.
• 7:30 p.m., Baccalaureate, Phillips Stevens Chapel. Baccalaureate is a formal ceremony celebrating the class before graduation. Baccalaureate is typically attended only by the student’s immediate family and takes place in Phillips Stevens Chapel. Doors to the chapel will open at 6:45 p.m., and the service will start promptly at 7:30 p.m. 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.) The event will be photographed and videotaped, and you can watch a livestream of the event right here on the Commencement page.

Commencement will begin at 9:30 a.m on Saturday, May 23, under the tent in front of the Reed Campus Center, rain or shine. 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. Please note that the Quad loop is closed to all drop-offs and cars. 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. The event will be photographed and videotaped, and you can watch a livestream of the event right here on the Commencement page.

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!

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.

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.

The school videotapes, livestreams, and photographs the Academic Awards, BSU 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. We also photograph the Asian Stoling Ceremony. 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!

You can watch livestreams of the Academic Awards, Baccalaureate, BSU Stoling Ceremony, and Commencement on this Commencement page. A livestreaming box will appear closer to the events.

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. Please note that Park Street (in the area of the Quad) will close at 9:30 a.m. for the ceremony. 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.

Please remember that the Main Quad loop will be closed for the entire senior week and for all Commencement events. For safety reasons, please do not pull in to the loop to drop off anyone. If you or someone in your family have accessibility needs, please fill out the parking request form.

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.

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

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.

The dinner for the class of 2026, parents, and guests, takes place on Friday, May 22 from 5:15-7 p.m. Please be sure to RSVP here if you plan to attend this fun and informal buffet-style dinner.