2020 RSVP
Commencement Update for Classes of 2020 – April 15, 2021
East Carolina University will host three in-person commencement ceremonies Friday, May 7 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to celebrate the spring Class of 2021 and the Classes of 2020.
Ceremonies at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. will recognize undergraduate students and be grouped by colleges to accommodate the number of graduates and guests. A 5 p.m. ceremony will celebrate ECU’s graduate and professional students.
Ceremony Times / College Designations
To comply with current mass gathering requirements, ceremonies have been divided by college to accommodate the number of students who completed the RSVP forms. A livestream of the event will be available to students and their families who are unable to attend or choose not to attend the in-person celebration. For the classes of 2020, the degree you earned will align with which ceremony you will attend. For instance, if you earned a bachelor’s degree in May 2020 in accounting, you would attend the 1 p.m. ceremony where the College of Business is involved. Likewise, if you earned a master’s degree from the College of Education, you would attend the 5 p.m. ceremony.
Again, if you earned an undergraduate degree in 2020, find your college below and that is the ceremony you will attend. If you earned a master’s, doctoral or professional degree in 2020, regardless of the college, you will attend the 5 p.m. ceremony.
- The 9 a.m. undergraduate ceremony includes the colleges of Education, Engineering and Technology, Fine Arts and Communication, and Health and Human Performance.
- The 1 p.m. undergraduate ceremony includes the colleges of Allied Health Sciences, Business, Nursing and the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences.
- The 5 p.m. ceremony celebrates graduate and professional students from all ECU degree awarding colleges for master’s, doctoral and professional degrees.
Guest Ticket Allocation and Information
Each Class of 2020 graduate who completed the RSVP form prior to the deadline will receive five tickets for the in-person ceremony. The 2020 graduate will be seated with their four guests in a special section of Dowdy-Ficklen and therefore requires a ticket for entry. Class of 2020 graduates are encouraged to wear their cap and gown as there will be a time of recognition during each ceremony.
On Friday, April 16 ticket information will be sent to all 2020 graduates that met the RSVP deadline. The ticket information will be sent to the email address used in the RSVP form and will come from the ECU Commencement email address. The 2020 Graduate/Guest tickets can be printed or displayed on a mobile device and will be required for entry into Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Any graduate/guest without a ticket will not be permitted to enter. All tickets are for one-time use assigned to each graduate and can’t be duplicated, copied or transferred to another graduate.
All guest tickets will be placed in four-person pods throughout the lower sections of the stadium. Guests must remain in their pods to maintain social distancing protocols, which will be monitored by staff on site. Graduates and their guests will be required to wear a mask while inside the stadium. Children two years of age and younger will not need a ticket for entry but must sit on the lap of one of the four guests in their assigned pod.
Additional information and details about the ceremonies, tickets and safety protocols will be shared on this website in the days and weeks leading up to May 7. The website includes graduate and guest information as well as lists of frequently asked questions.
For other commencement related questions contact commencement@ecu.edu. For graduates or guests that require ADA accommodations, contact ECU Disability Support Services at 252-737-1016.