Graduate Information and Checklist

Make sure you have taken, or are taking, all of your required classes and will have all of the required credit hours prior your desired date of graduation in May, August or December. Contact your Academic Advisor or the Registrar’s Office if you would like to review your degree requirements.

• Apply to graduate here through ODU Online.

Deadlines to apply to graduate:

May graduates—March 31
August graduates—August 1
December graduates—Oct. 31
Apply to Graduate
Please contact the Registrar’s Office (registrar@ohiodominican.edu) if you have questions.

Are you graduating in Spring 2025? RSVP now to let us know your plans for May 10, 2025!

Please RSVP for Commencement whether or not you plan to attend the Baccalaureate and/or Commencement ceremony. RSVPs are required in order to purchase a cap and gown, walk in the ceremony and to ensure that you will have tickets available for Commencement.

The RSVP form can be found here.

The RSVP deadline to participate in the Spring 2025 graduation ceremony is March 31, 2025.

Please contact the Registrar’s Office (registrar@ohiodominican.edu) for late applications or RSVPs.

If you have any questions regarding the status of your RSVP, contact the Registrar's Office at registrar@ohiodominican.edu.

Graduates are permitted to invite up to 10 guests each; however, tickets will not be provided. To help ensure seating is available to all attendees, please limit guests to no more than 10.

The first thing you need to do is apply to graduate through ODU Online (see the above section for link and details). Additionally, here are some important things to take care of before you leave Ohio Dominican.  

• Contact the Library at (614) 251-4752 to make sure all fines are paid.
• Contact the Business Office at (614) 251-4550 to make sure all fees/fines are paid.
• If you borrowed federal loan funds, use your FSA ID to access your complete federal loan history and complete Exit Loan Counseling. Exit Loan Counseling is required by the federal government and will explain your rights and responsibilities concerning repayment of your loans. If you have any questions, contact the Financial Aid Office at (614) 251-4778 or finaid@ohiodominican.edu.
• Contact Alumni Relations at (614) 253-3502 or alumnioffice@ohiodominican.edu to stay connected to ODU after you graduate!
• Contact Graduate Admission at (614) 251-4615 to obtain information about graduate programs at Ohio Dominican University.
• Contact the Computer Helpdesk at (614) 253-3633 to back up your H: drive and sign up for Alumni email forwarding. Please note that your e-mail account will be disabled 60 days after graduation unless you sign up for email forwarding.
• Take the outcomes survey. Recent graduate outcomes data is required by the federal government. We must survey our recent graduates when they graduate plus 3, 6 and 12 months after graduation. Information about job placement and graduate school rates helps the Career Development Center provide high quality career services and allows us to assist students still seeking employment. 
• Keep the Registrar's Office informed of any changes to your name and address.

Diplomas will we mailed to graduates who complete degree requirements.

Make your graduation day picture perfect!

 

For Ship-to-SCHOOL Orders:

• Order deadline: March 19, 2025
• Pick-up date: TBD (students will receive an email when their packages are ready)
• Order online and pay at pick-up
  
  

For Ship-to-HOME Orders:

• Order deadline: April 1, 2025
• Pay online at checkout
  
  

Pricing: 

• Preordered Associate/Bachelor Gown, Cap, and Medallion Tassel: $66
  
  
• Preordered Masters Gown, Cap, Medallion Tassel, and Hood: $117
  
  

Graduation Day Tip:
We recommend that caps and gowns be steamed or pressed with a cool iron prior to the ceremony.

Tassels worn during graduation reflects a graduate’s discipline. The color and design indicate the graduate's degree and the institution that is granting it

The hood is lined with the colors of the university (for Ohio Dominican, white and gold) and is faced with a color indicating the discipline of study. Hoods are worn only by those earning a Master's degree.

 

Baccalaureate will take place at 9 a.m. in Christ the King Chapel, which is located on the first floor of Sansbury Hall. Advance registration and ticket reservation are not required for Baccalaureate attendance. Food and beverages are not permitted in the Chapel.

Mass includes the traditional Baccalaureate sermon and may include other ceremonies. All graduates are invited to this Mass regardless of religious background. Your presence and participation are welcome and encouraged!

Although communion is reserved to Catholics in good standing, participation in the Scripture readings, prayers, hymns, and intercessions is considered appropriate and is encouraged.

Graduates may wear their robes to Baccalaureate.

• Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
• Time: 11 a.m.
• Location: Erskine Oval

A special reception will be held immediately after Commencement for the new graduates, families and attendees. Help us celebrate the new graduates with appetizers, refreshments and photo opportunities in front of our ODU backdrop. 

Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
Time: Immediately following Commencement
Location: Main Floor of the Bishop James A. Griffin Student Center

New graduates are encouraged to pickup a gift bag from the Alumni Affairs Office at the Fireside Lounge area of the Bishop James A. Griffin Student Center.

Parking for Baccalaureate and Commencement will be available in the GOLD Parking Lot. Please follow all directional signage as well as the direction of ODU Public Safety and Columbus Division of Police officers.

The Gold Lot is accessed from the light at Sunbury Rd and St. Dominic way, and is on the West side of Sunbury Rd.

• Get Google Map directions to the Gold Lot
  
   
  
  
• View the campus map to see where buildings and appropriate parking is located.
• View driving directions to Ohio Dominican.

Guests are invited to take their seat at the Erskine Oval starting at 10:15 a.m. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Commencement will begin promptly at 11 a.m.

To ensure that there is adequate seating for all participants and guests, we ask that you please NOT move chairs. Some reserved seating will be marked off for graduates, faculty and other guests.

If you or a guest will need access to handicapped seating, please contact studentaffairs@ohiodominican.edu. Please feel free to ask a volunteer for directions or if you have any questions.

Spring 2025 commencement will take place outdoors on the Oval rain or shine. Please dress and prepare accordingly. To ensure that you do not block the view of others in the event of inclement weather, umbrellas will not be permitted on the Oval. Instead, the university will provide plastic rain ponchos should the need arise. Erskine Hall will serve as a shelter in the event of severe weather.

A livestream of Commencement will be available at ohiodominican.edu/Livestream.

To help ensure that all attendees are able to enjoy the ceremony without having their view obstructed, please remain in your seat at all times and do not approach the stage to take photos. A professional photographer has been hired and you will be provided photos to consider purchasing following the event. You are welcome to take photos from your seat.

Restrooms are available in all campus buildings surrounding the ceremony site, including the Griffin Student Center, Sansbury Hall, Battelle Hall and Erskine Hall. Handicap restrooms are available on the first floor of Battelle Hall. A map of campus is available here.

You will be permitted to bring bottled water and light snacks to the ceremony. Bottled water will be available to attendees free of charge.

We recommend that you wear flat-bottomed shoes to mitigate any tripping hazard.

If you’re looking for any ODU alumni gear, please feel free to visit the campus store, which will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the day of Commencement.