Commencement and Hooding Ceremony
2023 School of Graduate Studies Commencement and Hooding Ceremony
Tuesday, May 23, 2023 • 6 pm
Morris W. and Fannie B. Haft Theater
We congratulate the Class of 2023 and wish the graduates and their guests a happy and memorable day!
To help ensure a pleasant experience for all attendees, FIT is pleased to provide information regarding access, logistics, and general instructions for the 2023 Commencement and Hooding Ceremony at the Haft Theater at FIT.
Ceremony Livestream
The ceremony will be streamed live on this website, fitnyc.edu/commencement, and on Vimeo, and can be viewed from any location with internet access.
Graduate Attire
All graduating students are required to wear academic regalia (cap and gown).
Security
FIT is monitored by Public Safety officers throughout campus. However, there is no storage for personal belongings at the Haft Theater. We recommend that graduates bring only their caps, gowns, and essential personal items or a small handbag that they can keep with them during the ceremony.
Graduate Arrival Time
Students are expected to arrive at 5 pm fully robed in their regalia (cap and gown) to be seated with their program. Students should use the marked Haft Theater entrance on West 27th Street. Please make sure all guests in your party have tickets; no one can be admitted without one.
Guest Arrival, Entrance, and Seating
Guests should use the Haft Theater entrance on West 27th Street. Look for balloons marking the entrance.
Doors open at 5:15 pm for guests. All guests need an electronic ticket to enter; tickets will be scanned at the door.
Seating is first come, first seated, and seats may not be reserved. If all members of your party have not yet arrived, please delay entering the venue until your party is together to ensure you will all be seated together. The ceremony will begin promptly at 6 pm.
Hooding
Within each program, graduates will come onto the stage when their names are announced and walk towards the left side of the stage for hooding, with their hood on their right arm. The dean for the School of Graduate Studies will announce each student’s name and the department chair will place the hood on each graduate (as they face the audience, the hood is placed over the graduate’s head).
After hooding, graduates will continue across the stage to receive a diploma cover and shake hands with the FIT president and the vice president of Academic Affairs. Before returning to their seats, graduates will have an official photo taken, a copy of which will be emailed the week after commencement.
Ceremony Duration
The program will be approximately one hour long from the start of the procession.
Group Photos
Immediately following the ceremony, graduates will be guided to C205 for department group photos before joining their guests for the celebration in the Breezeway. There will also be a step-and-repeat in the Breezeway adjacent to the Dubinsky Student Center entrance for graduates to take their own photos with their guests.
Post-Ceremony Celebration
The ceremony will be followed by a reception on the Breezeway.
Alumni Relations will join the reception and will share information about future events and exciting networking opportunities.
Among the vendors that will also be present are Barnes & Noble at FIT with FIT merchandise and The Commencement Group, a local floral provider, with flowers and other items available for purchase before and after the ceremony. To browse the selection and preorder, please visit thecommencementgroup.com/fit.
Accessibility and Special Accommodations
The Haft Theater is an accessible venue. Accommodation requests for graduates and their guests may be directed to the Office of Disability Support Services (FIT-ABLE). Attendees with special needs (wheelchair assistance, FM systems, etc.) may submit their request via the Request for Accommodations at Commencement form. Closed captioning of the ceremony can be accessed by selecting the captioning option on the commencement livestream, which will be available at fitnyc.edu/commencement and on Vimeo.
Code of Conduct
Students, please remember at this event you will be held to the same expectations and standards outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. Any individuals who violate these policies will be asked to leave the ceremony.
Further details will be posted when available. This page last updated: May 16, 2023.