Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Commencement is the university-wide event that celebrates all graduates as a community. Graduates are able to experience special keynote messages from alumni, students, Chancellor Gordon Robertson, and our featured speaker. Regent University views this ceremony as its most prized event.

Commissioning is a formal ceremony shared with peers, faculty, and distinguished guests where graduates’ names are read aloud as they walk across the stage in recognition of their accomplishments. A hooding ceremony will accompany the moment of graduates who have earned master’s or doctoral degrees. 

No. Students can attend one, both, or none of these events.

If a student is graduating from multiple schools, they are eligible to attend more than one Commissioning.

Students can RSVP by logging into their MyRegent portal, selecting the Student tab at the top, and scrolling down to the RSVP For Commencement and Commissioning prompt under My Account.

The deadline to RSVP for the May 2025 Commencement and Commissioning events is April 13, 2025.

Oak Hall is Regent University’s personalized regalia provider. All students attending on-campus graduation events MUST have Oak Hall regalia. No other regalia is permitted.

Please visit https://oakhallcg.com/pages/regent to place your order.

We provide two options for regalia shipment. Students can have regalia shipped to their home directly or to Regent University for pick-up at designated times starting in May 2025.

• It is recommended to order regalia as soon as possible. Online ordering will open on February 10, 2025
• The ship to home deadline is April 13, 2025
• The ship to Regent University deadline is March 30, 2025

Students should contact the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible to communicate their regalia needs: registrar@regent.edu.

• All graduates are required to wear the designated Oak Hall “Green Weaver” cap and gown.
• During the Commencement ceremony, dual and joint degree graduates should only wear the hood of the degree with which they are sitting.
• Graduates may not carry handbags, banners, placards, or similar accessories.
• Sunglasses and small cameras are permitted.
• Men wearing caps should remove them during prayer.

Regalia packages for graduate and post-graduate students will come with an appropriate hood for your degree program. To familiarize yourself with the proper hooding technique, please view this short video clip.

Regent University’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 10, 2025, on the Virginia Beach campus, starting at 9:15 a.m. Graduates are asked to arrive on campus by 7:30 a.m. and to monitor their Regent email should additional details arise.

• Men should wear a shirt and tie – no jacket.
• Ladies should wear dresses, or a skirt/dress slacks and blouse.
• Graduates should wear sensible shoes (flats or low wedges) to offset the lengthy amount of standing and walking (approximately ½ mile). Graduates can anticipate approximately 90 minutes of standing.

• Graduates and guests traveling to campus on Saturday, May 10, should plan to use the Centerville Turnpike entrance located near the Communication Building on the Campus Map.
• Graduates are urged to arrive by 7:30 a.m. to secure parking and prepare for the procession line up.  Plan accordingly for traffic and delays.
• Graduates will need to be at their assigned line up location at the Administration Building (see Campus Map) no later than 8:00 a.m.
• Row assignments for Commencement will be provided upon arrival for line up.
• Row numbers will be posted on tall signs in front of the Administration Building.
• Upon arrival, report to the check-in table located in the area between the Administration and Classroom buildings to receive your row number assignment.
• Graduates who have not checked in with their faculty marshal by 8:30 a.m. may be assigned to an alternate row by a staff member or faculty marshal.

1. Commissioning ceremony guests should park in the parking lot closest to their scheduled event except for College of Arts & Sciences. For the Friday night commissioning, commissioning guests should plan to use the Centerville Turnpike entrance located near the Communication Building on the Campus Map and follow parking directions given by lot attendants.
2. Graduates and guests traveling to campus on Saturday, May 10, should plan to use the Centerville Turnpike entrance located near the Communication Building on the Campus Map.
3. Graduates are urged to arrive by 7:30 a.m. to secure parking and prepare for the procession line up.  Plan accordingly for traffic and delays.
4. Guests with disability related concerns can expect campus-wide accessibility services including assistance with transport from parking areas to services as well as communication accommodations. Handicap parking will be available on-campus by decal only. Guests with handicap decals should follow the signage and traffic direction to the handicap parking locations. 

For ride sharing and other taxi and car services, use 5641 Indian River Road, Virginia Beach, VA as the address to our campus. This will direct the GPS to the Founders Inn, parking lot F.

Please allow additional time to get to campus by walking.

• The closest restrooms to the graduate line up area are in the Classroom Building, the Dede Robertson Student Center, and the Administration Building.
• Commencement programs will be distributed to graduates prior to processing.
• Water bottles will be available to graduates during line up.
• Use #Regentgrad25 and your photo, tweet, and more may appear on the big screen prior to the ceremony. Search #Regentgrad25 on social to see what others are posting.

Each school holds a Commissioning ceremony to honor graduates by degree program. Graduates are requested to view and RSVP to their Commissioning ceremony through their MyRegent portal. Additional information with further details will be sent from schools as the date approaches.

Commissioning ceremonies will be held on Thursday and Friday, May 8 and 9, 2025.

There will not be a guest limit or need for tickets for the ceremonies.

Regent University is pleased to partner with Herff Jones to offer personalized graduation items. Please visit colleges.herffjones.com/college/ru/ for more information.

Herff Jones will be in the 77 Coffeehouse lounge during Commencement week on the following dates and times:

Your diploma will be ordered approximately 6-8 weeks following the semester in which all program requirements have been completed.

No, diplomas will be made available six to eight weeks following the term in which degree program requirements are completed.

Graduates will walk and have their names read during the Commissioning ceremonies on Thursday and Friday, May 8 and 9, 2025.

Regent University certainly recommends The Founders Inn and Spa, which is adjacent to the campus. Hotels in the Greenbrier area of City of Chesapeake offer excellent proximity and amenities, as well.

You will have access to your Regent email even after you graduate for up to five years. You will have access to the portal about one year from your graduation. 

For undergraduate students, Latin Honors will be determined after the conclusion of Session C, and qualifying students will be contacted. Honor cords will be provided if the student is participating in graduation ceremonies. Please refer to the catalog for cumulative GPA requirements.

Pre-order your exclusive 2025 Commencement T-shirt, listing the names of all the graduates confirmed through the Registrar’s Office.

https://www.thecommencementgroup.com/regent/

Shirts are white, standard unisex sizing, and 100% cotton.
Cost: $30 each, plus $4.99 shipping per order.
No order limit.

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You can also pre-order flowers and Teddy bears for pick up on Commencement Day!

Any gifts ordered through the site can be picked up on Saturday, May 10 at either of the Commencement Flowers tents. Gifts do not have to be pre-ordered, but supplies will be limited on Commencement Day.

Day-of purchases are first come, first serve.

If you are not planning to join us in person for the 2025 Commencement ceremonies, you can still order a shirt to be mailed to you. That link is available here: 
https://www.thecommencementgroup.com/regenttees/

These are the same shirts as above, just available for direct mailing and will not be available for pick up at Commencement.

Shirts will be delivered by early June.