Celebrate with us from anywhere! Tune in to UNC Pembroke’s commencement ceremonies live and watch our graduates cross the stage in real time. Experience the pride, joy and BraveNation spirit — no matter where you are.
Commencement
Commencement is one of UNCP’s proudest traditions — a time to honor your hard work, reflect on your journey and celebrate this important milestone with family, friends and the community. UNCP hosts commencement ceremonies twice a year: each winter for summer and fall graduates, and each spring for spring graduates.
Watch the Livestream
Winter Ceremonies
Graduate Ceremony - Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 | Givens Performing Arts Center (GPAC)
Undergraduate Ceremony - Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 | The Main Gym of the Jones Athletic Center
Spring Ceremonies
Graduate Ceremony - Friday, May 8, 2026 | The Quad (between Livermore Library and Old Main)
Undergraduate Ceremony - Saturday, May 9, 2026 | The Quad (between Livermore Library and Old Main)
Eligibility
Only students who have completed the requirements for the bachelor’s or master’s degrees may participate in commencement exercises. Undergraduate degree requirements are outlined in the Academic Catalog and graduate requirements are detailed in the Graduate Student Handbook.
Undergraduate students who are within three credit hours of completing their degree may request special permission to participate by submitting a written request to the Office of the Registrar.
Attire
Bachelor’s degree candidates wear a traditional black gown with long, pointed sleeves and a square mortarboard. Master’s degree candidates also wear a black gown and mortarboard, along with a velvet-trimmed academic hood representing their field of study.
Graduation cords, stoles, and sashes may be worn to recognize academic honors, university-affiliated organizations and honorary societies. Any requests to modify regalia must be approved in advance by the Office of the Provost.
Decorum
Graduates are expected to uphold the dignity of the ceremony by conducting themselves with respect and professionalism. Disruptive behavior — including excessive noise or physical demonstrations such as dancing, stomping, yelling, etc. while in procession, seated or crossing the stage — is not permitted.
Commencement is a formal university event, and all graduates are subject to the Student Code of Conduct.
The Mace
Commissioned in celebration of UNCP’s 130th anniversary, the university’s ceremonial mace reflects its deep roots, mission and enduring connection to the Lumbee people and southeastern North Carolina. Carried by the faculty grand marshal, the mace is a powerful symbol of academic tradition and institutional authority at each commencement ceremony.
Topped with a 13-inch red-tailed hawk, the four-foot mace honors students taking flight into the future and alumni returning home. Sculpted by local artist Ed Walker and cast at Carolina Bronze, the hawk is plated in 24K gold, as is the pinecone-shaped footer, a nod to the longleaf pine.
Carved from wood sourced from the Lumber River basin, the staff is etched with symbols of regional identity: pine needle baskets, tobacco leaves and the university seal.
Accessibility and Accommodations
UNCP is committed to ensuring all graduates and guests can fully participate in commencement. Those needing accommodations—such as accessible seating, parking, interpreters, or alternative formats—should contact the Accessibility Resource Center at least one week before the ceremony. While advance notice is preferred, the university will make every effort to assist with requests made up to the day of the event.
Parking and Transportation
Wheelchair-accessible parking is available for vehicles with a handicap placard. Courtesy
golf carts will also be in service for guests who need assistance traveling from parking
areas to the ceremony site.
Reserved Seating
Accessible seating is available for guests using wheelchairs and their companion.
Seating for those with mobility or hearing needs will be offered in designated areas,
including priority seating near the interpreter. Early arrival is encouraged, and
reservations are recommended to guarantee space.
Interpreter Services and Assistive Devices
A sign language interpreter will be present, and assistive listening devices are available
by request through the Accessibility Resource Center.
Meet Our Graduates
Commencement is a time-honored tradition — rich with history, symbolism and celebration. While the rituals remain familiar each year, the graduates crossing the stage are anything but ordinary. Each class brings a new wave of bold thinkers, problem solvers and leaders, ready to make their mark with knowledge, skills and determination that build on the BraveNation legacy of those who came before them. Here are a few of their stories.
