Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

Ceremony Information

A Doctoral Hooding reception will be held on the main campus of Bellevue University, Margre H. Durham Student Center
Friday, January 24, 2025 | 5:30 p.m. (CT)
Ceremony Registration Form – applying for graduation

All regalia not picked up by 7:00 p.m. (CT), Friday, January 24, 2025, will be available at the Mid-America Center when you arrive at 8:00 a.m. (CT) on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Doctoral graduates and their guests should arrive no later than 8:00 a.m. (CT) at the Mid-America Center to allow the graduates to dress in their regalia and for family to be seated. Staff will be on hand to assist with regalia.

A Zoom link will be provided to registered graduates to share with their family and friends who could not attend. The ceremony will also be recorded and available on Bellevue University’s YouTube channel a few weeks after the ceremony.

There will be a short reception after the ceremony for Doctoral graduates and their families. Graduates and their families are also invited to attend the Open House/Final Friday Festivities on campus from 4 – 7 p.m. (CT)

A portrait photographer will be available for photos. Photos can be purchased online from Ceremony Photos about a week after the ceremony. If you have questions, please email [email protected] or call 1.402.917.651.

Nominate a Student Speaker

Doctoral graduates who are participating in the upcoming Doctoral Hooding ceremony are invited to nominate themselves to be selected as the Student Speaker. Nominations are now being accepted through Friday, August 16, 2024 for the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on Friday, November 15, 2024.

Qualifications:

• Nominees must be in good academic standing with the University.
• Nominee must attend the Friday, January 24, 2025 ceremony.
• Nominees must not have been selected as a Bellevue University Student Speaker previously.
• The speech will be judged on content (unique perspective, motivational aspects, relevant quotations, and anecdotes), presentation style, and delivery.
• All Nominees must submit brief answers to the questions on the nomination form and submit a video of their full speech by Friday November 15, 2024.

The Commencement Student Speaker will receive:

• Photograph and bio information printed in the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony Program.

Please Note: The selected Student Speaker will be required to sign a media release agreement permitting Bellevue University to capture and use photographs, video recordings and/or audio recordings of the Student Speaker in connection with commencement events.

Deadline Date: Friday, November 15, 2024

Graduation Announcements

While Bellevue University does not supply announcements for your graduation, we welcome our graduates to order announcements and/or class rings if they wish. We are proud to partner with Balfour for all of your graduation announcement and keepsake needs. Order online at https://www.cbgrad.com/school/BELLE.

Shout Outs and Social Media

You will have the opportunity to record and send in a video or text “Shout Out.” We will play the video “Shout Outs” on the big screens at commencement before the ceremony beginning at 8 a.m. Shout Outs submitted by Doctoral graduates will be shown prior to the Hooding Ceremony. They will also be posted online for viewing two weeks after commencement.

“Shout Outs” are a brief video clip or text message of graduating students sending out messages to family and friends, thanking them for their love and support. An example of a Shout Out: “Hi, Mom and Dad. Thanks so much for your love and support during my time at Bellevue University. It has been a great experience and I could never have made it without you.