November 26, 2018
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Here is an outline of what each year's Commencement will look like. More details specific to the 2019 Commencement ceremony will be available closer to the date.
You may register to stay in residence hall rooms on the Thursday and/or Friday of Commencement weekend. Please remember that all residence halls close at 7 p.m. on the Saturday after the semester ends.
Online registration closes in late April. Please call 740-427-5075 to change or add to a reservation after that date, but be aware that on-campus accommodations will either be full or close to full by this time.
The opportunity to cancel room, meal or other (e.g. wheelchair rental) reservations for a refund will end at this time.
The Kenyon Athletic Center (KAC), the KAC pool, the Brown Family Environmental Center (BFEC) and trail system, Gund Gallery, and the registration/information center will all be open daily during Commencement weekend.
The Commencement and Senior Sing rehearsal for seniors and cap and gown distribution usually occur on the Thursday leading up to Commencement. Senior grades will also be available through individual Personal Access Pages.
Activities on the Friday before Commencement usually include: a historical tour of campus; the Baccalaureate rehearsal (student speakers and platform party only); the Phi Beta Kappa induction ceremony; the Baccalaureate ceremony; Senior Sing and the class photo; a reception for the graduating class; faculty lectures; departmental receptions; a local foods dinner; bands and other activities.
The Baccalaureate ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m., last approximately one hour and is immediately followed by the Senior Sing.
Activities on the Saturday of Commencement weekend usually include: a rehearsal for the Commencement platform party; the formation of the academic procession (faculty and students); the Commencement ceremony; a picnic lunch; senior hood return; the alumni gift to seniors; College residences close.
The Commencement ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. and ends at approximately 1 p.m. Graduates line up at 10 a.m. sharp.
Motels, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts in the Gambier and Mount Vernon area are usually fully booked several months prior to Commencement Weekend. The College has compiled a list of accommodations in our area. To reach the local Bed & Breakfast Network (not an official entity of the College), please contact Susan Kahrl at stkahrl@yahoo.com. In addition, Experience Columbus can recommend hotels forty-five minutes to an hour southwest of Kenyon.
Residence hall housing is informal, accommodating parents, graduating seniors and student workers. As always, the number of rooms available is finite. Reservations are required for dormitory hall rooms. Reservations will be accepted online in March/April. In 2018, single rooms (one twin bed) were $65 per night; double rooms (two twin beds) were $75 per night.
There are designated sites on campus to park recreational vehicles. Indicate your RV requirements on the reservation form. There will be a $15 fee per vehicle. Other RV and tent sites are also available at Kokosing Valley Camp and Canoe in nearby Howard, Ohio. Contact the Commencement office for more information.
Please register online in March/April to purchase meals. Meal accommodations for dietary restrictions are available online (at no extra charge).
• Friday/Saturday Breakfast: $7 per adult; $5 per child
• Friday Lunch: $9 per adult; $6 per child
• Friday Local Foods Dinner: $26 per adult; $10 per child
• Saturday Picnic Lunch: $19 per adult; $10 per child
The Friday Local Foods Dinner will include: green salad; grain salad with vegetables; smoked beef brisket; pasta with vegetables and red sauce; vegetable lasagna that is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan; local seasoned vegetables; Amish rolls; Amish desserts; additional home-made desserts
The closest airport to Kenyon is the John Glenn Columbus International Airport, in Columbus, Ohio, about 50 miles from Gambier. View Kenyon's online map for directions to campus. Follow this link to FlyColumbus.com, the airport's information page, to see transportation options available to out of town guests.
Designated parking areas on campus will be different from public parking areas belonging to the Village of Gambier.
Information for seniors will be available online, including frequently asked questions, requirements for graduation and information about the Graduation Fair and Senior Week. More details will be available as registration gets underway.
GradImages will photograph each senior receiving their diploma, which will be available online after the event. Graduation announcements can be ordered directly from the Jostens - Kenyon College website and at the Graduation Fair in late March. Jostens also offers a selection of class rings, which can be found at the Kenyon College Bookstore; a representative will be at the Grad Fair to take orders. Commencement will be streamed live and also available to view online after the ceremony.
Seniors will sign up for their caps and gowns during the Graduation Fair. Each Senior's regalia will be paid for in the December tuition bill. Caps and gowns will be distributed to seniors at the Commencement rehearsal. Any student who does not attend the rehearsal should schedule an appointment with the Dean of Students to discuss acquiring their cap and gown.
Prior to crossing the stage to receive their diploma, Seniors will be hooded by two of the ceremonial marshals. The academic hoods belong to Kenyon. If graduates or their families wish to keep the hood, it may be purchased for $140. If not purchased, the hood must be returned following the ceremony.
Commencement will be moved to the indoor site only in cases of extreme weather forecasts, for example: ongoing downpour, high tornado probability or temperatures exceeding 95°F or below 50°F, or in the event of other unpalatable circumstances. Light sprinkles of rain and/or brisk wind are unlikely to cause the ceremony to be moved indoors.
If you do not find the information that you need below, please contact Erin Salva in the disability services office at 740-427-5453 (salvae@kenyon.edu).
A state-issued disability parking permit suffices for parking in designated accessible spaces or restricted lots (during Commencement weekend) on the campus. Guests who are in need of accessible parking can also acquire a disability parking placard from the registration center in the Kenyon College Bookstore.
There will be American Sign Language interpreters at both the Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies located on the right hand side as guests face the stage. Reserved seating near the right hand side of the stage will be provided for easy visibility.
The commencement office will facilitate the rental of wheelchairs from local providers and have them available for pick up when guests arrive. Renting a wheelchair can be done via the online registration form in early March.
Commencement student workers will be on-call to assist guests with club cars and vans. Contact information for requesting a ride will be available at the registration center when guests arrive for commencement weekend.