The commencement and graduation ceremony at North Carolina Wesleyan University celebrates the hard work and achievements of each graduating class. The ceremony includes distinguished guests and speakers sharing words of wisdom and encouragement to inspired graduates as they embark on their next chapter. NCWU Graduates walk across the stage, receiving their diplomas amid cheers and applause from family, friends, faculty, and staff. The event marks a significant milestone in the lives of the graduates, symbolizing their academic accomplishments and the beginning of new opportunities and adventures ahead. We congratulate each graduate and we thank you for the effort you put forth during your time at Wesleyan!
Below are checklist items that each graduate needs to know before, during and after the ceremony.
All graduation applications and surveys can be found on My.NCWU.EDU
Dates subject to change
All graduation applications and surveys can be found on My.NCWU.EDU
Students should submit a completed graduation application to the Office of the Registrar to initiate the graduation process via my.ncwu.edu . Once the application is received, your record will be audited.
Requirements for Students to be allowed to march in the Commencement Ceremony:
If you told our office you did not want to participate in the commencement ceremony and you changed your mind, please email registrar@ncwu.edu immediately.
To be eligible for commencement, a student must have completed all of their academic requirements. A student should apply for graduation for a given semester only if he or she is enrolled in all courses necessary to complete the degree requirements, including GPA requirements, by the end of the academic semester in which they are applying for graduation. A graduation application will not be approved for any student for which a degree audit demonstrates that he or she will be unable to complete the necessary credit hours and requirements prior to the graduation date.
During Grad Fair, you will also have a chance to order your class ring, stoles and graduation announcements. Balfour provides beautiful custom announcements, thank-you cards and class rings to upcoming graduates. For more information regarding class rings and/or announcement orders, please visit Balfour online at Official NCWU Ring Collection & Graduation Announcements Now.
It is solely and only the student’s responsibility to meet the requirements for graduation. All forms of advising are for informational purposes only. Students may view their unofficial advising worksheet (degree audit) through their my.ncwu.edu account.
Instructions:
Your advising worksheet is an unofficial check of the requirements you have completed and the requirements you have remaining. While unofficial, it should accurately reflect your progress in meeting your graduation requirements. If you believe there is an error, it is your responsibility to contact the Office of the Registrar. If you do not understand how to read your audit, please contact your academic advisor.
The following are common “Holds” placed on a student. All true holds must be cleared in order for you to receive your diploma.
SL: Contact Student Affairs 252.985.5178
AR: Contact the Business Office 252.985.5104
LB: Contact the Library 252.985.5350
RG: Contact the Registrar’s Office 252.985.5130
FA: Contact the Financial Aid Office 252.985.5290
Students receiving Perkins Loan disbursements must complete a Loan Repayment Schedule and Loan Interview. ECSI will mail this information to the address we have in our system. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure your address is correct. You may update your address, make payments and view your account to www.mycampusloan.com.
Once you have completed the Loan Repayment Schedule and Loan Interview, return the forms to:
North Carolina Wesleyan University
Attn: Business Office
3400 N. Wesleyan Blvd.
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Students must complete Exit Counseling. All students who received either the Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan or Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan program must complete the Exit Loan Counseling online at www.studentloans.gov. You will need your FAFSA Log-in information to access this site. If additional help is needed, you will receive an email from the Office of Financial Aid. Federal Regulations require North Carolina Wesleyan University’s Financial Aid Office to provide Exit Loan Counseling to all Federal Student Loan borrowers who are no longer enrolled half-time (6hrs), are scheduled to graduate, who have withdrawn or do not return to school, or even if you plan to attend another university, so they will better understand their rights and responsibilities. The Exit Counseling provides important information about your student loans. Upon completion of the exit counseling, confirmation will be sent to North Carolina Wesleyan University and the Department of Education. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 252.985.5290 or by email at financialaid@ncwu.edu.
Degrees are conferred at the end of each term; Summer, Fall and Spring. It is important to apply for graduation the term before you are going to meet your academic requirements. All financial obligations and holds must be cleared in order for students to receive their diploma and transcripts. While the University confers three times a year, there is only one graduation ceremony per year held at the end of the spring semester.
Cost: $35
Students may request a duplicate diploma. The request takes about 6-8 weeks for processing and delivery.
Complete the online form here or mail a completed duplicate diploma request to North Carolina Wesleyan University, Registrar’s Office, 3400 N. Wesleyan Blvd., Rocky Mount, NC 27804.
SPECIAL NOTE: Graduation is a joyous and special occasion. It is a time for celebration and merriment. You are reminded, however, that Commencement is a formal College function. You are requested to maintain the order and solemnity of the proceedings. It is a courtesy we owe to each other and to our guests.
THE FOLLOWING CHECKLIST SHOULD BE CAREFULLY READ AND RETAINED FOR GUIDANCE AND CONTINUED REFERENCE THROUGHOUT THE GRADUATION PROCESS.
The next Commencement ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2025 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Rocky Mount Event Center. (address: 285 NE Main Street, Rocky Mount) Graduates must arrive by 8:30 a.m. to check in (see check-in below for details).
Commencement lasts approximately 3 hours.
Tickets will be required for this event.
Please use the following matrix when picking up your tickets:
APS Students
The doors will open at 8:30 a.m. for all guests. All guests must be seated by 9:40 a.m. before the procession of the graduates. If your guests are NOT SEATED by 9:40; they will have to wait in an holding area or outside of the building until after the procession of graduates, as well as the presenting of colors.
All graduates will park in “Lot A” or “Lot B” at the rear entrance of the Event Center. (A detailed map with directions will be sent out to the graduates closer to the commencement date). There will be additional parking around the facility for your friends and family. Please note that graduates MUST arrive by 8:30 to park in either of these lots.
Guests needing assistance may be dropped off at the front of the event center to avoid walking a long distance.
When you arrive for check-in, you will pick up your graduation packet and keep it with you during the entire time of Commencement. Your packet will include the following:
All guests are subject to bag searches and various levels of screening subject to management discretion. All bags must meet size requirements. To reduce staff contact with guests’ belongings, we have implemented the following bag policy:
approved bags image" width="624" height="231" />These items are not allowed in the Rocky Mount Event Center during Commencement:
All policies are subject to change at the discretion of NCWU or the Rocky Mount Event Center management.
There is no Commencement rehearsal.
You can order your regalia (cap and gown) from the University Bookstore at https://ncwustore.com/. Through the website, you have the option to ship to your residence or you can elect to stop by the store in Rocky Mount to pick it up. For your convenience, you may pick it up during Grad Fair when the Bookstore will be operating with extended hours. Grad Fair date will be ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE. If you have questions regarding your regalia order, please email bookstore@ncwu.edu . The academic regalia consists of cap, gown and tassel. The cap is an essential part of the academic regalia. In particular, the cap should not be removed at any point during the conferring of degrees. You are not to wear any other items and/or honor cords/stoles from any other organization unless they were obtained during your tenure at North Carolina Wesleyan University. You are allowed to decorate your cap as long as the decorations do no impede your ability to wear the cap during the entire ceremony. Business or Sunday attire is recommended for underneath the regalia.
Grad Fair will be ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE in Rocky Mount at the University Bookstore. There you will have a chance to order you class ring, graduation announcements, as well as purchase a stole and your diploma frame. For more information regarding class rings and/or announcement orders, please visit Balfour online at Official NCWC Ring Collection & Graduation Announcements Now>>.
Degree candidates (graduates) should report to the Rocky Mount Event Center at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The doors for the graduates will open at 8:00. The graduates will enter the Rocky Mount Event Center at the rear side of the building, while families will enter through the main front doors. There will be clearly marked signs for you to follow. Please note that only graduates will be allowed to enter at this entrance. The Registrar will instruct degree candidates on how to proceed during the ceremony.
Graduates will not be allowed to leave this area once they arrive; therefore, please make sure you have your cap, gown and tassel. We are not responsible for items left unattended in the graduate room once you process out of this location.
Everyone who crosses the stage will receive a diploma cover upon exiting the stage. Your actual diploma will be mailed to you. All financial obligations to the University must be cleared in order to receive your diploma. If not, your diploma will be mailed to you once your financial obligations are satisfied.
The University will be webcasting the ceremony. The link to the webcast will be available on the front page of the University website: www.ncwu.edu on the day of Commencement. Webcasting will begin at 9:45 a.m. prior to the beginning of the ceremony.
Pictures will be taken by NCWU and will be posted for you to download free of charge. (detailed information will be in the packet that you will receive the morning of Commencement)
Joy Smallwood
jsmallwood@ncwu.edu
252-985-5263
For additional information or questions pertinent to Commencement, you can contact the following offices:
Student Accounts: 252-985-5104
Provost’s Office: 252-985-5136
College Bookstore: 252-985-5175
Registrar’s Office: 252-985-5130
Diploma Inquiries: 252-985-5286
Joy Smallwood
jsmallwood@ncwu.edu
252-985-5263
