2024 Convocation

The Bloomberg School of Public Health holds its convocation ceremony every year in May. All Academic Year (August, December and May) graduates will be invited to participate. The 2024 ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 9AM at Homewood Field on the Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus.

Rain date has been set for Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 5PM.

All ceremony participants must wear regalia. The window to order regalia closed on April 5.  If you plan to participate and missed the deadline to order regalia, please contact the JHU Bookstore for information about placing a late order.  Doctoral students earning a concurrent Masters degree should order doctoral regalia.

All August, December 2023 and May 2024 graduates will be invited to the ceremonies.  Invitations were sent on March 5, 2024 (and reminders sent weekly).  Each graduate should have received two invitations - one for the School of Public Health Convocation ceremony on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 and one for the University Commencement ceremony on May 23, 2024.  Graduates must RSVP to each ceremony invitation separately.   The last day to RSVP to attend the ceremonies was April 19, 2024.

No. The School and University-wide graduation ceremonies are held once a year in May. August 2023 and December 2023 graduates will be invited to participate in the May 2024 ceremonies.

The University Commencement ceremony and the Bloomberg School's Convocation ceremony are separate events, for which candidates will receive separate invitations.

All academic year graduates across all university divisions  are invited to the University Commencement ceremony. At the university ceremony, undergraduates and doctoral graduates will walk across the stage.  Masters graduates are recognized in groups by division.

Only School of Public Health candidates are invited to the Bloomberg School Convocation ceremony. All graduates walk across the stage at the School's ceremony.

Graduates can obtain a Consulate Letter of Invitation by opening a SEAM case under the Records and Registration -> Inquire or apply for graduation topic area. Please include the names and relationship of each invitee in your request.

Tickets are not required for family and guests of graduates to attend the ceremonies. There is no limit to the number of guests graduates can invite.

All diplomas are mailed directly from the vendor and will be mailed to the Diploma Address listed in SIS Self Service under Personal Info -> Summary. Graduates should verify their Diploma Address is correct no later than May 17 to ensure the vendor receives the desired information.

Orders are placed about one week after the conferral date. Diplomas shipped to domestic addresses take 6-8 weeks to arrive and  8-12 weeks for international addresses. Graduates will receive an email from the vendor when their diploma has been mailed. 

Students with running balances or financial holds will have their diplomas held with the vendor. Students should submit a case to SEAM once the balance is paid and/or hold is lifted to request the release of their diploma. 

Depending on when confirmation of completion is received, Certificates will post to the transcript between one and four weeks after the conferral date. Certificates are ordered after the conferral notations have been posted to student transcripts.

 

Graduates should plan to report to Robert Scott Gym on the Homewood campus by 7:30AM to allow time to check in and be seated on the field.

Gates will open for guests at 8:00AM.

Graduates who have RSVP'd that they intend to participate in the May 22nd Convocation ceremony will receive detailed information by email no later than May 15th.

Participating graduates should plan to report to Robert Scott gym by 7:30AM on May 22nd to check in.  

You will receive your "readers" card with your name.  This is the card that will be handed to the reader  when it is your turn to cross the stage.  Do not lose this card.

Masters student may sit in any seat within their degree group. Doctoral within their department group for the hooding ceremony. Seating charts and staff will be available to help seat graduates.

Guests will have access to the stadium bleacher seats on a first come first served basis.  Graduates will be seated from approximately the 40 yard line forward (toward the stage).

Please note:  Guests, including children,  will not be permitted on the field during the ceremony.

Yes, the ceremony will be live streamed. The link to the live stream will be available on this page on the day of the ceremony.

We expect the ceremony will be two and a half to three hours long.  We ask all participants to remain until that last graduate's name is read and faculty have left the stage.

It is recommended that you leave personal items at home or at your accommodation. All bags and purses may be searched upon entering the stadium, and restrictions are as follows:

• Bags and purses larger than 13” x 15”, including luggage, are not permitted. Diaper bags are permitted.
• Backpacks and luggage are not permitted. Please plan to have your large bags or luggage stored at your hotel/accommodation if you need to check out prior to the ceremony. Bags that do not meet the requirements will not be permitted into the stadium and bag check will not be provided.
• Wrapped gifts and balloons are not allowed.
• Signs, posters, banners, and flags will not be allowed inside the stadium for safety reasons.
• Umbrellas are not permitted inside the stadium. In case of rain, please bring a rain jacket. If needed during the ceremony, ponchos will be provided.
• Food and drinks are allowed in the stands but may not be brought onto the field.  Only water will be permitted on the field.
• Alcohol, drugs, and tobacco are strictly prohibited, including e-cigarettes.
• Pets are not permitted in or around Homewood Field with the exception of Service Dogs.
• Knives, fireworks, laser pointers, lighters, or weapons of any kind are not permitted.
• Firearms are not permitted (including non-uniform law enforcement officer and concealed carry permit holders).
• Horns, cow bells, whistles or any artificial noisemakers or laser pointers are not permitted.

Guests are permitted to bring an unopened water bottle, and a seat cushion or seat back.

Out of respect for all members of the graduating class, all participants are expected to stay until the last student's name is called and the Chief Marshal closes the ceremony. However, if it is necessary to leave early, we ask you to move quickly and quietly to an exit to avoid disrupting others. Please do not gather in the area of the field behind student seating (it is distracting to speakers on the stage). Please note there is no re-entry upon leaving the stadium.

The ceremony will be held if the forecast is for light rain or sprinkles. Guest seating is not under cover. Guests should come prepared if these conditions are forecast.

Any decision to postpone the ceremony to the rain date of May 23 at 5PM will be made by 5:30AM on May 22.  Notification will appear on this page as well as though the Student, Faculty and Staff listservs.

Yes, printed programs will be available. Each graduate will receive a program prior to the ceremony.  Copies will also be available for guests.  To reduce waste, we ask that guests only take a copy if they wish to keep it.  A PDF version of the program will also be available on this site.

Please visit the Parking and Transportation page for complete details on parking and other transportation options for the ceremony.

The ceremony will have a designated seating area for persons needing ADA seating. Seating is available for the individual with the disability and one companion on a first-come, first-served basis.

Captions will be available on the livestream of the ceremony. An ASL interpreter will be located in front of the accessible seating area.

Any graduate or guest requesting ASL should contact the Commencement Office, commencement@jhu.edu, by April 26.

In all situations, a good faith effort (up until the time of the event) will be made to provide accommodations

Wheelchairs are not available at Homewood Field. For more information or to arrange a wheelchair rental for the event, please call Northern Pharmacy & Medical Equipment at (410) 254-2055.

A limited number of large-print copies of the Convocation program will be available at the accessible seating area.  The program will also be posted to this site in PDF format which can be enlarged.