students in commencement regalia.

Commencement

Class of 2024

Congratulations to our engineering and applied sciences graduates. We are extremely proud of each and every one of you and what you have been able to accomplish. Thank you for your hard work, dedication to academic excellence, and for everything you have contributed to the university and our SEAS community.

Graduate Ceremony 1

Saturday, May 18, 2024  |  9:00 a.m.
Alumni Arena, North Campus

Graduate Ceremony 2

Saturday, May 18, 2024  |  1:00 p.m.
Alumni Arena, North Campus

Undergraduate Ceremony

Saturday, May 18, 2024  |  5:00 p.m.
Alumni Arena, North Campus

SEAS Ceremony Information

Get Involved

Related Links

Social Media Hashtags

Use and follow these hashtags on social media:

  • #UBClassOf2024
  • #UBuffalo
  • #UBSEAS

SEAS Ceremony Information

Eligibility

Only graduating students may participate in the graduation ceremony, including walking in the processional and crossing the stage. The University will make limited exceptions when a graduating student requires assistance due to a disability. Students needing accommodations to participate in the ceremony should contact seascommencement@buffalo.edu.

Registration

Registration is required for Class of 2024 graduates who would like to participate in the SEAS Undergraduate Ceremony or one of the SEAS Graduate Ceremonies on Saturday, May 18, 2024. The registration site is now open. On the site, you will be able to check how your name will appear in the printed program and register for the ceremony. Registration should have been completed by May 1.

Printed Program

We will use your legal name in the printed program as the default. However, you can choose to have your preferred name, or the new preferred diploma name printed instead by logging onto the SEAS commencement registration system and following the prompts. You do not need to be participating in the ceremony to change how your name will appear in the printed program. As a reminder, only the Class of 2024 (Summer 2023, Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 will have their name in the program this year). Summer 2024 graduates will be listed in the Class of 2025 program next Spring).

Important Dates
  • April 15, 2024: Please check how your name will appear by this date to allow us time to print the program.  
  • May 1, 2024: Please register by this date if you plan to participate in the ceremony. 
  • May 13, 2024 - Undergraduate Ceremony only: Please request your guest tickets by this date. Tickets are required for your guests; each student can request up to five (5) tickets. Directions on how to reserve tickets are included in the registration confirmation email. 

Caps and Gowns

Graduates participating in commencement wear a cap/tam, gown, hood and tassel. Online ordering of commencement regalia will be available through the Cap and Gown page of UB's Commencement website.

Guide to SEAS Commencement Regalia

Bachelor's  Degree Candidates
Master's Degree Candidates
Doctoral Degree Candidates
  • Cap and gown: Blue
  • Hood: Lined in blue and gold. The velvet border is 2 inches wide. Engineering: Orange / Computer Science: Yellow
  • Tassel: Engineering: Orange / Computer Science: Yellow

See Example of BS Engineering Degree Candidate Regalia

See Example of BA/BS Computer Science Candidate Regalia

  • Cap and gown: Black
  • Hood: Lined in blue and gold. The velvet border is 3 inches wide and is orange for all SEAS master’s students.
  • Tassel: Orange for all SEAS master’s students

See Example of MS Candidate Regalia

  • Tam: Black; eight-sided
  • Gown: Black with velvet elements
  • Hood: Lined in blue and gold. The velvet border is 5 inches wide and is dark blue for all PhD students.
  • Tassel: Dark blue

See Example of PhD Candidate Regalia

Guests and Ticketing

Guests of graduates are permitted at both ceremonies and must follow all university health and safety requirements.

There are no ticket requirements for the graduate ceremonies. Students who register for undergraduate commencement can access 5 tickets for the ceremony. Directions on how to reserve tickets are included in the registration confirmation email. Please reserve tickets by May 13, 2024.

Directions, Parking and Accessibility

Diploma Information

Printed Diploma: The Office of the Registrar will mail a printed diploma, free of charge, to your permanent address approximately six weeks after the conferral date. Students are responsible for making address changes; these should be made by the term conferral date to ensure that you receive your diploma.

Update your permanent address

NEW* Electing to use a Preferred Diploma Name: While the University recommends that the name on your diploma matches your official, legal name, you may request a preferred/chosen first and middle name to be printed in lieu of your legal name. You can find more information here.

Certified Electronic Diploma: Students who graduated June 2020 and later have the option to purchase a certified electronic diploma (CeDiploma) for $15.95. Notification will be sent to your UB email, from info@credentialtrust.com, approximately 3-6 weeks after your degree conferral date.

Learn more about the CeDiploma

Latin Honors/Gold Cord Policy

Students earning baccalaureate degrees (including those awarded as part of combined degrees) are eligible to receive Latin honors based on their UB cumulative grade point average (GPA) on the following scale:

Average (based on 4.000=A)

  • 3.200 — cum laude
  • 3.500 — magna cum laude
  • 3.750 — summa cum laude

To qualify for Latin honors, students must present a minimum of 60 credit hours of UB undergraduate coursework, at least 54 of which must be graded credits (i.e., not grades of 'P', 'NP', 'S', or 'U').

To receive the Latin honors designation in commencement program books, and to be eligible to wear the honorific gold cord (cum laude, magna and summa) at the time of ceremonies, candidates for the June degree conferral date must qualify based upon their UB cumulative GPA through the winter intersession of that year and projected UB credit hours through the spring semester of that year. Standings for Latin honors may change once final grades are posted or degrees conferred.

This recognition is only intended for students who will have their degrees conferred in June, or have had their degrees conferred in the previous February or August.

The gold cords will be available through the University Bookstore on North Campus around the beginning of March. Price and purchase details are forthcoming.

Photography

Grad Images is the exclusive photographer for individual student photos at degree conferral ceremonies. 

Schedule of Commencement Receptions

Please check with your department to determine if they will be hosting a commencement reception. Information will be posted here in May.

FAQs

Questions about SEAS Commencement?

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions. You may also contact the SEAS Commencement Coordinator, Ona Strang, at SEASCommencement@buffalo.edu.

Get Involved

Student Speaker Competition

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences continues the tradition of holding a competition to select the SEAS student speakers. With three commencement ceremonies, we will have three competitions: two for graduate students and one for undergraduate students. The competition is open to all students eligible to participate in the 2024 School of Engineering and Applied Sciences commencement ceremonies.

  • Speeches should be longer than three minutes (approximately 400 words).
  • Remember that you will be speaking to the Class of 2024, a diverse group of students.
  • It is typically best to focus on a single theme. Selection will be based on relevancy, appropriateness of content, and delivery.
  • Finalists will be asked to present their speech to the selection committee comprised of SEAS faculty and staff.

The competition winners will deliver their speech during the SEAS commencement ceremony and will also receive a UB class ring (White Lustrium). Graduate Ceremony 1 is on Saturday, May 18 at 9:00 a.m. Graduate Ceremony 2 is on Saturday, May 18 at 1:00 p.m. The Undergraduate Ceremony on Saturday, May 18 at 5:00 p.m. Thank you to our competition co-sponsor Jostens!

Submit your speech (via email) by Monday, February 26 by 5 p.m. to Ona Strang onastran@buffalo.edu.

Subject: Student Speaker Competition – student name-graduate (or undergraduate)-major

Format: docx file Filename: student name

Class of 2024 Commencement Slideshow

Share your photos for the Class of 2024 SEAS slideshow, which will feature images of our graduating students during their time here at UB! The slideshow will be played prior to the commencement ceremony and will also be featured online. 

Class of 2022 Commencement slideshow title screen

2022 Commencement Slideshow