May 2025 Commencement
Saturday, May 10, 2025
10:00 a.m., Kimmel Arena in the Sherrill Center
Please join us for this community-wide tradition as we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates.
Commencement Day
UNC Asheville’s May 2025 Commencement will take place on Saturday, May 10 in Kimmel Arena starting at 10 a.m. Doors will open at 8 .m.
All graduates and guests are encouraged to follow UNC Asheville’s Community Expectations. Disruptions of any kind will not be tolerated during this celebration. Anyone causing a disruption will be asked to leave immediately and escorted from the building without exceptions.
We invite graduates and guests to share their experiences on social media. Tag your posts and photos with #UncAvlGrads and follow the event on UNC Asheville’s Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Information for Graduates
The Registrar’s Office provides important dates and deadlines for graduation. If you are a prospective graduate and have not been receiving emails concerning graduation, please notify commencement@unca.edu. Reminders of the dates and deadlines are sent through email.
Cap and Gown Day
Join us for this special celebration on Thursday, April 10 from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. on the Student Life Porch in Highsmith Student Union. Here you will pick up your cap and gown for Commencement. You will also confirm the pronunciation of the name you want to be called as you walk across the stage.
Guest Tickets
Each graduate will receive 6 tickets to share with their family and friends. Everyone entering the arena (except graduating students and infants who will remain seated on another guest’s lap) will need a ticket. Tickets will be available for pick-up on Cap and Gown Day on Thursday, April 10. If you are not able to attend Cap and Gown Day, you will retrieve your tickets from the Guest Services Desk at Highsmith Student Union from April 10 to May 9. If you do not pick up your tickets by May 9, you will then need to retrieve them from the Kimmel Arena Box Office on the morning of May 10 starting at 8 a.m.
Instructions for Commencement Day
Graduates should arrive at the Student Recreation Center between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. with their cap and gown, ready to line up for the Commencement procession. There will be reserved parking for all graduates in the upper P9 and P12 lots.
Backpacks are not permitted at the Commencement Ceremony. See the Clear Bag Policy and list of prohibited items below. There will not be a bag check and only clear bags will be allowed. Water will be provided to all guests free of charge.
Accessibility
UNC Asheville is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. If you have any questions about access, or to request reasonable accommodations that will facilitate your full participation in Commencement, such as ASL interpreting or captioning, please complete this request form. If you have any additional questions, contact Heather L. Lindkvist, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Institutional Integrity and Access, hlindkvi@unca.edu or 828.232.5658.
Advance notice is necessary to arrange for accessibility needs. Please submit your request by Friday, April 25. We will attempt to implement late requests but cannot guarantee they will be met.
Livestream
For those who are unable to make it to campus, the Commencement Ceremony will be livestreamed on the UNC Asheville YouTube channel. The Commencement program will be uploaded to this website in advance of the ceremony for you to view and enjoy.
Guest Information
We welcome families and friends to campus to celebrate Commencement at UNC Asheville. Please visit our About Asheville page for preferred places to stay. The vibrant Asheville restaurant scene offers wonderful options for family and friends to gather and celebrate their graduates. Here is a link to the Asheville Foodtopia page where the opportunities are endless!
Guest Seating & Security
The doors to Kimmel Arena will open at 8 a.m. for all guests to enter for the 10 a.m. ceremony.
UNC Asheville has a Clear Bag Policy. We are not able to store personal items on site and guests should make arrangements to secure items prior to arriving on campus. Exceptions to the Clear Bag Policy are subject to search and include the following:
- Medical bags
- Diaper bags
- Camera bags
- Wallets and small clutches should be no larger than 4.5 in x 6.5 in
Prohibited Items Include:
- Backpacks
- Food or beverages
- Alcohol
- Pets (Except Service Animals)
- Tobacco Items
- Weapons
- Selfie Sticks, Tripods, and Noise Making Devices
- Umbrellas (collapsible umbrellas will be permitted)
Parking
Preferred parking for guests will be available in the following lots (please view the campus map for parking lot locations):
- P8, P10, P11 upper lot, P13, P15, P16, P17, P18, P19, P24, P25, P26, P27, P28, P34
Accessible parking will be available in the following lots :
- P9 lower deck
- P11 lower lot
Graduate parking (please view map for parking lot locations):
- P9 upper deck
- P12
Shuttles
Shuttles will be available beginning at 7:30 a.m. before the ceremony and will run again from 12-12:30 p.m. after the ceremony. Shuttle stops are located throughout campus and will drop guests at the Kimmel Arena. Please view the campus map for shuttle stop locations.
Guest Arrival & Parking
Parking will be available in most campus parking lots (upper P9 and P12 parking lots will be reserved for graduates).
Attendants will direct guests to available parking, and shuttles will circulate throughout campus parking lots.
We ask that vehicles carrying guests with mobility needs park in the accessible parking lots, P12 and lower P9 (any attendant can direct you to these parking lots).
Parking for Graduates
There will be reserved parking for all graduates. Graduates: please plan to park in parking lots P9 (upper) and P12. Please see the campus map for the location of these parking lots. Graduates must place their graduation cap (mortar board) on the dash to gain access to these areas.
Additional Information
Graduate Portraits
GradImages takes portraits of each graduate. To find your photos, visit https://www.gradimages.com/ and search the graduate’s last name, along with UNC Asheville and the graduation year. If you have questions about your photos, please contact GradImages Customer Service:
Phone: 800-261-2576
Email: ecc.giservice@gradimages.net
Career Services & Transcripts
UNC Asheville graduates maintain access to all the services of the UNC Asheville Career Center at no charge after graduation. To learn about upcoming events, online job postings and more go to unca.edu/career-center.
Transcripts are provided to UNC Asheville graduates at no charge from the University in person, or online with a small processing charge from the National Student Clearinghouse.
UNC Asheville Alumni Association
Since the Association’s founding in 1947, lifetime membership has been a gift of the University to its graduates. The association helps alumni stay connected to their alma mater, classmates, friends, faculty, staff, and alumni throughout the United States and in more than 50 countries. To learn more about the Association, its activities, and benefits go to alumni.unca.edu. Stay connected to your alma mater through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Class Notes and Information Update: Help us stay connected by keeping us informed of changes to your contact information and share with us news about your life after UNC Asheville.
Questions?
| Additional details and other important information will be shared with graduates via email. If you have any questions about the Commencement ceremony, please let us know. |
| Email: commencement@unca.edu |
