Winter Student Information

Here is our Winter 2026 Commencement schedule with a list of the majors/degrees expected to participate in each convocation. This list does not reflect every major/degree offered by the university, the order in which students will walk on Commencement Day, nor does it guarantee that there will be candidates for every degree listed.

If you are participating in Winter 2026 Commencement and do not see your degree listed below, please send an email to commencement@pointloma.edu.

Welcome graduates! Commencement is on its way; be sure to check back regularly for updates.

View the Line of March

If you have any questions, please send an email to commencement@pointloma.edu.

Preparing for Commencement

Check Your Student Account

Your student account must be paid in full to receive your commencement tickets and regalia, participate in the Commencement ceremonies, and receive your diploma.

Order Your Announcements

Announcements can be ordered online from CB Graduation Announcements or Herff Jones.

Record Your Name Pronunciation via NameCoach

Each eligible candidate will be sent an email during the fall semester with a link to audio record their name pronunciation via NameCoach. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.

NOTE: Our commencement readers will make best efforts to correctly pronounce names during each graduation ceremony. However, in the event an error occurs, candidates may request a correction prior to proceeding to the platform. Once a student has crossed the stage, no correction can be made.

Regarding Pre-Commencement Photo Shoots

We are unable to provide regalia (cap, gown, etc.) prior to the posted Distribution Schedule. Please plan accordingly when scheduling graduation-related photo shoots.
NOTE: Academic hoods are not distributed until Commencement Day as part of the ceremony.

Inclement Weather Contingency Plan

While our hope is to celebrate together under clear skies in the Greek Amphitheatre in December, we also want to plan thoughtfully for the possibility of inclement weather. With forecasts suggesting a wetter-than-usual winter due to the anticipated Super El Niño, we are currently in the process of developing an Inclement Weather Contingency Plan. Please check this section often throughout the semester for updates. 

You can also text PLNUGRAD to 67283 to receive day-of-event updates. PLNU uses the RAVE Alert Messaging System. 

Tickets

General

• Tickets are required for all convocations at Point Loma Nazarene University.
• Each qualified candidate who will be participating in Winter Commencement on Saturday, December 19 is eligible to receive 10 tickets (5 green and 5 gold).
  • In the event of inclement weather, if we move to an indoor venue, only the guests with a green ticket will be able to attend. Please plan accordingly.
• Children age three and older are required to have a ticket.
• Tickets for Winter Commencement will be available for pickup with Commencement Regalia. A complete distribution schedule can be viewed on the Regalia page.
• Tickets allow guests access into the Greek Amphitheatre but do not reserve a specific seat. All seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Tickets are not for resale.
• All financial accounts must be paid before receiving commencement tickets.

Waitlist

• The waitlist is now open for gold tickets only. Gold tickets are only valid for an outdoor event held in the Greek Amphitheatre. 
  • If an Inclement Weather Contingency Plan is activated and the event is held indoors, only guests with a green ticket will be granted entry to the venue.
• All requests for additional tickets must be made by the student.
• Students who would like to be placed on the waitlist for additional tickets should contact Shelley Fruchey. Please provide your name, student ID number, degree/program/major, and how many tickets you are requesting. NOTE: It may take up to 5 business days for you to receive a reply to your request. Please do not send multiple inquiries.
• The waitlist does not guarantee extra tickets will be available.
• The waitlist is first-come, first-served.
• Waitlist tickets will be distributed together with regular tickets and regalia.

Seating

• The Greek Amphitheatre will open for seating one hour before the scheduled start time of each ceremony.
• Seating for guests with special needs is available at the top of the north and south sides of the Amphitheatre.
• Due to limited space, only one person may sit with the guest with special needs.
• Guests may also view a broadcast of the Convocation in the temperature-controlled Crill Performance Hall.
  • NOTE: If an Inclement Weather Contingency Plan is activated and the event is held indoors, there will be no livestream location on campus. Guests unable to attend are encouraged to view the live webcast online.
• For those who are unable to attend, a live webcast of the Convocation will be available online via a link on the PLNU commencement page.

Regalia

General

• Commencement regalia is ordered/purchased by PLNU for current eligible students.
• The regalia you receive is yours to keep; you do not have to return it.
• Each regalia package will include your cap, gown, academic hood, and tassel. It does not include a stole. If you wish to purchase a PLNU stole, please visit our Common Knowledge Bookstore in-person or online.
• Students will receive their academic hood during the commencement convocation as part of the event.
  • Students earning the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree will receive their hood during a separate ceremony on Friday, December 18 and will wear their hood during the processional into the Greek Amphitheatre.
• Regalia will arrive pre-cleaned; there is no need to wash it upon arrival.
• The packing/shipping process will result in some creasing or wrinkling. Please remove the regalia from the packaging upon receipt and place it on a hanger.
• To remove wrinkles and creasing, we recommend steaming the gown by hanging it near a shower or using a garment steamer. Ironing is not recommended as it may damage the fabric.
• Students may choose to decorate their graduation cap if they wish. However, decorations should be tasteful and not present a hazard or viewing obstruction to fellow graduates or guests. The university reserves the right to request that a candidate remove their decorated cap if it is deemed inappropriate.
• We are unable to provide regalia (cap, gown, etc.) prior to the posted Distribution Schedule. Please plan accordingly when scheduling graduation-related photo shoots.

Honor Cords, Shawls, and Stoles

• Honors applies to undergraduate students who have earned both a resident GPA of 3.500 or higher AND a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or higher.
• Honor cords will be distributed to eligible candidates as follows:
  • Bakersfield School of Education Students – Honor Cords will be distributed at the Records Booth on the west side of Peppertree Lane on the Point Loma Campus on Saturday, December 19 starting at 8:00 a.m.
  • Traditional Undergraduate Students – Honor Cords will be distributed with regalia and tickets according to the distribution schedule provided below.
  • All Other Mission Valley, Community College, Online, and Accelerated Undergraduate Students - Honor Cords will be distributed with regalia and tickets according to the distribution schedule provided below.
• Shawls are worn by F-1 visa international students who are supported by the Office of Multicultural and International Student Services. International students should contact the Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) for more information.
• Only university-approved cords, shawls, and stoles will be allowed to be worn at the Commencement ceremony.
• Students may wear one university-approved stole at the Commencement ceremony (nursing, athletics, or PLNU).
• To purchase a PLNU stole, please visit our Common Knowledge Bookstore in-person or online.

LomaFirst Pins

LomaFirst welcomes you to honor your first-generation student status at Winter 2026 Commencement with a pin! You are welcome to wear this pin on your gown at the graduation ceremony. Pins will be available for pick-up the day of your ceremony at the Registrar’s tent on Peppertree Lane according to the schedule below.

Who is a first-generation student?

At the time that the student completed high school or high school equivalency, their custodial parent(s) or legal guardian(s) had not earned at least a bachelor’s degree. This means that the student is the first to attend a four-year university and obtain a bachelor’s degree. Please know, we welcome anyone who self-identifies as a first-generation college student. This can include students whose parents did not earn a bachelor’s degree in the U.S..

Why is this important?

First-generation students have done something amazing. Your hard work and perseverance have led you through your undergraduate degree, which is a huge accomplishment for you and your family! And with over 22% of our PLNU students being first-gen, this represents a significant portion of our student population! We are proud of you, and you should be proud of yourself!

Pick Up Your Cap and Gown (Regalia) and Commencement Tickets

The regalia distribution schedule for Winter Commencement is below:

Bakersfield School of Education Students
Tuesday, December 8 through Thursday, December 10 
Tuesday, December 15 and Wednesday, December 16
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Located at the Bakersfield Office (5080 California Ave, Ste 300, Bakersfield, CA)

Traditional Undergraduate Students
Tuesday, December 15 through Thursday, December 17
Friday, December 18
Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Tue through Thurs) and 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Fri)
Located at the Records Office on the Point Loma Campus (3900 Lomaland Dr, San Diego, CA)

All Other Mission Valley, Community College, Online, Graduate, and Accelerated Undergraduate Students
Monday, December 14 through Friday, December 18
Hours: 3 – 6 p.m. (Mon through Thurs) and 1 – 4 p.m. (Fri)
Located on the first floor of the Mission Valley Campus (4007 Camino del Rio S, San Diego, CA)

Any Student Unable to Pick Up Their Regalia and/or Tickets During Times Provided Above
Saturday, December 19
Hours: Starting at 8 a.m.
Located at the Registrar’s Booth on the west side of Peppertree Lane in front of the Early Childhood Learning Center playground on the Point Loma Campus

Students must show I.D. (driver’s license or PLNU student I.D.) when picking up regalia and tickets. All student accounts must be clear at the time of pickup. 

If a student is unable to pick up their own regalia and tickets, they must submit a WI26 Commencement Regalia/Tickets Pickup Authorization form. The individual authorized to pick regalia and tickets must show photo ID upon arrival.

• NOTE: This is only for students that need someone else to pick up their regalia and tickets. It does not need to be submitted if a student is picking up their own items.

Bakersfield School of Education Students – chart@pointloma.edu and cestrada@pointloma.edu
Traditional Undergraduate Students (Point Loma Campus) – records@pointloma.edu
All Other Mission Valley, Community College, Online, Graduate, and Accelerated Undergraduate Students – gpsregistration@pointloma.edu

Before Commencement Day

• Make sure you have your regalia before traveling to Commencement.
• Plan your Commencement Day attire.
  • Comfortable clothing under the robe is suggested.
  • Comfortable shoes are also recommended since you will be descending and ascending unevenly spaced steps in the amphitheatre.

If you have any questions regarding regalia, please send an email to commencement@pointloma.edu.

Commencement Day

Commencement Etiquette

For the Convocations to be enjoyed by all and for everyone’s safety, we ask you comply with the following:

• Leave valuables with family members or guests prior to lining up for the academic procession. There will be no secured areas to store these items during the Convocation.
• Cell phones and other personal electronic devices should be turned off or silenced for the duration of the ceremony. Before the Convocation begins, arrange a meeting place with guests for after Commencement and please resist the temptation to send text messages during the ceremony.
• The items below are not allowed in the Greek Amphitheatre at any time before, during, or after the Convocation and will be confiscated by security personnel:
  • Air Horns, Cowbells, or Other Noisemakers
  • Confetti Launchers, Streamers, Silly String
  • Beach Balls
  • Drones
  • Pets
• Each convocation should last between sixty (60) to ninety (90) minutes. If you should find it necessary to leave your seat, please notify one of the faculty marshals for assistance.
• PLNU is a smoke and tobacco free campus. The University also observes a strict no-alcohol policy.

Lineup and Academic Procession

There is no rehearsal for Commencement. For the 9 a.m. Convocation, you will begin lining up at approximately 8:15 a.m. For the 12 p.m. Convocation, you will begin lining up at approximately 11:15 a.m. For the 3 p.m. Convocation, you will begin lining up at approximately 2:15 p.m. Lineup will take place on Peppertree Lane (the main street throughout campus). Lists of names will be on stanchions for each row of graduates. Students can also find an A-Z list at the front and back of Peppertree Lane. Upon arrival, students should refer to these lists and get in line, making sure to check in with their Faculty Honor Guard to collect their name card. These Honor Guards will assist you with the lineup and provide instructions for the procession. View details of the line of march.

Hooding

A hooding process is part of the ceremony. The hood, or the vestment of colors that fits around your neck and drapes down your back, is an important element of your regalia because its colors represent the university's degree. As you move to the platform and while you are standing in line waiting for your name to be called to receive your degree, members of the faculty will place the hood around your neck. In so doing, they will be investing you with the colors of your degree. This hood is also yours to keep.

Official Commencement Photographs

Our official commencement photography vendor, GradImages, will be in the Greek Amphitheatre to take two (2) photos of each graduate. The first photo will be taken when the student is greeted by President Fulcher and receives their diploma cover/tube. The second photo will be taken as the student exits the ramp at the end of the platform. Students are encouraged to pause briefly on the mark placed on the ramp for the second photo to be taken.

Students will receive an email from GradImages in the weeks following Commencement with photo proofs to review and a link to purchase online. More information can be found on our Grad Shop page.

In Case of Rain...

Coming Soon!

Following Commencement

Diplomas

Since it is impossible to identify with certainty by Commencement Day the students who have completed all requirements, degrees are not posted until all final grades are received and Student Financial Services has confirmed a zero balance on your account. As you walk across the platform and greet the university President, you will receive a symbolic diploma tube or folder. Please complete a Diploma Mailing Request online. This is where your diploma will be mailed. If your address changes from the original request submitted, please submit a new Diploma Mailing Request and email records@pointloma.edu to make us aware of the change. Once the Records Office has confirmed all requirements for graduation are complete and your balance is clear, your degree will be posted and your diploma will be ordered. Degree posting begins approximately 3-4 business weeks after the end of the semester.  It then takes approximately 5-6 additional weeks for orders to be placed, and diplomas to be printed and mailed out by the vendor. The diploma vendor will mail the diplomas to the mailing address you submit on the Diploma Mailing Request form.

Saying "Good-Bye"

Students who are finishing all requirements for graduation on schedule will be withdrawn automatically from the university following the posting of their degree. It is your responsibility to return library books and settle student accounts. Failure to follow through on these details will make it impossible for the university to release diplomas.

Alumni Benefits

As new members of PLNU’s Alumni family, graduates are eligible to enjoy unique experiences and special benefits. We invite you to visit the Alumni Engagement website.

PLNU Email Address and Other University Technology Accounts

Your PLNU Google account will expire one year after graduation, along with other University technology accounts, such as Office 365. Once expired, neither your account nor the data stored in it will be accessible or recoverable. ITS will send multiple reminders to your PLNU Gmail account that will include the date when your account will expire. In addition, this FAQ answers common questions regarding this transition, including how to transfer your data to another account.

If you have additional questions, please send an email to commencement@pointloma.edu.