Commencement 2024

Ceremony Information

The 132nd Barnard College Commencement ceremony will be held in person on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 4 p.m. at Radio City Music Hall in midtown Manhattan. The Barnard ceremony will be livestreamed and available to watch on this page. The Columbia University Commencement that was to be held earlier that morning on Columbia’s campus has been canceled. 

We are delighted to announce that Ruth J. Simmons, distinguished scholar, author, and president emerita of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M University, will receive the Barnard Medal of Distinction and deliver the College’s 2024 Commencement address. Dr. Simmons’s contributions to higher education have been nothing short of extraordinary. For example, at Smith, she established the nation’s first engineering program at a women’s college, breaking barriers and paving the way for countless women to pursue careers in STEM. Her commitment to educational equity and excellence as president of three distinctive institutions of higher education resonates deeply with our own institutional values. We trust that she will motivate and inspire our graduates as they embark on their own journeys. 

TIMELINE OF COMMENCEMENT DAY: WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2024

Midtown Manhattan, location to be announced shortly

• 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Faculty, Student, and Family Departmental Receptions: These will be held in midtown Manhattan, in close proximity to Radio City Music Hall. Additional details to be provided in the coming days.

At Radio City Musical Hall: 

• 2:30 PM:  **Arrival time at Radio City Music Hall for all graduates**
  • Graduates must present their own digital ticket and photo ID for entry at the main entrance of Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue (between West 50th and 51st Streets) before 3 PM (printouts or screenshots of tickets are NOT accepted). 
  • They will then gather in the Grand Lounge (one level below main entrance), lining up in alphabetical order by last name for the procession, which begins the ceremony.
• 4:00 - 7:00 PM (approximately): Barnard Commencement Ceremony 
  • Grad Images will take a photo of students individually after they cross the stage. 
    • Finding graduate photos after the ceremony is easy. Visit www.GradImages.com to view and purchase custom photo products like prints, plaques, specialty gifts, and more.
    • You can also pre-register your contact information using the direct link below. Upon completion, you will receive a coupon code for 20% off an order of $50 or more.
      • https://www.gradimages.com/registration/
    • Questions or concerns regarding photos can be directed to the GradImages Customer Service Department at (800) 261-2576, online at www.gradimages.com, or via email at ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. 
  • We recommend that students and their guests take into account the possibility that the ceremony may be longer than 3 hours when making their evening plans. Additional time should be considered for exiting the venue and increased traffic in the area following the ceremony.

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL VENUE POLICIES:

• Radio City Music Hall asks all guests to arrive early and travel light. Bags must fit comfortably under your seat, and oversized bags larger than 22” x 14” x 9” are prohibited. Radio City Music Hall does not provide an area to check bags, coats, or any other personal belongings. 
• Prohibited Items: Items prohibited by the venue include helium balloons; confetti; loose glitter; posters, banners, signs, flags; noisemaking devices, including cowbells, alarm devices and airhorns; and anything that could disrupt the ability of other attendees to watch and enjoy the event. A full list can be found on the Radio City Music Hall website.
• Graduates must carry anything they bring with them as they process to their seats.
• Everyone entering Radio City Music Hall must enter through magnetometers and have any bags inspected by security. 
• Due to the volume of graduates and guests entering the venue, please allow for additional time and expect the possibility of waiting outside, rain or shine, in a queue to enter the venue.
• Concessions will be available for sale at the venue as guests take their seats.
• Seats for guests are general admission, which means that they are unassigned and are on a first-come, first-served basis. Neither Barnard nor Radio City Music Hall staff can save seats for individuals or families.
• More information about the venue’s policies can be found in the Radio City Music Hall FAQs.
• The venue’s stated policy is that all exits are final; guests are not permitted to leave and then re-enter. 
• Radio City Music Hall has its own security team to manage all activity in the venue itself. The New York Police Department (NYPD) is responsible for managing security matters on public streets and in public spaces, including responses to protests or demonstrations that happen outside the venue. Neither Radio City Music Hall nor Barnard has jurisdiction for anything that occurs outside the venue.

BARNARD COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND EVENT POLICIES

• The College does not prohibit graduating students from wearing stoles, cords, or other decorations for their regalia, as long as they fall within the Barnard Student Code of Conduct and the College’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment and Related Procedures. There is no pre-approval process for regalia decoration.
• To honor the spirit and significance of this occasion, we do not permit the interruption of speakers or audience disruptions. The College’s Policy for Safe Campus Demonstrations and Rules for Maintenance of Public Order apply to all Barnard Commencement events, including the ceremony at Radio City Music Hall. Anyone interrupting or disrupting the proceedings will be asked to discontinue and may be asked to leave the venue. This applies to all Barnard College Commencement related events. 

ABOUT THE CEREMONY

• Based on previous years' ceremonies, we anticipate the 2024 Barnard Commencement to last approximately 3 hours. Please make sure to consider meeting up with your graduate/guests and navigating the traffic around Radio City Music Hall following the end of the event in your planning for post-ceremony activities. 
• There are two large screens flanking the stage which will show speakers at the lectern, as well as students’ names and majors as they cross the stage in alphabetical order by last name. 
• Diplomas are mailed out 6-8 weeks following Commencement to the permanent address on file with the Registrar’s Office; inquiries about diplomas should go to registrar@barnard.edu.
• Grad Images will take a photo of students individually once they cross the stage. 
  • Finding graduate photos after the ceremony is easy. Visit www.GradImages.com to view and purchase custom photo products like prints, plaques, specialty gifts, and more.
  • You can also pre-register your contact information using the direct link below. Upon completion, you will receive a coupon code for 20% off an order of $50 or more.
    • https://www.gradimages.com/registration/
  • Questions or concerns regarding photos can be directed to the GradImages Customer Service Department at (800) 261-2576, online at www.gradimages.com, or via email at ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. 
• Barnard Commencement will be live streamed on the Commencement website. Please scroll down on the homepage to see the viewing screen on May 15.
• The College does not incorporate Latin honors as part of the Commencement ceremony, so there is no signification or mention of Latin honors as part of the regalia (i.e. cords), the printed program, or what is seen or heard when students cross the stage. Students may participate in the Commencement regardless of their Latin honors status. Latin honors, which appear on both the transcript and the diploma, are determined in June after grades are finalized for all graduating seniors. Further questions about Latin honors can be directed to registrar@barnard.edu. 
• Graduates and guests will be able to get up from their seats during the ceremony to move into the lobby and re-enter the auditorium (e.g. if they need to use the restroom). Graduates are encouraged to consider timing, particularly during the reading of students' names, to ensure that the alphabetical order that students are assembled in can be maintained. All exits from the venue are considered final.