Graduate Arrival: Graduates must arrive no later than 6:00 p.m.
Guest Entry: Doors open to guests at 6:30 p.m.
The ceremony will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. Guests should be seated before the program starts.
*Only clear bags will be allowed inside the arena. Diaper bags are acceptable but will be searched. Please direct any questions or concerns to banner-registrar@asumidsouth.edu.*
Graduation Rehearsal
To help things run smoothly, a required rehearsal will be held on Tuesday, May 12th at 11:00 a.m. in Lehr Arena, located next to West Memphis High School. The rehearsal will last approximately two hours. During rehearsal, you’ll review your name card –please double-check the spelling of your name and confirm that it’s listed under the correct degree.
Guest Tickets
This will be announced at a later date.
Every guest—regardless of age, including infants and toddlers—must have a ticket to enter the venue.
Cap and Gown Pickup
Graduation regalia will be available for pickup beginning May 1 at 9:00 a.m. and will end May 12 at 4:30 p.m. at the Registrar’s Office in the Reynolds Center, Room RC 130.
Regalia Guidelines
Graduates participating in the ceremony are required to wear the following:
- Black cap and gown must be completely zipped before processing to the student seating area.
- Red tassel
- Graduates may only wear items issued by ASU Mid-South. Regalia, stoles, cords or other items obtained from outside ASU Mid-South will be removed and not returned.
- No high heels
- White Cord – Cumulative GPA of 3.25 to 3.49
- Red Cord – Cumulative GPA of 3.5 to 3.79
- Gold Cord – Cumulative GPA of 3.8 to 4.0
- Red, White, and Blue Cord – Student Veterans
- Student Organizations – please see the following for information on ordering regalia:
- Trio SSS — Angshylea Wilson
- Phi Theta Kappa — April Holland
- Sigma Kappa Delta — Chris Tindall
- Athletics — see your coach
- Skills USA-Katherine Stoddard
Caps may be decorated, but designs must not distract from the ceremony or obstruct the view of other graduates or guests. Any decorations that do not meet these standards may be removed.
Tassel Position: Tassels should be worn on the right side of the cap before the ceremony and will be moved to the left when Dr. West directs graduates to do so.
Venue Information
Lehr Arena
503 W Broadway
West Memphis, AR 72301
Guests will enter through the West entrance and should find their seats promptly. All audience members are asked to remain seated until the conclusion of the ceremony’s recessional to allow students, faculty, and staff to exit safely.
Arrival Times: Graduate entrance will open at 5:45pm. Guest Entrance will open at 6:15PM.
For The Comfort and Safety of All Guests
To help create a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone attending, we kindly ask that guests leave the following items in your vehicle:
- Balloons – While festive, they can block the view of others.
- Airhorns – These can be overwhelming for guests with sensitive hearing and may disrupt the ceremony.
- Flowers – Some guests may have allergies, and we want to keep the air clear and comfortable for all.
- Stuffed Animals – These can take up seating space or block the view of others.
These items can be given to your graduate after exiting the arena. We appreciate your understanding as we work to make this a smooth and memorable celebration for all graduates and guests.
Diploma Process
All diplomas will be mailed through Parchment. Each graduate will receive an email prompting them to create an account that can be accessed on demand. This is a necessary step to receiving the diploma. Summer completers will not receive their diploma until all courses are satisfactorily completed.
Arkansas State University Recognition
Graduates who attend Arkansas State University through the ASU Mid-South campus will also be recognized during the ceremony. These graduates will cross the stage and be acknowledged by the A-State Chancellor either before or after ASU Mid-South graduates.
