May Commencement Program

Below are the second drafts of the May 2024 Commencement Programs. The second draft includes all changes received by noon on Friday, April 5. 

• May 2024 Commencement Program - Second Draft
• May 2024 Law Commencement Program - Second Draft

Commencement Program Review Instructions

Please carefully review the applicable information below.  Please be aware that there are still some pieces of information that are in red type in the document. The red type indicates that we’re still working on this information.   

If you would like to make a change, please email the the following information to the appropriate email address below.  All changes must be submitted by 12 PM (noon) on Monday, April 29th.

• Your name and full ID number.   
• The page number of the document where the change should take place.   
• What is the change?  

Main Program: Submit all changes to registrar@drake.edu.
Law Program: Submit all changes to kris.magill@drake.edu.

1.  Printed Name  (you can use Ctrl+F to find your name) 
   • For all students
   • Ensure that your first, middle (your preference), and last names are listed accurately.  
2. Degree & Major 
   • For all students
   • Ensure that your degree and majors are listed correctly. We do not print minors or concentrations in the program.  
3.  Honors   
   • For undergraduate and professional health care level students.  
   • If your name is not listed with a particular honor and you believe it should be, it is your responsibility to communicate with us so we can check with your college and make the appropriate changes to the document.  
   • Latin honors (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude) : Because grades for the Spring 2024 semester are due after commencement takes place, Latin honors for the commencement program only include grades through the Fall 2023 semester. If that changes upon completion, your correct honor will be reflected on your diploma and academic transcript.  
   • Honor Societies: If the text under the honor society is listed in red, we have not yet received the list of current students from the honor society advisor.
4. Dissertation/Capstone Title and Dissertation/Capstone Advisor   
   • For Ed.D. and Ph.D. students only (pg.33 on document).  
   • Please provide your advisor name and dissertation/capstone titles.
5. Law Certificates  
   • For law students only.   

Additional Notes for Graduates

I.  If you have not filed a graduation application by February 15th, there is no guarantee that your name will appear in the commencement program because of printing/proofreading deadlines.  Please file your application ASAP.  Your graduation application not only gets your name listed in the program, it also assures you a seat among the graduates from your college during the commencement ceremony and assures that the college will process your degree release in a timely manner. 

II.  According to a Faculty Senate ruling from Spring 2005, colleges will not be able to "release your degree" if you have an Incomplete grade (I) earned in any course from Spring 2005 to the present time. Until your degree is released, no diploma will be mailed and your transcript will not say you have graduated.   Keep this in mind as you complete this semester's work.

III.  Related to item II above, if all the work for your degree is not completed within 45 days after the end of the term your graduation term will be moved forward to the next term.  That is, if you are an anticipated May graduate but you still have outstanding work by July 8, 2024 your diploma and transcript will not say you are a May graduate. Your graduation date will be moved forward to August 2024.