2021 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

SATURDAY, May 22, 2021

All information is subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The May 2021 commencement ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 22 at 1:00 p.m. at Franklin Field at the Rock Sports Complex (7035 S. Ballpark Drive, Franklin, WI). Wisconsin Lutheran College will recognize its winter 2020 and spring 2021 graduates at the event.

This outdoor venue was chosen for its larger capacity to offer physically distanced seating and to accommodate 2,000 guests. The stadium is the home of the Milwaukee Milkmen, an independent professional baseball team; it is located about 20 minutes south of WLC.

Two large, free surface parking lots are available near the stadium entrance; they hold more than 1,000 vehicles and have handicapped-accessible spaces.

Graduating students will be seated six feet apart on the infield, facing a covered stage set-up just beyond second base. Guests will be seated in stadium seats. Masks/face coverings are recommended by the Franklin Health Department inside the Franklin Field Stadium; however, they are not required.

Since this is an outdoor venue with minimal overhead cover, every participant and guest will receive a compact, clear rain poncho if needed when entering the stadium. Umbrellas are not permitted inside the stadium. The event will be held rain or shine.

NOTE: There will be no rehearsal for commencement. Faculty and staff will guide the graduating students through the ceremony details during the event.

Tickets

Graduating students were able to request up to nine (9) tickets for the ceremony (eight guests plus themselves). Children 2 years of age and under will not need a ticket to enter the stadium, provided they will be seated on someone's lap and won't be occupying a seat.

Seating is general admission and will on a first-come, first-served basis. Handicapped-accessible seating is available in several areas of the stadium. Gates will open at 11:00 a.m.

Tickets will be handled electronically to provide a touchless entry system. Graduating students received a link for reserving tickets. Guests will receive their tickets through their graduate. The deadline to request tickets was April 23. On April 29, those who requested additional tickets will be notified if their request was able to be fulfilled. All tickets must be acquired in advance; no tickets will be distributed or available at the gate.

Caps, Gowns, and Honor Cords

• Traditional undergraduate students may pick up their caps and gowns from WLC's mailroom beginning Monday, May 10 during regular mailroom hours.
• Students in the School of Adult and Graduate Studies (accelerated degree completion and master's degree students) may pick up their caps and gowns (and hoods for master's degree students) in the AGS offices beginning Monday, May 10. 
• Cords for Latin academic honors will be distributed to eligible students at commencement.
• WLC recognizes graduating students who have served our country by providing them with red, white, and blue honor cords to wear at commencement. If you are an honorably discharged U.S. veteran student, an ROTC student commissioning upon graduation, or are currently serving in the U.S. military, you are authorized to wear a Military and Veteran Graduation Cord. If you meet any of these criteria, please contact Registrar Brett Valerio so he can give you this cord at commencement.

Photography

• Due to the larger venue, the event will be broadcast on a video board on the third-base side. There will not be an opportunity for ticketed guests to take personal, up-close photos of graduates during the actual ceremony.
• A professional photographer will take individual photos when graduates receive their diploma. We will supply ordering information closer to commencement.
• The ceremony will be live-streamed online for friends and family members who are unable to attend.

Additional Information 

• As graduating students plan for commencement, please note that HIGH HEELED SHOES ARE NOT ALLOWED on the turf at Franklin Field. In order to protect the turf field and ensure the safety of graduates, high heels and stiletto heels will not be permitted on the field. Flat-bottomed shoes must be worn. Shoes with separate heels will damage the field and are a safety hazard when walking on the turf.
• Graduating students may order graduation announcements and other products directly from Jostens.
• To order a diploma frame, please visit the Warriors Fan Shop on campus.

VISIT THE MAIN COMMENCEMENT PAGE