With Commencement Weekend nearly here, we want to share a few tips to help make this a great weekend for all.
On Commencement Sunday, June 8
The Williams Quad, our outdoor Commencement venue, will open at 8:00 a.m. The procession begins at 9:30 a.m. and the ceremony itself begins at 10:00 a.m. Please plan to occupy only six seats per graduate in the Williams Quad, and please refrain from saving seats. If additional guests plan to attend, we invite them to sit in Chapin Hall, immediately adjacent to the Williams Quad, where the ceremony will be live-streamed. This venue is air-conditioned, offers comfortable seating, and is fully accessible.
Please review accommodations for our guests with disabilities.
Comprehensive information about parking and access for visitors with disabilities can be found here. We ask that you arrive early by 8:30 a.m. Sunday for Commencement–so that we can help you from where you’ll park to where you’ll be seated.
Be prepared for all kinds of weather.
Commencement at Williams is an outdoor event unless predictions for electrical storms or torrential downpours would endanger attendees. A forecast of light or moderate rain won’t move the ceremony indoors, so please pay close attention to the weather forecast. Bring a raincoat and umbrella or (if we end up with bright blue skies) a hat, sunscreen, a water bottle, and sunglasses, as there will be little to no shade. Again, the ceremony will be live-streamed in Chapin Hall, adjacent to the Commencement site, so you can always take a “weather break” there.
The ceremony lasts approximately two hours. The location of family seating will allow you to get up, stretch, and walk around without interrupting the proceedings. Water coolers will be stationed at convenient locations around the Commencement site, but we recommend you bring a water bottle as well. Complimentary coffee will be available at Lee Snack Bar from 7:30-10:30 a.m. There will also be a selection of baked goods for purchase.
In the event of extreme or dangerous weather, we will move the Commencement ceremony to the Lansing Chapman Ice Rink. Admission will be limited to four guests per senior, and only those holding electronic tickets (which your student should email to you) will be allowed to enter. The ceremony will be live-streamed into the MainStage of the ‘62 Center and will be available for viewing off campus as well, which may be the most comfortable option.
On Class Day Saturday, June 7
No tickets are required for Ivy Exercises. The ceremony will be held in the Williams Quad with the procession stepping off at 1:05pm.
*Rain location: In the event of heavy rain or dangerous weather at any point over the weekend, the location for Ivy Exercises will be Chapin Hall. As seating is first-come first-served, additional guests are invited to view a simulcast from the Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall.
Baccalaureate is held in Chapin Hall and is a ticketed event. If your student has reserved tickets for you and they have sent them (electronically) to you, you should take your seat in Chapin Hall before the processional begins. If you choose to watch the procession outdoors, you will not be guaranteed a seat within Chapin Hall. Once the procession has entered the building, any remaining available seats will be available first-come, first-served. Anyone who does not get a seat within Chapin is invited to watch the live stream from Brooks Rogers and Presser Choral Hall.
This Commencement map will help you find all rain-or-shine venues and parking places. Review the full weekend schedule here.
Rain or shine, Commencement 2025 promises to be a wonderful event for you and your graduating Williams student. For now, we thank you for being flexible, remind you to pack some rain gear, and wish you a safe journey to Williamstown.