The 2019 Commencement Weekend will take place from Friday, May 17, through Sunday, May 19, 2019. Commencement Weekend begins on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. with the Baccalaureate Services of The Claremont Colleges, culminating with the Commencement Ceremony and Reception on Sunday morning at 10 a.m.
Foreign policy expert Esther Brimmer '83 will deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2019.
Foreign policy expert and academic, Esther Brimmer '83, will deliver the main address. Brimmer is the executive director and CEO of NAFSA, the Association of International Educators. Her career includes three appointments within the U.S. Department of State, serving most recently as the assistant secretary for International Organization Affairs.
No tickets are required for the Commencement Ceremony, and it will be streamed live on YouTube.
Other highlights of the three-day weekend include the Phi Beta Kappa Induction Ceremony on Friday, May 17, and Class Day on Saturday, May 18. Featured speakers accompany the presentation of academic prizes and awards at Class Day. The Class Day Dinner immediately follows the Class Day program and offers a festive celebration for seniors, their families, friends, faculty and staff. Ticket information available in spring*. Everyone is invited to attend An Evening of Music and Art, featuring the Glee Club; the Senior Art Show; and refreshments in the Carolyn Lyon Garden later that evening. No tickets are required for An Evening of Music and Art.
All of The Claremont Colleges have graduation on the same weekend, and accommodations for out-of-town guests are sometimes scarce. It is best to make reservations early. You can consult our list of nearby hotels. Please contact the hotel directly for reservations.
If you have questions, please contact Stephanie Navarro at (909) 621-8131 or via email. For updates, bookmark this page.
Special Needs
Guests attending the ceremony in wheelchairs or requiring a Sign Language interpreter should contact the President’s Office. Headsets for guests who would like hearing assistance will be available for checkout from the Information Booth on Marston Quad before the ceremony. A wheelchair accessible seating area will be available near the northeast corner of the venue for special needs guests and one attendant.
Local Wheelchair Provider
Pomona Medical Supply
733 E. Holt Avenue
Pomona, CA 91767
(909) 623-4378
On-Screen Viewing & Live Streaming
A large-screen, direct audio-visual feed is available during the ceremony in air-conditioned Bridges Hall of Music. The entire ceremony will be streamed live from www.pomona.edu/commencement for those unable to attend.
Translation
To hear a simultaneous interpretation of the Commencement ceremony in Mandarin or Spanish, please check out a complimentary headset at the Information Booth on Marston Quad.
2019 Commencement Schedule
Academic departments also hold special events for students and their families. The schedule for 2019 academic department and other special events will be posted in April.
Friday, May 17, 2019
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 3:30 p.m. | Baccalaureate Service of The Claremont Colleges (Garrison Theater) |
| 5 p.m. | Phi Beta Kappa Induction: Students who will be installed are notified just prior to spring break (Lyman Hall) |
Saturday, May 18, 2019
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Departmental Receptions Schedule of Departmental Events |
| 3 p.m. | Commencement Rehearsal: mandatory for all graduates (Stover Walk) |
| 3:30 p.m. | Class Picture and Senior Parade (Carnegie steps) |
| 4 p.m. | Class Day Ceremony: speakers, music, academic prizes and awards (Merritt Field) |
| 5:30 p.m. | Class Day Dinner*: For all graduates, families, faculty, and staff (Merritt Field) |
| 8 p.m. | Concert, Pomona College Glee Club (Bridges Hall of Music) |
| 9 p.m. | Senior Art Exhibition (Studio Art Hall) |
| 9 - 10:15 p.m. | Refreshments (Carolyn Lyon Garden) |
Sunday, May 19, 2019
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 9:30 a.m. | Procession assembles (Stover Walk) |
| 10 a.m. | Commencement Exercises (Marston Quadrangle). The ceremony lasts approximately two hours, and a reception follows. No tickets are required for Commencement. |
*All Class Day Dinner tickets (both complimentary and paid) must be ordered online. For questions about tickets, please contact the Box Office at (909) 607-1139 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday) or email PomonaEvents@pomona.edu. For all other Class Day questions, please contact Christopher Waugh, dean of campus life, at christopher.waugh@pomona.edu.
Preparing for Commencement - 2019
Senior Salute
Senior Salute will take place on Thursday, March 7 from 5 – 6:30 p.m. in Edmunds Ballroom. Senior Salute is an event sponsored by the Senior Class President, Smith Campus Center, Jostens, and Collegiate Cap and Gown. Seniors may take care of many Commencement details in one place and one time. Graduating seniors order caps and gowns, class rings, diploma frames, and meet with the Alumni, Annual Giving, and Career Development staff. The Senior Salute date will be announced in the spring.
September and December Graduates who are unable to attend the Senior Salute may order caps and gowns at the Coop Store, or by contacting Brenda Schmit or calling (909) 621-8984.
Caps and Gowns
Caps and gowns are provided at no cost, and will be distributed to graduating seniors on Monday, May 6 and Tuesday, May 7 from 1-4 p.m. in Smith Campus Center 235. Students must return their caps and gowns on Stover Walk immediately after the Commencement ceremony on May 19.
Class Day
"Class Day" is a Pomona College tradition, held on Saturday, May 18, the day before Commencement. Class Day begins with academic receptions in the morning and culminates in senior academic and leadership awards and a celebratory dinner for seniors and their guests on Merritt Field. Every graduating student can order up to three complimentary dinner tickets. Additional tickets can be purchased for $10 each. All tickets (both complimentary and paid) must be ordered online by May 3. Please note that you will need the graduating student's ID number to place your order. Tickets will be available for pickup by students (with ID) at the Bridges Auditorium Box Office from May 6-17.
For questions about tickets, please contact the Box Office at (909) 607-1139 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday) or by emailing PomonaEvents@pomona.edu. For all other Class Day questions, please contact Christopher Waugh, dean of campus life, at christopher.waugh@pomona.edu.
Optional Items for Purchase
Flowers: Sherwood Florist, a local Claremont establishment, is providing a special assortment of leis and bouquets at a discount for Pomona College families who pre-order for Commencement. Flowers ordered in advance can be picked up on campus on Sunday, May 19, before the Commencement ceremony. Please note that flowers will not be available for sale on campus – only pick-ups of pre-orders.
College Lei - Sherwood Florist
Commencement Announcements: Some families choose to send commencement announcements to families and friends who are unable to attend the ceremony. If you would like to purchase announcements for your student, you may do so at www.jostens.com.
Diploma Frames: Special frames for your student’s Pomona College diploma are available for sale at the Coop Store. Order yours by calling (909) 607-2264 or visiting www.framingsuccess.com.
Senior Portraits: Special photography packages are available from Sonja Stump Photography in the Claremont Village. View the pricing guide [pdf] or contact the photographer for more package options.
Ceremony Photographs: A photographer will be present at the ceremony to photograph seniors as they receive their diplomas. After Commencement, photograph order forms will be mailed to the graduate’s permanent address.
More questions? Please contact Stephanie Navarro in the President’s Office at (909) 621-8131.