Class of 2024 Graduate School Commencement

Important Dates and Times

See the list of topics at the bottom of this page for more information.

Date Event Time/Location
Monday, April 1 Ticket Registration An email will be sent on April 1 with ticket registration information
Wednesday, April 3 Grad Fair 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Campus Center
Friday, April 12 Graduation Application Due Call the Registrar at 614-823-1350 to apply for graduation.
Monday, April 22 Lavender Graduation 5 p.m. Philomathean Room
Saturday, April 27 Noble Transitions 6 p.m. Cowan Hall
Saturday, April 27 A Toast to the Class of 2024 7:00 p.m. The Point; 7:45 p.m. President Comerford’s Toast
Sunday, April 28 Graduate Commencement Ceremony 2:30 p.m. Fritsche Theatre in Cowan Hall

Ceremony

The Graduate School Commencement 2024 will be held Sunday, April 28, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. EST. The ceremony will be located at Fritsche Theatre in Cowan Hall and streamed live online.

Note: The graduate school ceremony does not require tickets.

Graduation Day – Sunday, April 28, 2024
1:30 p.m. Doors open
1:30 p.m. Flower sales begin
1:45 p.m. March line-up begins – Towers Plaza
2:30 p.m. Graduate School – Class of 2024 Commencement

Important Dates & Events

Lavender Graduation

The 11th annual Lavender Graduation is a pre-commencement event hosted by FreeZone, Tri Iota, WGSS, and the Office of Social Justice and Activism. Lavender Graduation affirms the achievements of LBGTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, nonbinary) graduates and their allies.

At the Lavender Graduation celebration, each student receives lavender cords to wear at their commencement ceremony and has a chance to share something about their experience and thank their support circle. The cords and the event validate a student’s strength and resilience — their commitment to their education, ambitions, and personhood.

Lavender Graduation will be held Monday, April 22, from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Philomeathean Room in Towers Hall.  Friends and family are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

You can request and wear the cords even if you do not attend the ceremony.

If you are a graduating senior and you would like to attend and/or receive a lavender cord, please fill out this online form by Monday, April 15, at 5 p.m.

Noble Transitions

The Office of Social Justice and Activism (OSJA) hosts a multicultural pre-graduation ceremony, Noble Transitions, to celebrate graduating students of color, international, and first-generation students. It is a time to officially celebrate their accomplishments as well as those of their friends and peers who are graduating.

During the ceremony, students will receive a kente stole, share a senior reflection, and thank those who have been influential in their success. Students often invite family, friends, faculty, and staff who have been instrumental in their Otterbein journey. All are welcome to attend. This year’s event will be held Saturday, April 27, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at the Fritsche Theatre in Cowan Hall. For more information, please contact the OSJA at 614-823-1312.

Nursing Pinning

The Otterbein Nursing Pinning ceremony is a unique and special ceremony for our nursing graduates. This ceremony is more than a nursing tradition, it is a symbol of our students’ hard work and dedication towards their coursework and clinicals.

This year’s event will be held Saturday, April 27, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Fritsche Theatre in Cowan Hall.

A Toast to the Class of 2024

This toast is a time of reflection, connection, and celebration. We will share stories of the Class of 2024, as seen through the eyes of their peers, faculty, and administrators. All graduates and their families are welcome to join us for this celebration to be held at The Point at Otterbein, 60 Collegeview Road on Saturday, April 27, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Light refreshments in addition to the toast will be provided. Don’t miss President Comerford’s toast to the Class of 2024 at 7:45 p.m..

Seating

Doors to the Clements Center will open at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, 2023. Guests must be seated by 5:30 p.m.

Seating for Special Needs Guests
Special needs guests with wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, walker, hearing impairments, etc., will be assigned to the limited accessible seating section along with a companion.

Guest Seating Expectations
Please note the following:

  • Placing chairs in any location, standing in any location, sitting in aisles, etc. are fire code violations and will not be permitted.

General Information for Family and Guests

Commencement FAQs

What happens if someone in my group loses their tickets or if one of my guests doesn’t have access to my tickets?
Tickets will be emailed to the graduating students. Graduates will need to forward their electronic tickets to their guests. Guests will also be permitted to display the ticket QR code to enter the ceremony.

An event box office at the Clements Recreation Center will be open one hour prior to each ceremony to assist guests with lost tickets.

Does my family need to come for me to participate in the ceremony?
We are proud of our graduates and look forward to celebrating this achievement as an Otterbein community. When you confirm your plans to attend as part of the online form, you will also be asked to confirm whether you need guest tickets and how many of your up to six allotted tickets you want to utilize.

Where can I get my honor cords?
Honor cords are distributed by different departments on campus. Not all departments have honor cords or stoles. If you have questions about where to get a departmental cord, please contact your department administrator. Students eligible for the Five Cardinal Experiences cords can pick up their items at the Grad Fair on Wednesday, April 3.

Is Otterbein selling flowers for the event?
Families can pre-order flowers to pick up on their way into the The Clements Recreation Center.

What commemorative items are available to celebrate and mark this occasion?
Jostens has a variety of special items to commemorate your college achievements and commencement day memories. To learn more about those items, you can visit their website for details about how to order announcements, rings and more.

Commencement Hotels in Westerville

Aloft Exterior

Aloft Columbus Westerville (1.7 miles)
Contact Information:
Address: 32 Heatherdown Drive, Westerville, OH 43081
Phone: 614-899-6560
Hotel Website >

Renaissance

The Renaissance Westerville-Polaris (1.5 miles)
Otterbein Commencement “Neighborhood” Reservations >

Contact Information:
Address: 409 Altair Parkway, Westerville, OH 43082
Phone: 614-882-6800
Hotel Website >

Other places to stay

We are excited to welcome you to Otterbein’s campus. If you need overnight accommodations for your visit to Otterbein, you’ll find a variety of hotels conveniently located near campus.

Westerville Hotels

Renaissance Westerville Hotel (1.5 miles)
Ask about the Otterbein Parent/Friend Rate or book your stay at a discount via the Renaissance “Neighborhood” page
409 Altair Parkway
Westerville, OH 43082
614-882-6800

Aloft Westerville Hotel (1.7 miles) Ask about the Otterbein Parent/Friend Rate
32 Heatherdown Dr
Westerville, OH 43081
614-899-6560 x7114

Nearby Hotels

Hampton Inn & Suites Columbus-Polaris (2.6 miles)
Ask about Otterbein Parent/Friend Rate
8411 Pulsar Place
Columbus, OH 43240
614-885-8400

Embassy Suites (2.7 miles)
Ask about Otterbein Parent/Friend Rate
2700 Corporate Exchange Drive
Columbus, OH 43231
614-890-8600

Holiday Inn Express Columbus-Worthington (5 miles)
Ask about Otterbein Parent/Friend Rate
55 Hutchinson Ave
Columbus, Ohio 43235
614-977-0520 (Hotel Main Number)
614-896-8452 (Direct Line)
cyannayon@EmeraldHospitality.com

Courtyard by Marriott (5.1 miles)
Ask about Otterbein Parent/Friend Rate
7411 Vantage Drive
Columbus, OH 43235
614-436-7070

Fairfield Inn & Suites Columbus Polaris (2.4 miles) 
9000 Worthington Road
Westerville, OH 43082
614-568-0770

Holiday Inn Express – Polaris (2.7 miles)
8670 Orion Place
Columbus, Ohio 43240
888-465-4329

Candlewood Suites Polaris (3.4 miles)
8515 Lyra Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43240
877-226-3539

Extended Stay America (3.4 miles)
8555 Lyra Drive
Columbus, OH 43240
614-431-5522

Hilton – Columbus / Polaris (3.4 miles)
8700 Lyra Drive
Columbus, OH 43240
614-885-1600

Hilton Garden Inn (3.4 miles)
8535 Lyra Drive
Columbus, OH 43240
614-846-8884

Comfort Inn North/Polaris (3.6 miles)
8400 Lyra Drive
Columbus, OH, 43240
614-791-9700

Note: Otterbein does not in any way endorse these businesses, products, or services. This listing is provided as a resource only and are subject to change.

Parking

Part of an enjoyable visit to Otterbein’s campus means ensuring you understand your parking options and that you have the opportunity to plan for your family’s unique circumstances.

To allow all of our guests to have a pleasant arrival and departure, we ask guests to honor the following:

  • If possible, we ask that you consider traveling with your family or guests. Doing so ensures that the majority of guests will be able to park within a short distance of the venue.
  • As we will be welcoming many guests to campus throughout the weekend, we ask that you please arrive no earlier than one hour of your scheduled ceremony and that you plan to depart no later than one hour after your ceremony’s conclusion.

Special Needs Drop-Off:
Guests who would have difficulty walking from the parking lot to the Clements Recreation Center can be dropped off closer to the building entrance.

Reserved handicapped parking is available. Guests will only need to show their accessible seating section tickets to be granted access to this reserved parking.

Graduation Photos

Grad Images will take each graduate’s picture as they cross the stage. A proof and order form will be mailed by the latter part of May.

According to Grad Images, all orders received by June 1 will be fulfilled and delivered by July 1. Late orders will be accepted until Dec. 31. You are under no obligation to purchase the pictures or respond to the Grad Images correspondence. Grad Images may be contacted via their website or at 1-800-261-2576.

Security Precautions

Please be aware that guests are subject to visual inspection of person, bags, and clothing capable of concealing prohibited items.

The following items are prohibited:

  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Coolers
  • Backpacks
  • Large handbags
  • Metal folding seat cushions
  • Seats that clamp to bleachers
  • Noise making devices
  • Mace or similar substances
  • Signs
  • Sticks
  • Poles
  • Weapons of any kind
  • Balloons and other items that would obstruct the sightline of any guests