Important Info for Nursing Convocation and Commencement

Seniors participating in the May 2024 Convocation and Commencement ceremonies should read the following important information and dates. Please read carefully and retain for reference through the end of the semester. 

Nursing Convocation questions may be directed to Shaun Ketterman, skett2@uky.edu. 

UK Commencement questions may be directed to commencement@uky.edu.

Important Dates

March 3 – Last day to order pin – see link in later section

March 19 through 21 - Grad Salute – at third floor Gatton Student Center Harris Ballroom.  Buy cap, gown, tassels and cover other important details relative to the end of school. You may also purchase from UK Bookstore. https://www.ukalumni.net/s/grad-salute

Beginning March 19 - register for UK Commencement – see your name on the jumbo-tron, under your picture as you cross the platform.  https://commencement.uky.edu/registration. 

March 31 – Last day to register for Convocation – see link in later section     

May 2 – 2:00-4:00 pm – Nursing Convocation Rehearsal, Singletary Concert Hall

May 3 – 9:00-11:00 am – Nursing Convocation Ceremony; arrive by 8:15am

May 4 - 9:00-11:00 am – University Commencement, Rupp Arena; arrive by 8:15 am

No tickets are required for either ceremony.

The events leading up to and including the ceremonies are all planned to make this celebration even better for you and those who love and support you.  Your part is to show up on time, prepared. Please pay attention to emails and scan The Dose to be sure you don’t miss any notifications. 

Academic Preparation – address any questions to your Nursing advisor (Corey, Tara, Shaun, Zac, or Hadley)

1. Check your MyUK GPS audit to be sure all credit is posted – summer courses missing?  Have official transcript sent to UK Admissions (NOT CON).
2. Repeat options – did you take something twice and need to replace the first grade?  File a repeat option form to have only second grade count in your GPA.
3. Do you have a minor or Lewis Honors College designation that you are not completing? Be sure to drop them officially!  Send email to your advisor if you do know how to drop these programs.
4. Verify accurate mailing address in myUK, your permanent address is especially important

Academic Honors - Review your transcript for Latin Honors based on cumulative GPA earned at UK. You may purchase honor cords for the following categories when you purchase cap and gown at the Bookstore or Grad Salute. 

Departmental Honors – Students who attain a 3.7 or higher major GPA will earn Nursing Dept. Honors, designated by an apricot & white variegated cord. If you order your own cord elsewhere, “peach” is sometimes used as a synonym of “apricot”.

Summa Cum Laude - Students who attain a grade-point average of 3.8 GPA or higher for at least 3 years (90 hours) of work at UK (excepting correspondence study) shall be graduated Summa Cum Laude, designated by gold double cords.

Magna Cum Laude - Students who attain a grade-point average of 3.6 GPA or higher for at least 3 years (90 hours) of work at UK (excepting correspondence study) shall be graduated Magna Cum Laude, designated by white & gold cords.

Cum Laude - Students who attain a grade-point average of 3.4 GPA or higher for at least 3 years (90 hours) of work at UK (excepting correspondence study) shall be graduated Cum Laude, designated by white double cords.

Please Note: Students with a minimum of two years (60 hours) but less than three years (90 hours) of work at UK can purchase the appropriate commencement honors if they attain a grade-point average of 0.2 greater than those specified for three years of residence work. (3.6 Cum Laude; 3.8 Magna Cum Laude; 4.0 Summa Cum Laude)

Sigma Theta Tau Honor Cord – if you are an inducted member of the Delta Psi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, you will be provided an honor cord from the Chapter. You shall be contacted by the Chapter regarding receiving the cord.

College of Nursing Ambassadors – if you served as a CON Ambassador, you will be provided with an honor cord from the Ambassadors advisor, Stephanie Konkel, Stephanie.konkel@uky.edu.

Veterans of any branch of the military are eligible to wear a Military Honor Cord.  Cords are available at no charge from the Veterans’ Resource Center in Ericksen Hall.

Nursing Convocation Ceremony

All grads shall be pinned by faculty. 

There is no limit on the number of guests a graduate may invite, and outside of accessible seating, guests may sit anywhere in Singletary that is not marked by a reserved seating sign.

Check list for graduates:

1. Purchase your pin: The following link will take you to the site to order.  https://www.jimcolemanstore.com/kentucky/  Deadline to order is March 3. All grads must purchase a pin. Sterling silver pins are $32.00. Gold-filled pins are $49.75. You are expected to bring your own pin with you to the Ceremony!
2. Complete a survey for the CON with information that we use to create the program and select a student award.  Please do this quickly, before you start your synthesis hours. Survey closes Sunday, March 31. The survey is linked here: https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ahOs3y6RQ6XmI3I. Please complete this survey even if you do not want to participate in Nursing Convocation. It will allow you to decline participation.
3. The Nursing Convocation Ceremony will include a slide with the name, accepted job, and picture of each participant. If you participated in the composite picture session on Feb. 2, we will use your picture from that and you do not need to submit an additional photo. If you did not participate, please submit a headshot, to ukcollegeofnursing@gmail.com by April 1 with the subject line “Convocation Photo”. Image type must be JPG or PNG and image size may be no smaller than 512 px wide by 384 px tall. If you do not submit a photo meeting these criteria by the deadline, your slide will not show a photo. If you are not participating in Nursing Convocation, do not submit a photo.
4. The facility is handicap accessible but we may need to arrange for special seating. If you will have any guests who need accessible seating, please notify Shaun Ketterman ASAP.
5. A follow up survey will be sent to all Nursing Convocation ceremony participants on April 18 for you to let us know if you have accepted employment so that information may be included in your slide. You will be required to complete the survey by April 20. Failure to do so by the deadline will result in this information not being included in your slide. 

One of the items on the survey is to nominate a classmate for the Taylor Davis Award. Take the time to honor someone who has been a friend, a supporter, or a guiding light to you and your class. Taylor died tragically during her junior year in 2014.  She had a powerful impact on people all over campus because she did not know a stranger; from custodians and grounds keepers to senior level administrators.  People wanted to be around her – in class, in clinical, at work – she was fun and supportive.  From her job as manager of Starbucks in the KY Clinic, she influenced a lot of people as well as her role as student. 

Grad Salute (March. 19-21) is sponsored by the Alumni Association and is organized to bring into one place many vendors and campus support offices that play a role in graduation. It is one stop shopping and a great place to buy your cap & gown, regalia, and personalized invitations. 

There will be photography at Convocation and at the UK commencement ceremony.  You will have the opportunity to purchase copies and you will be e-mailed by the company to the e-mail you register for Convocation with.  The photography company, Grad Images, will contact you. 

Event Details

Rehearsal (May 2) – please arrive by 2:00 pm at the Singletary Center Recital Hall.  There will be some announcements and a few details to clean up.  Rehearsal will start promptly at 2:15. No dress code.

Nursing Convocation (May 3) – arrive by 8:15 am at the Singletary Center Recital Hall. Cap and gown required. Lineup will start promptly at 8:45 and the ceremony will start at 9:00. 

UK Commencement (May 4) – arrive by 8:15 am at Rupp Arena to check in and line up – cap and gown required.

Parking: For Nursing Convocation, the best option is structure #5 on S. Limestone. There is drop-off space in front of Singletary but no parking around the building.  Staff lots will be on patrol that morning.  For UK Commencement, you will receive updates from the Commencement Office if you sign up for the ceremony. 

Housekeeping Details

Clean out your locker and remove the lock by the end of finals. Turn in your badge and Student Nurse tag at your last presentation for synthesis or at the Pinning rehearsal. 

Pay all fines/financial holds: Transcripts and diploma will be held until fees are paid.

Degrees will be verified to Registrar within ten working days after grades are due.  Transcripts will be updated within 15 working days after that. 

Diplomas are mailed in mid-July. 

Out-of-state applications for licenses

Please work with Corey Moore, CoreyA.Moore@uky.edu, on completing the forms and obtaining the necessary signatures for out-of-state license requests.  Start early and read all the instructions about what is required.  You will need to make a request for an official transcript with the Registrar in 10 Funkhouser or online at www.uky.edu/registrar and look for transcript request information.  Mark “HOLD FOR DEGREE”.