Family and Friends

Family and Friends

For any families who would like to plan to visit Binghamton and celebrate with their graduate off-campus, visit the Greater Binghamton Convention and Visitor's Bureau for information on hotels and restaurants. The occurrence of all Commencement activities will depend on NYS guidelines at the time of the event.

Class of 2025 Commencement Ceremonies

Parking

Follow the signs upon arrival on campus for guest and graduate parking near the Events Center.

Arriving to Commencement

Guests should NOT arrive to campus earlier than one hour prior to ceremony start time as parking will not be available. There is a changeover period in the parking lots between ceremonies. If you arrive on campus exactly one hour prior to ceremonies, traffic will be less prevelant and parking will be available closer to the venue.
Guests will need to have tickets on their phone or printed prior to arriving at the venue.

Doors at all ceremonies will open for guests 45 minutes prior* to the beginning of the ceremony. Graduates should arrive to Commencement one hour prior to the ceremony to check in and line up. Graduates should follow the instructions sent to them the week of Commencement and signs to enter the Anderson Center or Events Center on the floor level.

*Door times subject to change

Ceremony Time

Each ceremony should last between an hour and a half and 2 hours.

Venue Guidelines
  • To ensure a positive experience for all guests and participants: noisemakers and signs are PROHIBITED.
  • For the safety of all guests and participants, large bags, backpacks and balloons are PROHIBITED.
Accessibility Accommodations for Guests and/or Graduates

Visit the Commencement Accessibility Planning webpage for information and to notify the Commencement Office of accessibility needs.

Livestream

If family/friends cannot make your ceremony, be sure to have them tune in live. Every ceremony will be live streamed and accessible from the Binghamton University YouTube Channel.

International Guests

If you need to apply for a visa in order to attend the Commencement ceremony, be sure to have your student write a letter of invitation. Be sure to have them include:

  • Their name, the reason for them living in the U.S. and their current immigration status (likely F-1 or J-1)
  • The names of your family members who wish to visit, an explanation of the purpose of their visit and how long they expect to stay
  • A copy of your I20’s/DS-2019, if you feel comfortable doing so.

If you require confirmation of Commencement dates on University Letterhead, visit the ISSS Forms webpage and find the “Invitation to Graduation” form under “Letters of Support.”

If you still have questions regarding international guests, please contact International Student and Scholar Services at isss@binghamton.edu.

COVID-19 Guidelines

At this time, there are no restrictions in place. We encourage you to check back to see if any guidelines are required to meet for Commencement.

Not Allowed in the Venue:

Pets: No pets will be allowed who are not trained service dogs that work to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability. Only service animals defined by  Federal regulations will be allowed. Assistance animals (or emotional support animals) are not included in Federal regulations. Binghamton is committed to ensuring that commencement is accessible to everyone. 

The following items will not be allowed inside the commencement venue:

  • Balloons
  • Bags or backpacks (small clutches allowed)
  • Noise-making devices
  • Flags, signs or banners