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 2024 Commencement Ceremonies

Parking

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

Arriving to Commencement

Doors at Events Center ceremonies will open for guests one hour prior to the beginning of the ceremony. Doors at Anderson Center ceremonies will open for guests 30 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.

Ceremony Time

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

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.