Commencement Ceremony

Tickets, ordered in advance by the graduate, are required for all guests. Due to limited seating in the Calvin Fieldhouse, tickets are distributed through Calvin graduates only. Each graduate is entitled to up to four (4) tickets for the Fieldhouse and up to two (2) tickets for the Fine Arts Center or Gezon Auditoriums.

The Commencement ceremony is televised and projected on a theater-sized screen for overflow audiences in the Fine Arts Center, Chapel, and Gezon Auditoriums. These venues provide an ideal location for guests who may appreciate a more comfortable venue (air-conditioning, auditorium seating) than the Fieldhouse (bleacher seating).

Each graduate received a Commencement ticket order form at Senior Salute back in February. Commencement ticket orders are being filled, but tickets will not be available for pick up by the graduate until May 19 and 20. Graduates may pick up their Commencement tickets at the Calvin Box Office at the following times:

. Thursday, May 19: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
. Friday, May 20: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
. Saturday, May 21: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Note: Each graduate may pick up only their own ticket order and must show their Calvin student ID. Any graduate who places tickets on the "will-call" list for a family member to pick up from the Box Office (also during the hours listed above) must leave that family member's name with the Box Office. That family member must show proper identification when picking up the tickets.

The original plan for ticket distribution was to have graduates pick up their Commencement tickets from the Calvin Box Office between May 9-20, but those plans have changed. Tickets will now be distributed to the graduates on May 19 and 20. This change provides the college additional time to prepare an information sheet, included with the tickets, that will communicate details unknown at this time. Details such as earlier arrival times to enter the Fieldhouse, parking information, additional security measures, etc. Most of these details are determined by Secret Service personnel just prior to President Bush's visit, so the college will not have this information until just prior to Commencement.

Please continue to refer to this Commencement Web site for for all news updates and advisories pertaining to Commencement 2005 as well as information regarding the distribution of tickets.

Senior Brunch

Tickets are not required. Please note that the Senior Brunch on Saturday, May 21 is an event for the class of 2005 graduates only. In consideration of space limitations in the Commons Dining Hall, the college is not able to accommodate parents or other family members at this event.

Breakfast for Parents of Graduates

Tickets, purchased in advance by parents, are required. This is a new event for parents to be held in the Prince Conference Center on Saturday, May 21 from 9:00-11:00 am. Join President Byker and other Calvin administrators for this special Commencement Weekend event. Your ticket also includes admission to tour the "Petra: Lost City of Stone" exhibition on display in the Prince Conference Center. This exhibition will be on the third and final leg of its U.S. journey, and features over 200 exceptional objects from Petra, the ancient middle-eastern city in Jordan. Tickets for the breakfast and Petra tour are $25 per person. The ticket order form is included in the Commencement brochure mailed to all Calvin parents in December 2004, or simply contact the Calvin Box Office at 616-526-6282.

Seating for this event is limited to the first 230 parents who place their order. Tickets for this event will not be sold after May 16, 2005. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will be mailed directly to the parents' home. (Note: During this event the graduates will be participating in the annual Senior Brunch held in the Commons Dining Hall).

Petra: Lost City of Stone

The most comprehensive exhibition ever presented on the ancient middle eastern city of Petra comes to Calvin College for the third and final leg of its U.S. journey, featuring over 200 exceptional objects - many on display for the first time in North America.

• Thursday, May 19: 9:30 am - 9:00 pm
• Friday, May 20: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
• Saturday, May 21: 9:30 am - 6:00 pm

Individual tickets prices for the Petra: Lost City of Stone exhibition are:

• $12 for adults
• $10 for senior citizens (ages 65 and older)
• $10 for college students with ID
• $8 for children (ages 5-17)
• Children under the age of 5 are free of charge

Call (616) 526-7800 or toll-free at 800-PETRA05