Tickets

Commencement ceremony tickets

There is no charge for Commencement tickets, but they must be ordered in advance by the graduate. Each graduate will receive a Commencement ticket order form at Senior Salute (February 17-18, 2009).

Van Noord Arena seating

To accommodate family members and guests of about 930 graduates, each graduate may receive up to four tickets for the arena.

Overflow seating: Fine Arts Center and the Chapel

Graduates may also receive up to four tickets for overflow seating in either the Fine Arts Center, the Chapel or the Gezon Auditorium. The Fine Arts Center is the preferred venue for those who cannot use bleacher seating. If additional tickets for overflow seating are needed, students may note that on their ticket order form and these will be accommodated as space permits.

Ticket pick-up

Commencement tickets will be available for pick-up at the Calvin College Box Office by the graduate from May 11-22, 2009 (student ID required). Graduates will be responsible for distributing these tickets to parents, family members and other guests attending Commencement.

Guests requiring accessible seating or other accommodations

The Van Noord Arena is an accessible facility for our guests. Graduates need to communicate accommodations for any guest who will be in a wheelchair, is unable to climb steps, or will require any other accommodations including sign language, large print, or Braille. These arrangements must be communicated by the graduate in advance on the ticket order form or by contacting the Calvin Box Office at 616-526-6282. Please understand that guests requesting accessible seating and/or accommodations may not be able to sit with all members of his/her family/party.

Commencement Picnic tickets

Tickets are not required, though please limit the size of your party to one graduate and up to 6 guests.

Senior breakfast tickets

Tickets are not required. Due to space considerations, this event is for graduates only.

Breakfast for parents of graduates tickets

9 a.m.–10:30 a.m., Prince Conference Center
Join President Byker and other Calvin administrators for this special Commencement Weekend event. Seating is limited to 300 parents.

Tickets, purchased in advance by parents, are required ($15/person). The ticket order form is included in the Commencement brochure that was mailed to parents in December 2008, order online, or call the box office at 616-526-6282. Seating for this event is limited to the first 300 parents who place their order. Sales for tickets for this event ended on May 15, 2009. Tickets were mailed directly to the parents' home.

FAQs

Calvin just built a new arena, so why can our family only receive four tickets?

The arena holds about 4,500 seats, only slightly more than the Fieldhouse. Some seats will be inaccessible due to staging. After providing seats for about 930 graduates, all faculty members, program participants, and the 50-year reunion class, we're able to provide four seats per family. Overflow seating will be available in the FAC, the Chapel or the Gezon Auditorium.

Why doesn't Calvin hold Commencement at an off-campus venue where everyone can come?

It is more meaningful to students to celebrate their Commencement in the place where they have studied, worked and lived during their Calvin years. In periodic surveys, students indicate that they would prefer a smaller Calvin venue to a larger off-campus venue. In addition, Calvin is able to provide better hospitality services, there is free/accessible parking, and there's a significant cost savings by hosting the event here.

What can my student do to get more tickets?

Students often network or use Calvin eDeals to find students who don't need all their tickets. Everyone can receive four overflow tickets to the Fieldhouse or Fine Arts Center. Students can also note any special requests on the back of the Commencement ticket order form; we will accommodate as many additional overflow seating requests as possible.