Class of 2024 Commencement

Thursday, May 9, 2024
8:45 a.m. EDT
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

The College of Medicine is planning an in-person graduation ceremony for the Class of 2024 on Thursday, May 9 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The ceremony will include medical students and students in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies.

2023 Commencement Ceremony - Oath

About the Commencement Ceremony

About Our Speaker – Vicki L. Chandler, PhD

Pioneering plant geneticist and research leader

Vicki L. Chandler, PhD, is recognized as one of the foremost geneticists in the world. She has conducted critical research in the field of plant genetics for more than three decades. In 2014, she was appointed to the National Science Board by President Barack Obama for a six-year term.

Dr. Chandler is chief academic officer and provost at Minerva University, providing administrative leadership and budgetary management for academic affairs, admissions and advising functions, with oversight of all academic programs and policies. She previously served as dean of natural sciences at Minerva.

Prior to joining Minerva University, Dr. Chandler served as the chief program officer for science at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. She led research programs and taught at the University of Oregon and the University of Arizona. She has served extensively on national advisory boards and panels, including the National Science Foundation’s Biological Directorate Advisory Committee (2001-2004), and she was elected to the governing council of the National Academy of Sciences (2007-2010). She currently serves on the Board of Science Education for the Academy and on the management board for the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University.

Dr. Chandler’s pioneering research on the control of gene expression in plants and animals has garnered numerous awards, including the Presidential Young Investigator Award, the National Science Foundation Faculty Award for Women Scientists and Engineers, and the National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award. She has also been named a Searle Scholar. Dr. Chandler is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical Society, and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

She has chaired or co-chaired Keystone, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and Gordon Research conferences, serving the latter as an elected council member and a board trustee. She has been president and served on the Board of Directors for the Genetics Society and served as president of the American Society of Plant Biologists.

Dr. Chandler received her BA in biochemistry from the University of California Berkley and her PhD in biochemistry from the University of California San Francisco. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.

For her vast contributions to the field of plant genetics, Drexel is proud to confer upon Dr. Vicki L. Chandler the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa.

Commencement - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Please reach out to DUCOMMilestones@drexel.edu with any questions related to the Class of 2024 College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony.

MD Graduates – Tier 2 Lounge

What time should I arrive at the Kimmel Center the morning of Commencement?
We ask that all graduates arrive at 7:30AM. Please remember to account for travel time as Center City can be busy during rush hour.

Do I need a ticket to enter?
No, graduates do not need a ticket to attend Commencement.

Where do I go when I get to the Kimmel Center?
Graduates should go immediately to the check-in table outside of the Perelman Theater. Once checked in, students will be directed to the Tier 2 Lounge.

I have personal items with me (purse, jacket etc.). Can I bring it to the Tier 2 Lounge MD Student Staging Area with me?
NO – graduates may not leave any personal belongings in the student staging area. We will not be returning to that space. Please leave any personal items with your guests before the ceremony begins or carry them with you.

I never picked up my regalia/ I lost part of my regalia. What do I do?
If you have not picked it up yet, your regalia will be in your student staging space. If you are missing any part of your regalia (tam, hood, tassel), a volunteer can help you. All graduates should check in before entering the staging area.

I don’t know how to put on my hood. What do I do?
Graduates should not be wearing their hoods at the time of arrival. You will be hooded on stage as part of the ceremony. Volunteers will be going around the Tier 2 Lounge and SEI Innovation showing graduates how to place their hoods on their arm.

Can I keep my regalia?
Yes.

I’m not registered, but I want to participate in Commencement. What do I do?
At the present time you must pre-register for this event.

I want to carry my child across stage when I’m hooded. What do I do?
Students are not permitted to carry their child on stage.

PhD and MS Graduates – SEI Innovation Studio

What time should I arrive at the Kimmel Center the morning of Commencement?
We ask that all graduates arrive at 7:30 a.m. Please remember to account for travel time as Center City can be busy during rush hour.

Do I need a ticket to enter?
No, graduates do not need a ticket to attend Commencement.

Where do I go when I get to the Kimmel Center?
Graduates should go immediately to the check in table outside of SEI Innovation Studio, which is located on Level B of the Kimmel Center. If you do not check in, your name will not be called at Commencement.

I have personal items with me (purse, jacket etc.). Can I bring it into SEI Innovation Studio with me?
NO – graduates may not leave any personal belongings in SEI Innovation Studio. We will not be returning to that space. Please leave any personal items with your guests before entering SEI Innovation Studio. You also will not be permitted to carry bags to your seats in the Kimmel Center.

I never picked up my regalia/ I lost part of my regalia. What do I do?
If you haven’t picked it up yet, your regalia will be at the check-in table, outside of SEI Innovation Studio. If you are missing any part of your regalia (cap, hood, tassel), please go to registration and a volunteer can help you. All graduates should check in/register before going into SEI Innovation Studio.

I don’t know how to put on my hood. What do I do?
Graduates should not be wearing their hoods at the time of arrival. You will be hooded on stage as part of the ceremony. Volunteers will be going around in SEI Innovation Studio showing graduates how to place their hoods on their arm.

Can I keep my regalia?
Yes.

I’m not registered, but I want to participate in Commencement. What do I do?
At the present time you must pre-register for this event.

I want to carry my child across stage when I’m hooded. What do I do?
Students are not permitted to carry their child on stage.

Faculty/Stage Participants/Faculty Awardees/Mentor Hooders – Rendell Room, 1st Tier

Where do I go when I get to the Kimmel Center?
All faculty/stage participants should report to the Rendell Room on the 1st Tier at 7:30am. Volunteers will direct you to the Rendell Room.

What should I do if I’m running late or no longer able to attend the Commencement Ceremony?
If you are no longer able to attend the ceremony, please reach out to DUCOMMilestones@drexel.edu to let us know. If you are running late the morning of the ceremony, we ask that you reach out to Orcel Kounga (owk23@drexel.edu).

Do I need a ticket to enter?
No, stage participants and faculty awardees do not need a ticket to attend Commencement.

Do guests of Faculty Awardees need a ticket to enter?
Yes, all guests tickets will be available at the Will Call Table in the Kimmel Center Lobby. If you need to request a guest ticket, please reach out to DUCOMMilestones@drexel.edu.

Where do I pick up regalia?
When you arrive, please sign in at the registration table where you will be given your seat assignment. Your regalia will be on your chair in the Rendell Room. If you are missing any part of your regalia (cap, hood, tassel), please let a volunteer know.

I’m not registered, but I want to participate in Commencement. What do I do?
At the present time you must pre-register for this event.

Guests – Verizon Hall

Where do I sit, and what time can I enter Verizon Hall?
Tickets are assigned by tier, which is printed on your ticket. Ushers are present on each tier and will help you find a seat. Guests may enter Verizon Hall starting at 8:15 a.m.

I have a child with me—do they need a ticket?
Any child over the age of 5 needs a ticket. If your child cannot comfortably sit on your lap without blocking the views of those behind you, they need their own seat.

I have a guest with accessibility accommodations. When can we enter the theater?
Specific tickets are not required or available for accessible seating. Any guests with accessibility accommodations will be seated prior to all other guests beginning at 8:00 a.m. They should go to the level printed on their ticket. There is accessible seating on all levels. Please direct guests to the Kimmel Center ushers for further instructions.

I have tickets available under my name. Where do I pick them up?
If you were informed that you have tickets available for pick up, they will be in an envelope with your name on it at the Will Call Table in the lobby.

Where can I leave tickets for a friend?
You may leave any tickets for a friend at the Will Call Table in the lobby.

Can I bring flowers to the Kimmel Center?
Yes.

Will the ceremony be livestreamed?
Yes, the ceremony will be livestreamed on the College of Medicine YouTube Channel.

More FAQs will be added as we continue to finalize details for the Commencement ceremony.