Commencement 2020 is here!
Class of 2020: Commencement Day has arrived!
The entire Tulane community is excited to welcome the Class of 2020 back to campus! More than 1,200 members of the class are returning this year for their Commencement ceremony, which was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. The ceremony will be held in Yulman Stadium today at 6:30 p.m.
This evening’s ceremony, which will be livestreamed, will include live New Orleans jazz, recognition of graduates as they cross the stage, and a keynote address by Col. Douglas G. Hurley, a 1988 Tulane graduate, NASA astronaut, space shuttle pilot and commander of the first crewed test flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon.
President Michael Fitts and university officials will preside over this ceremony.
Stay in the know!
- Watch the livestream of the ceremony and get updates from commencement.tulane.edu
- Sign up for weather-related text message updates from the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response. Guests can sign up for these updates by texting tugrad20 to 888777.
- Follow the university’s main social media channels:
Share your Commencement photos with us!
- Members of the Class of 2020 are invited to share their photos on social media by tagging the university accounts or using the hashtag #Tulane2020.
A few tips to know before you go:
The Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Yulman Stadium and will proceed rain or shine, unless severe weather (such as lightning, tornadoes or flooding) poses a significant threat or danger to the personal safety of graduates and attendees.
Read more about the rain delay plan here.
Doors open at 5:30. Graduates should arrive no later than 6 p.m., dressed in regalia, and enter Yulman Stadium near Gate C.
Guests may enter through Gates A or B.
Guest seating is general admission and first come, first served.
Parking for guests will be available in Diboll Garage.
Rideshare, taxi and ADA dropoff will be on Ben Weiner Drive at Game Day Plaza. Ben Weiner will be one-way from Claiborne Avenue to Janet Yulman Way.
The university continues to monitor COVID-19, and at this time there are no restrictions in place. You will not need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination to attend any events on campus; additionally, the mask mandate has been lifted, so masks are no longer required at indoor events. The university is following City of New Orleans COVID-19 protocols, which require individuals to wear face covers when taking public transportation.
In May 2020, the more than 3,500 members of the Class of 2020 did not have the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Tulane Commencement because of COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, Tulane saluted them remotely with a virtual presentation of “TUgether: Connecting the Class of 2020.” Watch the video here.
