EHE Graduation Celebrations

EHE Commencement for Master’s, Specialist and Doctoral Graduates

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Watch the live stream of the ceremony here

About the Ceremony: This is a formal ceremony recognizing the college’s Summer 2024, Autumn 2024, and Spring 2025 graduates. The ceremony will feature a keynote address, student award presentations and bestowing of hoods. A reception will be held after the ceremony in a tent on the plaza with light appetizers.

Who: College of Education and Human Ecology master's, specialist and doctoral graduates from Summer 2024, Autumn 2024 and Spring 2025.

Date: April 30, 2025

Where: Mershon Auditorium, 1871 N. High St.

Time: 5 - 7 p.m. ceremony; 7 - 8 p.m. reception with light appetizers.

Keynote Speaker: Melissa S. Shivers, PhD, Senior Vice President, Office of Student Life

Dr. Melissa Shivers has dedicated her nearly 30-year career in higher education to removing barriers to student and staff success, serving her community and contributing to the world in ways that help to advance the health, safety and security of others. As the Senior Vice President for Student Life at The Ohio State University, Dr. Shivers serves on the university’s senior administration team and provides leadership and strategic oversight on matters related to the student experience.  She is proud to work alongside an extraordinary team that serves more than 60,000 Buckeyes on six campuses throughout the state of O-H-I-O! The team’s foundational aspiration is to challenge and inspire students and staff to take every opportunity to engage, learn and thrive throughout their time at Ohio State, and beyond. Dr. Shivers has broad leadership responsibility for numerous university operations affecting students outside the classroom, including the residential experience, dining services, the Ohio Union and student activities, student leadership and service, mental health support, career development, recreational sports, health care and wellness programs, disability services, belonging and student success strategies, off campus and commuter student engagement, the student judicial process, student advocacy and crisis intervention.

Before becoming a Buckeye in January 2020, Dr. Shivers was a Student Affairs leader at the University of Iowa, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Georgia, Clemson University and Georgia Southern University. Dr. Shivers has held faculty appointments at multiple institutions and also served as a faculty member for NASPA’s Institute for Aspiring Senior Student Affairs Officers/Vice Presidents for Student Affairs. Dr. Shivers also currently serves on multiple dissertation committees.

A proud first-generation college graduate and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Dr. Shivers holds a BS from Georgia Southern University in Communication Arts, a Master of Education, Counseling and Guidance Services degree from Clemson University and a Doctor of Philosophy, College Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia. 

Dr. Shivers was honored as a 2024 Southern Association for College Student Affairs’(SACSA) Gavel and Gravel Society member, a 2022 Legend and Legacy by the King Arts Complex and was selected as a 2021 Diamond Honoree by ACPA, which is one of the highest honors bestowed by the international student affairs professional organization. Dr. Shivers is a member of the Wellington School Board of Trustees, the YWCA of Columbus Board of Trustees, the Melvin C. Terrell Educational Foundation Board of Directors, the King Arts Complex Board of Directors, the Campus Partners Board of Directors, a university representative on The Ohio State University Foundation Board of Directors and member of the Association of Public Land-grant Universities Council on Student Affairs. She was acknowledged as a 2024 Women’s History Month honoree by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine, was featured in the 2024 editions of Who’s Who in Black Columbus and Mahogany Columbus, and has been named as one of 40 higher education leaders to follow on social media. Dr. Shivers has been honored as an honorary member of Ohio State’s chapters of SPHINX Senior Class Honorary (2023), Tri-Alpha Honor Society (2023) and Mortar Board Senior Honor Society (2021).

Dr. Shivers is an avid college football fan, reader, world-traveler and “Auntie-Hero” to her two favorite humans, Jhared and Jordan.

Registration: Required. A link will be sent by email to graduates

Tickets: No tickets provided by the box office. Registrations taken via Qualtrics survey

Seating: This is a non-ticketed event. Guest seating is general admission on a first-come, first-serve basis. Doors will open at 4pm for guests.  Please expect to go through a security screening and bag check at the door.

Parking: Self-parking is available at the Ohio Union South Parking Garage at 1759 N High St., just south of Mershon Auditorium.  There also is metered parking in the High St. area.

Regalia: Regalia is required to participate in the ceremony. Orders can be placed through this link.

Note: When you receive your regalia at the bookstore or in the mail, please make sure a hood was included. 

Questions regarding regalia can be sent to osugrad@bncollege.com or call 614-607-6539.

Livestream: Please see this web page on the day of the event to view the livestream.

Accessibility: This event will be live captioned. Mershon Auditorium does not have an elevator. Main floor wheelchair accessible seating is available for guests with mobility-based needs and their companions. Current ADA standards allow for companion seating of 3 people maximum. Accessible restrooms are located off the main floor lobby. Wheelchairs are available with a valid ID on a first-come, first-served basis at the main floor coat check. To plan accessible seating in advance or make other accommodation requests, please contact our accessibility line at accessibility@wexarts.org or call (614) 688-3890 as soon as possible.

Prohibited Items: No weapons, glass, cans, fireworks, back packs/large bags bigger than 8”x5”x1”, laser pens, confetti canons, noise makers, projectiles, or smoking/vape devices. No balloons. No professional cameras/equipment/external flashes.

Outside food and beverages are not permitted – empty water bottles are acceptable. Large signs and flags that obstruct view or with symbolic meanings are not allowed. All poles and sticks are prohibited.

Note: This celebration is different from the university's commencement on May 4, 2025. EHE's Commencement is planned by the college and is more personalized to this student population. All students will be hooded on stage at EHE's Commencement, students will receive their diploma at the university's commencement.

Questions: Please email ehe-events@osu.edu. 

Link to the May 1, 2024 ceremony recording:

Watch recording

Questions?

Please contact: ehe-events@osu.edu