Commencement

“Go forward, attempt great things, accomplish great things”

— Mary Lyon, Founder of Mount Holyoke College

Commencement is a treasured ceremonial occasion that celebrates students who have graduated from Mount Holyoke College after completing all academic requirements and obligations. Typically, Mount Holyoke holds one annual Commencement in May to honor all graduates.

Commencement will be held outdoors on Pageant Green, the lovely knoll between the Gettell Amphitheater and Lower Lake Road.

Mount Holyoke’s one-hundred eighty-eighth Commencement for the class of 2025 will be held on Sunday, May 25, 2025.

Ticket information

Every graduating student and students participating in the ceremony will have access to five guest tickets to watch the in-person ceremony on Pageant Green. Graduates do not need a ticket. Only students — seniors, graduate students and those eligible to participate in Commencement — may pick up tickets. Tickets can be picked up from the front desk of the Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, and students must show their OneCard and can only pick up their own tickets. Ticket pickup hours are daily from noon to 8 pm, starting Thursday, May 22, 2025, through Saturday, May 24, 2025.

Guest seating will open at 9 am, and guests must enter by 10:15 am.

Non-ticketed seating for the ceremony will be in the Gettell Amphitheater and is open to all guests. Additionally, air-conditioned livestream viewing locations will be available in the Community Center and the Willits-Hallowell Conference Center. Tickets are not required for these locations. The livestream will also be available for those who cannot attend in person.

Please note that in case of forecasted heavy rain or extreme heat, the ceremony will be relocated to the Field House in Kendall Sports & Dance Complex. If such a relocation is necessary, an announcement will be made by noon on Thursday, May 22. If a relocation is deemed unnecessary, no announcement will be made. Graduates and other members of the Mount Holyoke community are encouraged to monitor their email, the College’s social media and this webpage for updates.

For more information about inclement weather procedures, impacts to ticket numbers and on-campus viewing stations, please refer to the Commencement "Know before you go" guide.

Press release

For seniors or families who wish to send out news of their accomplishments to their hometown newspapers, Mount Holyoke College has provided this press release template.