Ceremony Schedule & Details

We are proud to announce an exciting new format for the 2025 Commencement Ceremonies, marking a meaningful evolution in how we celebrate your remarkable achievements.

Graduates will experience an intimate Commencement Ceremony with their respective college, where up to two loved ones of their choice will have the honor of placing their academic hood on their shoulders—a cherished WesternU tradition known as family hooding. This hooding ceremony is a symbolic moment, signifying your academic accomplishment and your formal entry into your chosen profession. In keeping with WesternU tradition, diplomas will be distributed after the ceremony to those who have fulfilled all degree requirements.

This unforgettable celebration will honor your dedication, the milestones you have reached, the unwavering support of those who have stood by you, and the bright future that lies ahead. As a requirement for graduation, all graduates must participate in their College’s Commencement Ceremony. Prepare to walk across the stage, share this momentous occasion with your loved ones, and revel in the joy of your success.

We look forward to celebrating this extraordinary milestone with you!

University Commencement Ceremony

College of Veterinary Medicine

Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 8:00 a.m.
Graduate Arrival: 7:00 a.m.
Doors open for guest seating at 7:00 a.m.

Ceremony Webcast

Sheraton Fairplex, Expo 8

601 W. McKinley Ave.
Pomona, CA 91768

Ceremony Countdown
2025/05/14 08:00:00
Graduate and Guest Information

For the Graduate

We Kindly Request That All Graduates:
  • Watch for an e-mail in December to order your Regalia (cap & gown).
    • Place your order by December 20, 2024.
    • Expect to receive your Regalia 6-8 weeks after placing the order.
    • Once it arrives, we recommend hanging it to reduce wrinkles per the instructions provided in the packaging.
  • Complete the Graduate Participation form when requested (watch for an e-mail) and submit a photo in full Regalia. 
  • Attend your college specific Commencement presentation (watch for an invite).
  • Bring your Regalia (gown, tam/cap, hood & tassel) to your ceremony. Unfortunately, we do not have extra items.
  • Please leave all “carry-along” items (purses, cell phones, electronic devices, books, flowers, etc.) with family members or securely in your car.
    • Graduates should not carry anything during the processional and will not be permitted to take personal belongings on stage.
  • WesternU recognizes the significance of including mementos, artifacts, or heirlooms to signify one’s cultural heritage(s) and expression as a part of one’s attire during formal commencement ceremonies. In order to preserve the sanctity of such items while simultaneously ensuring safety when receiving stage diplomas and participating in the hooding process, all graduates are respectfully requested to keep their hands and arms free while walking to the stage, with the exception of their hood draped over one arm.
Emergency Number for Graduates:

Please remember that commencement is mandatory for all graduates!  If you are afraid you are going to be late and miss the start of the ceremony, take a deep breath, then call or text and give us your name, program, when we can expect you and a return phone number. Please do not call/text while driving. This phone will only be monitored May 13-14, 2025.

909-497-0410

Tickets

Tickets Are Required

Tickets are required at the Commencement Ceremony

  • Each graduate will receive eight tickets: one for the graduate plus seven guest tickets.
    • For additional tickets, please reach out to your classmates first as some may have extras.
    • Your college will distribute additional tickets if any are available.
  • Tickets are required for all individuals entering the ceremony.
  • Guests aged two and older require a ticket.
  • Seating is open and unassigned, with the exception of the Family Hooder section.
  • Tickets will be mailed to each graduate along with their complementary invitations and two hooder passes.
  • Tickets are free of charge and may not be purchased, sold or duplicated.
  • More information on family hooding will be made available closer to the ceremony.

Family Hooding

Family Hooding

A Moment of Honor

Western University of Health Sciences proudly offers our graduates the opportunity to have two adult family members/friends join them on stage at the College Hooding Ceremony to bestow them with the academic hood signifying their degree. At that special moment, you, the family hooder, will be honoring your graduate for their years of hard work. At the same time, by your presence on stage, you will be recognized for the contributions you’ve made along the way. It will truly be a moment of honor.

Family Hooder Requirements:

  • Passes: Your graduate will give you your Family Hooder Pass (only two per graduate) and you must be prepared to present your pass to enter the Family Hooding seating section. Please note, an admission ticket is also required for each hooder.
  • Seating: The two Family Hooders are required to sit in a designated section, all other guests will be seated in general seating.
  • Stage Restrictions: Only two hooders will be permitted on stage, no exceptions. We recommend Family Hooders be aged 12 years or older. Hooders younger than 12 must be autonomously mobile (i.e., no infants or toddlers) and cannot be carried on stage. Family hooders younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult who will count as one of the two Family Hooders.
  • Hands Free: Please leave any personal belongings with a family member or securely in your car. You will not be able to take your purse, camera, or flowers/leis on stage with you as your hands need to be free to hood your graduate. WesternU and the venue will not be held liable for any unattended, lost, or stolen personal items.

 

During the Ceremony:

  • This is an image of a sample seat label for family hooders. The label reads: Western University of Health Sciences Family Hooder 200.Find Your seat: Your Family Hooder Pass will have your assigned seat number which matches the number on your chair (see photo). It is imperative you sit in the correct seat to ensure you meet your graduate on stage at the appropriate time. Please locate a member of the WesternU Audience Management Team if you need assistance locating your assigned seat.
  • Proceed to Stage: When directed by WesternU staff, stand and follow the line against the wall while staying in order. Your graduate will be lined up with their peers on the other side of the building.
  • Meeting Your Graduate: Your graduate’s name will be announced, they’ll receive their stage diploma, pause for a photo with the University President and their College Dean, and then walk across the stage to meet you.
  • Hooding Your Graduate: Once your graduate reaches you, they will turn to face the audience. If needed they will squat down so you can place the hood on their shoulders. The University Marshal will hand you the hood to place on your graduate; they will also be there to assist. A faculty member or trustee will hood the graduate should a family member not be present.
  • Photo: After the hooding, you will pose briefly with your graduate for a single photograph and then exit the stage.
  • Returning to Your Seat: WesternU staff will be there to help direct you back to your assigned seat in the Family Hooder section while your graduate returns to their seat with their peers.
  • End of the Ceremony:  You will be asked to remain at your seat until the faculty and students have recessed from the auditorium. This could take up to 10 minutes.
Pictured here is a graduate who has just received their stage diploma from the president and their dean and now they are making their way across stage to meet their family on stage to receive their hood.
This images shows a graduate smiling at the camera while her family hooders place her hood over her shoulders.
A graduate he posing with their guests after just receiving their hood.

Accommodations

Request Accommodations

If you or your guest require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate, please contact CDHP by April 25, 2025, by phone at 909-469-5441 or by email at: disabilityaccomodations@westernu.edu.

Accommodations Information

Information

Important Details

DOORS CLOSE EARLY:

Expo 8 doors will close 5 minutes before the start of each ceremony and will re-open after the processional and national anthem.  It is essential that all guests are seated prior to the doors closing, as they will be temporarily locked out and miss seeing graduates walk into the auditorium.

FOR SAFETY REASONS, PLEASE OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTIONS:

Items Prohibited in the Ceremonies:

  • Balloons
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Artificial noise makers (air-horns, megaphones, etc.)
  • Fireworks or explosives
  • Weapons of any kind (firearms, knives, etc.)
  • Drones
  • Strollers
  • Smoking, including electric or vapor products, is prohibited in or around WesternU venues
  • Signs, posters, fliers or banners
  • Bright camera lights or tripods
  • Pets (except service animals)

FLOWER LEIS

  • Leis may be available for sale prior to the ceremony and graduates are permitted to wear one during the ceremony. Graduates will need to leave it in their seat while on stage for the hooding ceremony. Leis, or any other personal items, cannot be delivered or dropped off to the graduates and it is recommended that leis are gifted after the ceremony.

DIPLOMAS

  • If you have completed all degree requirements, your diploma will be available for pick-up in the graduate area at the Sheraton Fairplex and Conference Center following the Commencement Ceremony.
Purchase Gifts & Flowers
A graduate is pictured wearing academic regalia with grey velvet symbolizing Veterinary Medicine. they are walking in a processional with other graduates behind them. The graduate in the forefront is wearing a deeply saturated purple orchid lei.

Celebrate your graduate in style! Pre-order beautiful flowers and leis for easy on-site pickup before the ceremony and surprise them with a thoughtful touch. Looking for a unique, personal gift? Our WesternU Campus Store has everything you need to make your grad feel extra special. Explore our ‘Available For Purchase’ section for perfect gift ideas that will make their big day unforgettable!

Available for Purchase

Bag Requirements & Security Screening

There will be a walk-through security screening system in place before entering the venue for faculty, staff, graduates, and guests. All bags are subject to search by event staff. For security purposes, all attendees are encouraged to keep items to a minimum. Please plan to arrive early to avoid delays entering the venue.

Bags and purses must not exceed 5″ x 9″ x 2″ and are subject to manual inspection, including clear bags. Larger bags, backpacks*, and strollers are not permitted. Bag and stroller check services are unavailable at the Sheraton Fairplex and Conference Center.

*Exceptions for diaper bags and/or medical equipment.

Additional Information

  • To our families and guests attending the ceremonies, you may be recorded or photographed while on-site and assets may be used for future University publications. 
  • Please note that all information and schedules provided on this website are subject to change. Any updates or changes will be promptly communicated via email to graduates and posted on this website. We recommend checking your email and visiting this site regularly to stay informed.