NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University will hold six Spring 2021 commencement ceremonies Wednesday, May 5 through Friday, May 7 in Prather Coliseum. Masks will be required, and social distancing and other health and safety protocols will be in effect while honoring Spring 2021 graduates.
Users can click this link https://www.nsula.edu/graduation/ to access more details, information and Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Spring 2021 commencement format, which is being guided by COVID health and safety protocols.
“We are pleased to be able to celebrate our Spring 2021 graduates with a series of carefully-planned ceremonies,” said NSU President Dr. Chris Maggio. “Our Fall 2020 commencement was a success and we feel it’s very important to celebrate these students who persevered to complete their degrees despite many unexpected obstacles. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and cooperation in honoring graduates while keeping health and safety in mind.”
Each graduate will be issued four guest wristbands that must be picked up in advance by the graduate with ID. Children and others without wristbands will not be admitted due to capacity regulations in Prather Coliseum. Guests must enter the coliseum together and be seated together to maintain social distancing protocols. Masks will be required for everyone inside the coliseum, which will be cleaned after each ceremony.
Guests of graduates with last names beginning with A-L should enter and exit the coliseum on the east side of the coliseum, which faces the NSU tennis courts. Guests of graduates with last names beginning with M-Z should enter and exit on the west side of Prather Coliseum, which faces Caspari Street and the Kappa Sigma house.
Graduates should enter the main doors of the coliseum, which face Chaplin’s Lake, where they will check in and be escorted to their seats. There will be no graduate procession.
Beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 5, bachelor and associate degrees from the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health will be awarded. At 2 p.m. May 5, graduate degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences, graduate and doctoral degrees from the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health and graduate and doctoral degrees from the Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development will be awarded.
Beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 6, bachelor’s degrees from the College of Business and Technology will be awarded. At 2 p.m. May 6, bachelor’s degrees from the Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development will be awarded.
Beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, May 7, Bachelor of General Studies and associate degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences and bachelor’s degrees from the Louisiana Scholars’ College will be awarded. At 2 p.m. bachelor’s degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences will be awarded.
Times and specific degrees are also listed here https://www.nsula.edu/commencement/graduationfaq/ under “When Is My Graduation?”
Graduates should have received an email through their student email account regarding armbands and pickup information and should select where they wish to pick up armbands. Each graduate will receive four armbands for guests that can be picked up at the location they selected during business hours (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 am.-noon Friday) starting Monday, April 26. Pick up location for College of Nursing students is the Student Services Office, Room 102, Shreveport. Cenla students can pick up wristbands at NSU Administrative Offices, Suite 158 in Alexandria. Leesville students can pick up wristbands in the Main Building Room 108. Natchitoches students can pick up wristbands in the lobby of the Student Services Center.
On Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4, guest wristbands for graduation can be picked up by the graduate at the Student Services Center on the Natchitoches campus from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. On Wednesday, May 5, Thursday, May 6 and Friday, May 7, guest wristbands can be picked up at the Turpin Stadium Will-call booth from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The ticket booth is located on the west side/southwest corner of Turpin Stadium.
All ceremonies will be livestreamed at www.nsula.edu and will be recorded.
