Commencement

The ceremony and reception will be held outside under tents, rain or shine.

There is no limit to the number of guests at Commencement, and no tickets are required to attend the ceremony. Seating is first-come, first-served. All seating is located under the ceremony tent.

Parking will be limited. Traveling to campus by Uber/Lyft/cab may be easier. If you decide to drive, arriving early is a good idea. Golf carts will travel from Reed's parking lots to the center of campus to assist guests.

Eliot Circle is the designated drop-off point for large parties or anyone with special needs. We will have golf carts running between Eliot Circle, the Commencement tent, and the Quad.

For accessibility, there is a paved sidewalk and temporary flooring in the tent aisles. If you or a member of your party needs any type of accommodation, including ASL or language interpretation, please fill out our accommodations form.

The ceremony will not be live streamed, but will be recorded and available online by Friday, May 22, 2026.

Breakfast will be available for purchase in the Gray Campus Center Commons from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Cash and credit cards are accepted on-site.

Water stations with small cups will be available at the entrance of the tent. Consider bringing a reusable water bottle to fill at a water station.

The post-Commencement reception in the Quad is very popular—make a plan in advance with your student about where to meet during this busy event!