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Your graduate has worked hard for years to walk across the stage and claim their University of Pittsburgh diploma — and their big moment is almost here.
Commencement starts at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 28 at the Petersen Events Center on the University’s Pittsburgh campus, but make sure you leave time for travel and security checks as you plan your day. You can also find more information for graduates and guests at commencement.pitt.edu.
Here are some tips to make your visit easy and leave more time for celebrating.
Tickets and security
Each graduate will receive four guest tickets for the University-wide ceremony. Mobile tickets are required for all guests. Guests trying to use paper tickets or screenshots of tickets will not be permitted to enter.
Tickets will be sent to graduates the week of April 15 via a Ticketmaster link to their pitt.edu email address, and they are transferable. If you’re in need of extra tickets or if you have more than you need, you can connect with others in the Pitt Commencement Ticket Swap Facebook group. Don’t fall prey to scams — only share tickets via the Ticketmaster app and with people you trust.
The Petersen Events Center will open at 10:30 a.m. April 28 and seating is open on a first-come, first-serve basis. If the arena reaches capacity, guests will be redirected to overflow viewing areas. Attendees will also be asked to exit the venue immediately following the ceremony, so choose a place outside to meet up with your graduate.
Guests will undergo security-based screening as they enter Petersen. Make sure any bags you plan to bring follow the arena’s clear bag policy, and leave prohibited items such as alcohol, large signs and noisemakers at home.
Parking
All University-owned garages and parking lots will be free and open beginning at 8 a.m. Sunday.
Each lot has accessible parking spaces, which require a valid placard or license plate. The closest accessible garage to Petersen Events Center is the BioScience Tower Garage; its accessible entrance is diagonal to the front of the building on Terrace Street.
If you would rather avoid parking, Pitt is offering a dedicated rideshare drop-off location at the driveway of Sutherland Hall, 3725 Sutherland Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213.
Shuttle services
Pitt will offer shuttle services between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. from parking garages and hotels around the Oakland neighborhood. All shuttles are ADA accessible with wheelchair lifts. Petersen staff will help direct you to the correct bus after the ceremony ends.
Shuttle services will run to and from Soldiers and Sailors Garage, the Allequippa Street Lot, the Forbes Semple Garage and the Posvar Garage, as well as these hotels:
Obtaining a visa
Some international guests may need to acquire a visa to enter the U.S. for commencement. An invitation from the University is not needed to obtain a visitor visa. Find guides for inviting international guests and providing supporting documentation at commencement.pitt.edu and from Pitt’s Office of International Services.
Watching via livestream
Guests can watch a livestream of the commencement ceremony at the Fitzgerald Field House or in the Assembly Room of the William Pitt Union.
Staying home? You can also watch on Pitt's Official YouTube Channel. Open captioning will be displayed during the broadcast.
Photography
All graduates will be photographed during the procession; you can buy those pictures directly from GradImages. The University will also place pop-up photo spots for graduates and guests around the Cathedral of Learning and the William Pitt Union.
[Celebrate your 2023 graduate with these downloadable graphics]
Share your memories
After the excitement is over, don’t forget to share your graduate’s achievements with friends and family — and Pitt’s official Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok accounts. Use #PittGrad when posting moments from your celebrations.
We’ll post a gallery of photos on our Facebook page after the events; be sure to find yourself and tag your friends and loved ones.
— Nora Smith, photography by Aimee Obidzinski