2021 Personal Hooding Ceremony
Graduates are invited to participate in a Personal Hooding Ceremony.
Dates & Times:
- May 13th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- May 14th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- May 15th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- May 16th, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- May 17th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- May 21st, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- May 22nd, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Reservations with a confirmation email are required. A grad may only reserve one hooding appointment. Additional appointments may be released once the initial times are reserved.
Prepare Before Your Date & Time
- Reserve a time. Reservations with a confirmation email are required. A grad may only reserve one hooding appointment.
- 8 Total Guests Permitted. Please plan on bringing one guest to hood you and up to 7 additional supporters to attend your hooding. These numbers are based on current conditions and restrictions. Supporters outside of the 8 permitted may view your ceremony via a web stream link online. These links will be posted on this webpage for viewing.
- Optional: bring your diploma for pictures.
Wear Your Regalia & Return Your Regalia
OPTION 1: Your regalia will be shipped to the domestic address you provide when ordering for a $12.95 shipping fee. This includes a postage-paid label for returning your regalia. You can expect to receive your regalia in 2-3 weeks from the date of your order, and it must be returned within a week of the commencement ceremony.
OPTION 2: Alternatively, you can choose to pick up your regalia at the Georgia State Atlanta Bookstore and waive the shipping fee. If shipping to the bookstore, orders will be available for pick up after April 26th during store business hours. Graduates who picked up their regalia directly from the bookstore can return their regalia by either bringing it back to the bookstore within a week of their commencement ceremony or by dropping it off in the designated box at the College of Law located near the exit as they leave the ceremony. The regalia must be in the packaging the graduate received it in with their return label prior to dropping it into the return box.
Personal Hooding Ceremony Agenda
Your personal hooding ceremony from check-in to departure should be less than 45 minutes. To accommodate everyone, it is critical that you arrive at your scheduled time in your regalia and follow all requirements.
Building access and photography is limited to the ceremony spaces, specifically the lower level Conference Center and Ceremonial Courtroom.
Masks are required for everyone in the College of Law building at all times.
Parking: T-Deck
Cost: $10 (cash or card)
Georgia State University College of Law Driving Directions
Step 1: Check-in inside the Law Lobby
Graduates should wear their regalia when they enter the College of Law building.
Masks are required for everyone in the College of Law building at all times
Step 2: Conference Center Holding Room
Building access and photography is limited to the lower level Conference Center and Ceremonial Courtroom.
Masks are required for everyone in the College of Law building at all times
Step 3: Hooding in the Ceremonial Courtroom
Step 4: Pick up Commencement Book & Photo
All professional photos will be made available electronically as a gift from the College of Law.
Masks are required for everyone in the College of Law building at all times.
Step 5: Personal Photos & Exit
The party will exit facing Peachtree Center Avenue NE, about one block to the T-Deck parking garage.
Return Your Regalia
- Returning your Regalia: Graduates can return their regalia by either bringing it to the bookstore within a week of their commencement ceremony or by dropping it off in the designated box at the College of Law located near the exit as they leave the ceremony. The regalia must be in the packaging the graduate received it in prior to dropping it into the return box.
- If your regalia has been shipped to your address you can also return it with the postage-paid label included with your order. The regalia must be returned within a week of the commencement ceremony.
Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
Personal Hooding Ceremony streaming links for guests at home:
Below are streaming links to view upcoming personal hooding ceremonies live. You are welcome to share the link to your ceremony date with any guests who cannot be physically in attendance at your ceremony.
- Virtual Commencement: May 13
- Virtual Commencement: May 14
- Virtual Commencement: May 15
- Virtual Commencement: May 16
- Virtual Commencement: May 17
- Virtual Commencement: May 21
- Virtual Commencement: May 22
Streaming links from previous personal hooding ceremonies:
Traditional Graduation Timeline
Fall Semester
- Make sure you have completed the graduation requirements for your degree.
- Apply for Graduation at least one semester before graduation (i.e. June 2021 graduation, apply in September 2020).
January
- Apply for your certificates verification.
- Purchase or Rent regalia for hooding ceremony
- Click here for a step-by-step guide to renting your regalia
- Contribute to the class gift to be recognized in the official Hooding Ceremony printed program, annual fund report, and campaign plaque.
February
- Click here for a step-by-step guide to renting your regalia
- February 19, 2021
Regalia Early order deadline
Regalia orders placed by February 19th will be delivered to the bookstore on or before March 19th for on-campus distribution. - March 29, 2021
FINAL Regalia order deadline
Regalia orders placed by March 29th will be delivered to the bookstore on or before April 29th for on-campus distribution. - Returning your Regalia: Graduates can return their regalia by either bringing it to the bookstore or by dropping it off in the designated box at the College of Law located near the exit as they leave their ceremony. The regalia must be in the packaging the graduate received it in prior to dropping it into the return box.
- Contribute to the class gift to be recognized in the official Hooding Ceremony printed program, annual fund report, and campaign plaque.
March
- Contribute to the class gift to be recognized in the official Hooding Ceremony printed program, annual fund report, and campaign plaque.
- Commencement Invitations/Announcements are available to students that complete the Mandatory Exit Survey in Symplicity.
Mandatory Exit Survey
Georgia State University College of Law ABA & NALP Employment Reports
Georgia State Law is required to report statistics of graduates to the American Bar Association (ABA) and National Association for Law Placement (NALP). These statistics are also used to calculate ranking scores with the U.S. News & World Report and other entities. The Georgia State University College of Law’s national reputation relies on accurate and complete reporting.
All student information is reported anonymously and kept strictly confidential.
All survey fields must be completed by graduates (including salary), even if employment is outside the legal field or not yet obtained. The ABA implements secure protocols to ensure data accuracy and considers Symplicity survey entries to be the most authentic source of information.
The Center for Professional Development & Career Strategies Office will verify survey completion and and inform graduates when they can pick up their invitations.
Questions?
lawcso@gsu.edu
April
- April 15th: Deadline to Submit Pro-Bono & Public Service hours to be recognized in the Hooding Ceremony printed program. View Pro-Bono & Public Service Recognition requirements.
- April 15th: Deadline to give to the class gift and be recognized in the official Hooding Ceremony printed program, annual fund report, and campaign plaque.
The Spring 2020 Commencement Ceremony has been temporarily postponed.
More information will be provided as soon as it is available.
- The College of Law building is closed to outside guests, including photographers, during Spring Finals. Please plan accordingly.
June
- Degree Conferral
- Request final/degree bearing transcripts through PAWS after conferral, for submission to the bar.
Hooding Ceremony
- Check ceremony regalia to ensure all elements are included (tam, gown and hood).
- Share graduation photos on Twitter & Instagram with #GSULawGrad
Parking
Guest Seating
Tickets are not required for admission and there are no reserved seats.
Security Precautions: The Sports Arena will have their usual security protocols in place. All bags will be searched and strollers, wrapped gifts or balloons will not be allowed
Grads Check-In
Report in your academic regalia to the 1st Floor Student Center East Ballroom, on the corner of Gilmer and Piedmont streets.
Marilyn Crouch, College of Law registrar, will meet you and point out your position in the processional. After receiving these instructions, you will proceed to the Sports Arena for the official processional.
Ceremony Starts
Reception at College of Law
Reception Highlights
- Food and beverages will be on the Main and Lower Level
- There will be College of Law logo screens (“step & Repeat”) to take pictures in front located in the Lower Level Courtroom
- Please feel free to eat and sit down in any of the rooms in the building, including the Court Room (Lower Level). Every room in the building will be open, so please feel free to sit and enjoy with family and friends.
Parking is available for free in the T-Deck, with a paid receipt from deck N, K, or S. The T parking deck is located at 43 Auburn Ave., Atlanta GA 30303.
Regalia Return
- If you ordered regalia in the Spring, it is ready for pick up in the bookstore.
- If you requested a refund, your regalia is still available, however you need to coordinate payment prior to pick up.
- If you did not order regalia in the spring and want to participate in the hooding, you need to contact the bookstore at 0570mgr@follett.com by October 9th, and provide your name and height.
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