2024 Diploma and Award Ceremony Information
Tulane and the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine will hold a total of three graduation events for SPHTM students, all on Saturday, May 18.
Three Ceremonies | One Day
Undergraduate Public Health Graduation Ceremony
Saturday, May 18, 9:00 am, Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts
- Undergraduate students must arrive at 7:45 am for check-in.
- Doors open for guests at 8:00 am.
- Procession to begin at 8:45am and all guests must be seated.
- All students are called by name, walk across the stage, and are handed a diploma cover by Dean LaVeist (photo will be taken).
Ceremony Timeline
- 7:30am: Parking at Mahalia Jackson opens
- 7:45am: Students on-site for Robing
- 8:00am: Doors Open for Guests
- 8:45am: Procession Begins
- 9:00am: Ceremony Begins
- 11:00pm: Ceremony Ends (approx.)
Master's and Doctoral Public Health Graduation Ceremony
Saturday, May 18, 1:00 pm, Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts
- Graduate and Doctoral students must arrive at 11:45 am for check-in and robing.
- Doors open for guests at 12:00 pm.
- All students are called by name, walk across the stage, and are handed a diploma cover by Dean LaVeist (photo will be taken).
- A post-ceremony second-line will begin at Mahalia Jackson/Armstrong Park and will parade to The Mardi Gras Museum for a reception.
Ceremony Timeline
- 11:45 am: Students on-site for Robing
- 12:00 pm: Doors open for Guests
- 1:00 pm: Ceremony Begins
- 2:30 pm: Ceremony Ends (approx.)
- 2:45 pm: Second Line Parade begins (approx.)
- 3:00 pm: Second Line Parade ends (approx)
- 3:00 pm: Graduation Reception at Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes & Culture Begins
The Mardi Gras Museum
318 N. Rampart Street (Map & Directions)
New Orleans, LA 70112
Tel: (504) 218-4872
Email: info@themardigrasmuseum.com
Unified Commencement
Saturday, May 18, 6:30 pm, Yulman Stadium
- All graduates at every level must arrive by 6 pm.
- All ten schools and colleges "commence" and degrees are conferred when President Fitts asks each school to stand.
- Students do not walk across the stage.
- You can expect lots of New Orleans music, honorary degrees acknowledging leaders and innovators, and plenty of Roll Wave spirit!
Parking
MAHALIA JACKSON PARKING
All parking at the theater is $20, CASH ONLY.
Undergraduate Public Health Graduation Ceremony Parking for this ceremony opens at 7:30am. All cars must exit the lot within 30 minutes following the ceremony.
Master's and Doctoral Public Health Graduation Ceremony Parking for this ceremony opens at 11:30am Cars must exit the lot by 5pm.
Individuals arriving via taxi/rideshare may enter via the Basin Street gate and will be dropped off near the front of the building.
TIDEWATER PARKING
The Tidewater garage will be open for parking at 4:00pm for people who want to park there and shuttle to Yulman Stadium for the unified commencement ceremony.. Tell security you are parking for the graduation.
Tidewater will remain open for parking and two shuttles will be provided for transportation to Yulman Stadium at 5:10pm and 5:30pm. Shuttles have limited 25-passenger capacity and are first-come, first serve. Return shuttles will depart Yulman at 8pm and 9pm.
No tickets are needed for any Tulane or SPHTM graduation events!
Walk Forward Requests
Graduating in August 2024 but want to walk in the May 2024 ceremony? Use this form to apply to walk forward. Please wait for an approval or denial email from Dean Valenzuela before making any travel plans or purchasing regalia.
Regalia Orders Deadline | April 7, 2024
Master's and Undergraduate students can also purchase their regalia directly from the Book Store on March 18, 19, or 20 and will receive it on the spot. After this date, regalia can be purchased in person in the bookstore through May or while supplies last.
NOTE: The Book Store cannot take phone orders.
The deadline for custom doctoral regalia has passed. At this time, students who are doctoral graduates can either order the Rental Gown (Green) or the (Black) souvenir PhD gown. Orders will have to be placed for these as they are not available in-store.
Also, if you have completed all of your degree requirements, wish to graduate in May, and have not yet applied, you must do so TODAY in order to be in the graduation program.
Other Events
Other Events
BSPH Senior Toast
New this year! We are toasting our graduating seniors for all their hard work. BSPH Seniors and faculty and staff involved in undergraduate studies should save the date - more details to come.
Date: Tuesday, May 14
Time: 5-6:30pm
Location: Bea Alumni House, 6319 Willow St.
RSVP will be required
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
Regalia required; RSVP required.
All graduating doctoral students and their guests will be invited to a Hooding Ceremony. The ceremony is limited to invited guests and dissertation committees only, but it will be live-streamed (details TBD).
Photographers and videographers will be on site. If you do not wish to be photographed or included in video, you must alert the photographer and videographer. Remember that public events are just that, public, and it may not be feasible to manage all photo/videography.
Date: Thursday, May 16
Time: 3-5pm
Location: Diboll Auditorium
Awards Ceremony
The SPHTM Annual Awards Ceremony will be pre-recorded and a portion of it will be shared at the SPHTM Graduate and Doctoral Ceremony. The full recording will be available following graduation. The event recognizes students along with some faculty and staff for their accomplishments. Awards are bestowed by Dean LaVeist, department chairs, the SPHTM Alumni Association, the Student Government Association, and other entities. Student awardees will be notified in advance.
Tulane Graduation Glossary
Regalia: A graduating student's cap, gown, and (if applicable) hood. The degrees of MPH, MPHTM, and DrPH have a pink/salmon-colored hood and tassel. For the MS and MSPH, the hood and tassel are yellow/gold. For the MHA, the hood and tassel are beige/drab. And for the PhD, the hood/tassel is blue. Order regalia here.
Robing: The process of donning graduation robes and regalia.
Second Line: At its base, it is a brass band parade. The brass band and other elements make up the “main line." The “second line” refers to the spectators who join or follow the main line and contribute to the walking parade. This is what separates a second line from any other New Orleans parade: groups are not only welcome but encouraged to follow along, allowing the second line to grow as it marches.
The Unified: A shortened way of saying Unified Commencement, Tulane's collective ceremony for all graduates from all schools and colleges.
