2026 Commencement
Information on ceremonies and other events for the 2026 commencement season.
Student Graduation Speakers
One outstanding WSPH student speaker is selected to represent the experiences of public health students at each of the annual school graduation ceremonies (undergraduate and master’s/doctoral). Student speakers share their personal, public health, or WSPH experience in a three-to-five minute speech with fellow students, families, faculty, and administrators.
Applications are open to be considered for the 2026 Undergraduate and Graduate Student Graduation Speakers. Interested students should submit the following items:
- Bio sheet. Current resume.
- Video of the student the speech (may be filmed using a cell phone, Zoom recording, etc).
- Full Word doc transcript of the speech
Please e-mail questions and/or submissions to Dean Valenzuela (ewhitiker@tulane.edu) by 11:59 PM on March 18. Selected graduation speakers will be notified by Friday, March 25.
Three Ceremonies | One Day
All students must have a Splash card or government-issued ID to check in for graduation at Mahalia Jackson Theater.
All students participating in graduation must wear regalia.
Have you applied to graduate yet?
All students intending to participate in Commencement exercises must complete their application for graduation by April 8, 2026 to have their names published in the Commencement program. The graduation application link can be accessed through the student tab of the Gibson online portal. If you do not see this link, please contact your academic advisor or program director. Students will receive a confirmation email once their application has been submitted through the Gibson portal. Students can also confirm submission of their graduation application on their degree audit. Questions regarding graduation applications should be submitted directly to the Registrar through their support portal by selecting “Contact Our Office” on the Registrar’s webpage.
Regalia Info
Deadlines are approaching! All regalia must be ordered from the official university vendor as soon as possible to ensure arrival in time for graduation. Faculty are also expected to participate in commencement ceremonies and should order regalia if they don’t already have it. Deadlines are as follows:
- Custom, fine quality, Doctoral Regalia must be ordered by March 8, 2026
- Rental, fine quality, Doctoral Regalia must be ordered by April 12, 2026
- Bachelor, Master’s, and Doctoral Souvenir Regalia must be ordered by April 12, 2026.
There are different color tassels and hoods for different degrees. Learn more. Online orders will ship directly to student.
Undergraduate Public Health Graduation Ceremony
Saturday, May 16, 8:30-10:30 am, Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts
- Undergraduate students must arrive at 7:00 am to check in, show ID, and receive Latin cords.
- Doors open for guests at 7:30 am.
- Procession to begin at 8:30 am, and all guests must be seated by 8:25.
- All students are called by name, walk across the stage, and are handed a diploma cover by Dean LaVeist (photo will be taken).
- No tickets required
- Undergraduate teaching faculty should be in attendance.
Walk Forward Requests
Students who wish to participate in graduation prior to completing graduation requirements must complete this form and return to Dr. Erica Valenzuela.
Master's and Doctoral Public Health Graduation Ceremony
Saturday, May 16, 12:00-1:30 pm, Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts
- Graduate and Doctoral students must arrive by 11:00 am to check in and show ID.
- Doors open for guests at 11:30 am.
- 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 begins at Mahalia Jackson/Armstrong Park and will parade to The Mardi Gras Museum for a reception.
- No tickets are required.
- All available faculty should be in attendance.
Second Line & Reception
- 2:00pm Second line
- 2:00-3:30pm Reception at The Mardi Gras Museum
The Mardi Gras Museum
318 N. Rampart Street (Map & Directions)
New Orleans, LA 70112
Tel: (504) 218-4872
Email: info@themardigrasmuseum.com
Unified Commencement
Tickets Required for Unified Commencement
Saturday, May 16, 6:00-1:30 pm, Ceasar's Superdome
Tickets will be required but are not yet available.
For the Unified Commencement Ceremony, graduates will receive an email in the spring from TUgrad@tulane.edu containing instructions to register and retrieve Unified Commencement tickets via Tassel.
- Each graduate is eligible to receive up to 20 guest tickets (not including the graduate’s ticket).
- All guests 2 years and older must have their own ticket.
- Graduates can send all tickets to the same email address(es), but the tickets will arrive in individual emails.
Graduates can return to their Tassel account at any time by using their registered email address at tulane.tassel.com.
If you have not received the Tassel registration email, please check your spam folder or email TUgrad@tulane.edu. Tickets will not be required for individual ceremonies.
Other Events
Other Events
BSPH Senior Toast
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 12
Time: 5-6:30pm
Location: Bea Field Alumni House, 6319 Willow St.
RSVP will be required
Delta Omega Ceremony
This is an invitation only event for the new inductees in to the Delta Omega Public Health Honors Society.
Date: Wednesday, May 13
Time: 6:30-8:30 pm
Location: Lula Distillery
Lula Distillery
1532 St. Charles Ave.
New Orleans, LA
Doctoral Hooding Ceremonies
Regalia required; by invitation only.
All graduating doctoral students and guests will be invited to a hooding ceremony. The ceremony is limited to invited guests and dissertation committees only.
PhD Hooding Ceremony
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2025
Time: 3:30 - 5:00 pm (If the time change impacts your ability to attend, please email sphtmgraduation@tulane.edu and Dr. Andrinopoulos immediately)
DrPh Hooding Ceremony
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2025
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 am
Location: Tidewater, Diboll Auditorium (with reception in the Diboll Gallery)
Awards Ceremony
The WSPH Annual Awards Ceremony will be pre-recorded and a portion of it will be shared at the WSPH 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 WSPH Alumni Association, the Student Government Association, and other entities. Student awardees will be notified in advance.
Online Graduating Students Reception
Join WSPH faculty and staff in the Diboll Gallery in the Tidewater Building for a reception for graduating online students. Invitation only. Families are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will served.
Date: Friday, May 15
Time: 3:30 - 5:00 pm
Location: Diboll Gallery | Tidewater Building
1440 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
Please RSVP by TBD
Additional Information
Additional Information
Photography
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.
Parking
MAHALIA JACKSON PARKING
All parking at the theater is and is $25, CARD-ONLY.
Parking is open and available 6:30 am to 6:30 pm.
Individuals arriving via taxi/rideshare may enter via the Basin Street gate and will be dropped off near the front of the building.
ADA and Accessibility
Reminder that you must notify the school if you or any of your guests will require ADA accommodations for physical or hearing-impairment needs for the school ceremonies. Email wsphgraduation@tulane.edu with your accommodation request no later than April 28, 2026.
There will be designated ADA accessible parking at the Mahalia Jackson Theater.
For the reception following the Master’s/Doctoral Ceremony, there will be staff available at the entrance of the Museum of Costume and Culture to help ADA guests. Guests needing assistance may also go directly to 1025 Bienville for access to the reception.
For the Unified Commencement, please consult the Commencement FAQs page for information regarding ADA accommodations. If you have questions that are not covered by the FAQs, please contact tugrad@tulane.edu.
Security
There have been changes around what is permitted in both school and unified ceremonies. Students should bring essential items only. There will be no holding area for bags or other possessions.
The following security measures apply to all students, faculty, staff, and guests participating in commencement events. As with home football games, all attendees and participants at Unified Commencement and school-based ceremonies will go through security and bag checks. Please arrive early to all events to allow adequate time.
A Clear Bag Policy will be in effect for Unified Commencement and all other school-based diploma and hooding ceremonies. Approved bags are as follows:
- Clear totes or bags no larger than 12" x 12" x 6".
- Small, non-clear clutch bags no larger than 4.5" x 6.5".
- Plastic, resealable storage bags no larger than one (1) gallon.
- Diaper bags (12" x 12" x 6") approved with child present.
- NO other bags will be permitted
Prohibited Items
The following items are not allowed:
backpacks, fanny packs, outside food or drink, weapons, laser pointers, fireworks, drones, confetti popper cannons, noise making devices, flashlights, optical illusions, beach balls or projectiles, skateboards/scooters/rollerblades, cans or bottles, pets (service animals are welcome), Note: Additional items may be added to this list prior to graduation.
Handheld umbrellas, including graduating students' second-line umbrellas, are permitted and will be inspected upon arrival.
Facility Policies: In addition to Tulane's policy, the Mahalia Jackson Theater has its own established policies. (Note: the following duplicates some items from the list above.)
- Firearms or weapons of any kind
- Cameras with external flash or interchangeable lenses; audio/video recording devices; tripods/monopods; drones; selfie sticks
- Laser pointers; optical illusions; flash lights
- Illegal substances
- Noise making devices, fireworks; signs/flags/banners; balloons
- Outside food and beverages; cans or bottles
- Beach balls or projectiles
- Skateboards/scooters/rollerblades
- Laptops/tablets,
- Pets (service animals are welcome)
- Outside food and beverages
The security process is a condition of entry. Any refusal or the use of abusive, threatening or discriminatory remarks will result in access being refused.
Freedom of Expression and Code of Conduct
Please note that Tulane’s Code of Student Conduct will be in place and enforced. Freedom of Expression is permitted but must not disrupt the freedom of others. Please see this page for a full explanation.
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.
Be a Tourist
For guests staying longer than a day, here are several links to popular local tourist destinations that explore history, culture, and lifestyle.
- Tulane University Uptown Campus
- Swamp Tours
- New Orleans Jazz Museum
- New Orleans Museum of Art
- The National World War II Museum
- Hop-on Hop-off Bus
- The French Quarter
- City Park
- Audubon Nature Institute Attractions
Lodging
We recommend that guests make plans well in advance as graduation season is busy across the metro area. The following hotels are located near the school, the Mahalia Jackson Theater, and the Louisiana Super Dome.
Four- and Five-Star Stays
- The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans
- The Roosevelt New Orleans (Waldorf Astoria)
- The Royal Sonesta New Orleans
- Bourbon Orleans Hotel
- Hotel Monteleone
Moderate Stays
- Best Western Plus
- French Quarter
- Ctyd
- SpringHill Suites Canal St.
- Homewood Suites by Hilton
- Hampton Inn & Suites Canal St.
- The Jung Hotel & Residences
Dining
What would a trip to New Orleans be without indulging in our world famous cuisine? The following restaurants are all located close to the downtown campus and venues. Make reservations early.
Fine Dining
- Galatoire’s
- The Court of Two Sisters
- GW Fins
- Mr. B’s Bistro
- Muriel’s Jackson Square
Tasty Treats
- Acme Oyster House
- Deanie’s Seafood Restaurant
- Domenica
- Palm & Pine
- MaMou
