Note:
These pages are for CAS and SBS graduates of the Class of 2021.
CAS and SBS members of the Class of 2020 should visit the Commencement 2020 pages.
Ceremony Schedule
- Law School at 9 a.m.
- Sawyer Business School at 1:30 p.m.
- College of Arts & Sciences at 7 p.m.
Who May Attend Commencement for the Class of 2021
All graduates whose degrees were conferred on January 22, 2021 as well as May 2021 and September 2021 degree candidates who have met all conditions for graduation may participate in commencement. May and September 2021 degree candidates, please be aware your receipt of commencement emails does not indicate you have been approved to graduate. Approval to graduate and participate in commencement will not be confirmed until all spring 2021 and outstanding grades have been posted and the University Registrar confirms all academic degree and other requirements have been fulfilled.
Diploma Mailing Information
Diplomas for May 2021 graduates will be mailed the week of June 7, 2021. Diplomas being shipped to U.S. addresses are sent through USPS standard mail. Diplomas being shipped to international address are sent using FedEx/UPS, and tracking information will be emailed once the diploma has shipped.
Diplomas for September 2021 graduates (students enrolled in 2021 summer session courses) will be mailed in September 2021. For questions regarding your diploma, please contact the Registrar’s office.
All financial obligations to the university must be met and Financial Aid Exit Counseling completed before your diploma is mailed. The OIRA Exit Survey must also be completed prior to diploma mailing. Please direct any questions to Shannon Boutin.
Your immediate action is needed:
Reserve your commencement regalia (cap, gown, and hood)
Graduates receiving Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees must reserve their commencement regalia (caps, gown and hoods) immediately by going to the Herff Jones website. The CAS Dean’s Office will order regalia for CAS doctoral students.
All regalia will be mailed to students’ homes. Students must reserve their regalia by May 1, 2021. There will be a $7.95 charge for shipping and mailing. Bachelor’s and master’s degree recipients may keep their regalia. Students can add international stoles and commencement announcements as drop-down options on the website and they can be shipped out with the cap and gown package.
RSVP your attendance at commencement
Your RSVP to participate in Commencement was due on April 1.
If you are interested in participating and have not yet submitted your RSVP, please email commencement@suffolk.edu.
We will make every effort to accommodate your request to participate. However, guest tickets may be limited.
Provide us with your mailing address to we can send you any pre- and post-commencement mailings via the USPS
To provide your mailing address:
- Log into WebAdvisor
- If you are having trouble accessing Web Advisor, contact the help desk.
- Click the “Students” tile:
- Select “Mailing Address Change” under the “Graduation” heading:
- Enter updated mailing address and click Submit:
Request Student & Guest Disabilities Accommodations
If you still need to request accommodations, please fill out the Student & Guest Disabilities Accommodations Form, and we will do our best to provide reasonable accommodations for you or your guest.
Financial Aid Exit Counseling Required for Students with Direct Loans
Before you graduate, federal regulations require students who have borrowed Direct Loans to complete loan exit counseling.
Financial Aid Exit Counseling:
- Helps you understand your rights and responsibilities as a student loan borrower
- Provides useful tips and information to help manage your loans
Failure to complete exit counseling will result in a hold being placed on your academic record. All requests for academic transcripts will be delayed.
To complete the required Exit Loan Counseling you must:
- Go to studentaid.gov you will need your FSA ID (username and password). If you do not have one or do not remember it, you can go to fsaid.ed.gov to create/edit an ID.
- Choose “Complete Counseling”
- Choose “Exit Counseling”
- Choose “Suffolk University” from the school list filter (be sure to choose the main campus: G02218)
- You will then be prompted through a series of informational pages & short quizzes related to your individual Direct Loan account.
If you have questions or need assistance completing the direct loan exit counseling, you are welcome to contact Shannon directly through email at sboutin@suffolk.edu or by phone at 617-994-6412.
Tickets
Each participating graduate will receive 3 guest tickets. To ensure proper distancing between groups, only three individuals from the same group are able to sit together. This group of 3 is called a “pod.” Each of the ticketed guests will sit together in one pod that is socially distant from other pods around them. To ensure compliance, all unused seats will be zip-tied and monitored by Fenway staff. Additional tickets will not be available due to social distancing requirements set forth by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and capacity limits for Fenway Park. Tickets may not be transferred to anyone outside your group for these same reasons. We appreciate your understanding and observance of the health and safety measures to keep our community safe.
Ticketing will be electronic and more information about how you will receive your tickets will be made available in April, 2021.
Live-stream and Recording of Commencement
The commencement ceremonies will be live streamed from the University’s website. A recording of the ceremony will also be made available.
1913 Celebration for Classes of 2020 & 2021
A virtual 1913 Celebration will take place on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 from 6–7 p.m. ET.
The 1913 Celebration is a University-wide recognition event that celebrates graduates from various backgrounds, cultures, races, ethnicities, countries of origin, first generation status, ability statuses, religions, genders, gender expressions, sexual orientations, and life experiences. Suffolk has an enduring commitment to nurturing scholars of all identities that dates back to 1913, when Thaddeus Alexander Kitchener of Kingston, Jamaica became Suffolk University’s first Black and international student graduate. Since then, countless students from various marginalized backgrounds and identities have graduated from Suffolk. We are excited to welcome the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 into the University's diverse and growing alumni network.
Graduating students can find further information and register to participate here.
All Suffolk community members including alumni, faculty, staff, current students as well as graduates’ family and friends are invited to join the celebration and can register to attend here.
Email the Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion with questions.
