 Guest Information
Arrival and seating: Doors open one hour prior to the ceremony start time. Guest seating is general admission and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Review venue policies before arrival. Click here to view the Watsco Center seating chart.
Accessibility: The Special Needs/VIP Lobby is located to the right of the Watsco Center box office. Guests will be escorted by ushers to the ADA accessible areas that are reserved for guests in wheelchairs or those with mobility impairments and special needs. Access to the seating areas is via an elevator in our Special Needs/VIP Lobby entrance. Due to space limitations, the number of family members that can be seated in those areas with the special needs guest will be limited. The Watsco Center usher staff includes a qualified ADA aid who may assist in escorting guests with special needs to the seating area.
Special Needs Parking is located in lot 425S, adjacent to the Watsco Center on Walsh Avenue. Entrance through Dickinson is encouraged to access these spaces. State-issued disabled parking permits are required.
Golf carts and shuttles will be running continuously for guests who cannot walk long distances to and from the Watsco Center from surrounding parking lots. Reservations are not required.
Wheelchairs are available to rent from one of our UM authorized vendors.
Visit the accessibility webpage for more details.
For specific questions regarding the venue's accessibility, please contact Watsco Center at 305-284-8686 or watscocenter@miami.edu.
Closed captioning: Closed captioning is available via Streamtext during all ceremonies at miami.edu/closedcaption. Closed caption can be viewed on any personal smart device such as a phone or tablet.
Food: Outside food is prohibited in the Watsco Center, but one sealed bottle of water will be permitted. Concessions will be open during commencement ceremonies on the main concourse. The food service provider offers a wide selection of food items (snacks) and non-alcoholic beverages available for guests to purchase.
Memorabilia and gifts: The Campus Store will be on-site, on Concourse 102, selling University memorabilia, diploma frames, and more.
Bag policy: The Watsco Center has a clear bag policy to increase existing security measures and expedite entry. All clear bags must be 12" x 6" x 12" or smaller. Small clutch purses are permitted, which may not exceed 5.5" x 8.5" and can be carried separately or inside an appropriate clear bag. To reduce contact with event staff, guests may keep items such as phones, keys, and wallets in their pockets as they enter through the security mags. Review all venue policies in advance.
 Parking and Transportation
Parking is complimentary and conveniently located near the Watsco Center and at the Pavia and Levante garages, with shuttle service to the Watsco Center (view map).
No parking passes are required for commencement guests. Parking at Ponce de Leon Garage is strictly reserved for patients of The Lennar Foundation Medical Center.
Golf carts and shuttles will be running continuously for guests who cannot walk long distances to and from the Watsco Center from surrounding parking lots. Reservations are not required.
All vehicles will enter via Stanford Drive. Rideshare pick-up and drop-off is located on Stanford Drive in front of the Lowe Art Museum.
More information and directions can be found on the commencement website.
 Tickets
Tickets are not required and there is no limit to the number of guests that may attend.
 Graduate Arrival and Check-In
All graduates must enter and check-in at the Watsco Center Fieldhouse one hour prior to the ceremony start time, unless you need regalia (in that case we recommend arriving 90 minutes prior to the ceremony start time).
Graduates should arrive in their regalia, pick-up their name card, and bring only what they can carry. Graduates can visit the on-site support table if they need to make a change to their name. They will be able to change the way their name is displayed and add phonetic spelling on the day of the ceremony.
Graduates should arrive early and visit the Herff Jones tables if they need a cap and gown. Stoles of gratitude can be purchased for $25 (credit card only) at the Herff Jones table.
 Graduate Seating
The Academic Procession of graduates will begin 15 minutes prior to the ceremony start time. Guest should be seated by this time. All ceremonies last approximately 2-3 hours, depending on the total number of graduates attending.
Once the Academic Procession enters the arena, all graduates are seated on the floor. Graduates are seated by degree level (doctoral, master's, and bachelor's) and then by school/college. They can sit anywhere within their designated degree and school section.
 Crossing the Stage
Graduates will need to bring the name card that was given to them at check-in and fill in the information requested on the back (the address provided is where photos will be mailed). If necessary, graduates can visit the announcer table and make edits to the phonetic spelling of their name on the card, to ensure it is pronounced correctly.
The name card will be scanned before they cross the stage, so they should keep their name card out and stay in order! Once the card is scanned it is linked to the order in which their name will be displayed on the large screen.
Graduates will need to start walking towards President Frenk BEFORE they hear their name called.
All graduates who are present at the ceremony will have a live shot of them walking across the stage displayed on the screen. Their name will also be called live as they cross the stage, and then they will proceed to take a photo with President Frenk.
 Receptions
We invite you to celebrate your graduate's achievements at their school or college reception. Click here for reception details, including dates, times, locations, and contact information.
 Livestream
For those graduates and loved ones unable to attend in person, livestreams of all ceremonies will be available.
 U Statue Photo Opportunity
We encourage you to visit the U statue, at the Rock on the Coral Gables campus, to take a #CaneGrad spirit photo with family and friends.
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