Celebrate with us from anywhere! Tune in to UNC Pembroke's commencement ceremonies live and watch our graduates cross the stage in real time. Experience the pride, joy and BraveNation spirit — no matter where you are.
Commencement
Commencement is one of 51ÁÔÆæ's proudest traditions — a time to honor your hard work, reflect on your journey and celebrate this important milestone with family, friends and the community. 51ÁÔÆæ hosts commencement ceremonies twice a year: each winter for summer and fall graduates and each spring for spring graduates.
Watch the Livestream
Apply to Graduate
As you plan for your final year at UNC Pembroke, be sure to submit your graduation
application one year before your expected completion term. This allows ample time
to review and process your academic requirements ahead of commencement.
Don't miss a moment!
Commencement is more than a ceremony — it’s a milestone worth revisiting and sharing.
Whether you’re celebrating from afar or reliving the day, we’ve made it easy to stay
connected.
Watch the celebration
Catch full commencement ceremonies anytime on our — perfect for sharing with family and friends who couldn’t attend in person.
Relive the memories
Browse official photo galleries from this year and past ceremonies on. Find your moment, download favorites and celebrate your achievement again and again.
Access the program
View a digital version of the most recent printed commencement program — including
ceremony details, speaker information and graduate listings.
Get your digital diploma
Graduates now receive a certified electronic diploma, known as a CeDiploma. This secure, official document makes it easy to share your achievement with employers,
family and your professional network — anytime, anywhere.
From crossing the stage to sharing your success beyond it, 51ÁÔÆæ helps you hold on to what matters most.
Winter Ceremonies
Graduate
Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 | GIvens Performing Arts Center (GPAC)
The ceremony will begin with the processional at 6:45 p.m.
- Venue opens at 5:30 p.m. Guests should be seated by 6:30 p.m. Accessible parking is available in lots 10, 12, 16, 16A, 17 and 19. Handicapped accessible parking is available in Lots 16A and 22. Please refer to the campus map for parking locations.
- The 51ÁÔÆæ Bookstore will offer roses, balloons, alumni gifts and apparel prior to the ceremony.
- Professional photographs will be taken of each graduate during the event and made available for purchase. Details will be emailed to graduates.
5:30 p.m.
Graduates check-in at the Auxiliary Gym in the Jones Athletic Center for preparation and instructions. A short presentation will begin promptly at 6 pm with important details related to the ceremony.
Venue opens for guests.
6:30 p.m.
Entrances close and guests should be seated.
6:45 p.m.
Processional of graduates, faculty and platform party begins.
Graduates check-in at the Auxiliary Gym in the Jones Athletic Center for preparation and instructions. A short presentation will begin promptly at 6 p.m. with important details related to the ceremony.
Undergraduate
Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 | The Main Gym of the Jones Athletic Center
The ceremony will begin with the processional at 8:45 a.m.
- Venue opens at 7:30 a.m. Guests should be seated by 8:30 a.m. Accessible parking is available. Please refer to the campus map for parking locations.
- The 51ÁÔÆæ Bookstore will offer roses, balloons, alumni gifts, and apparel prior to the ceremony.
- Professional photographs will be taken of each graduate during the event and made available for purchase. Details will be emailed to graduates..
- Overflow seating with a livestream will be available at the Givens Performing Arts Center.
For more information about the undergraduate commencement ceremony, please contact the Registrar at 910.521.6298 or registrar@uncp.edu
7:30 a.m.
Graduates check-in at their assigned location. Entrances open for family and guests.
8:30 a.m.
Entrances close and guests should be seated.
8:45 a.m.
Processional of graduates, faculty and platform party begins.
Undergraduate students are to meet in theAuxiliary Gym of the Jones Athletic Center.
Spring Ceremonies
Graduate
Friday, May 8, 2026 | The Quad (between Livermore Library and Old Main)
The ceremony will begin with the processional at 6:45 p.m. Tickets will not be issued unless inclement weather is expected and the ceremony is moved indoors.
- Venue opens at 5:30 p.m. Guests should be seated by 6:30 p.m. Accessible parking is available in lots 10, 12, 16, 16A, 17 and 19. Handicapped accessible parking is available in Lots 16A and 22. Please refer to the campus map for parking locations.
- The 51ÁÔÆæ Bookstore will offer roses, balloons, alumni gifts and apparel prior to the ceremony.
- Professional photographs will be taken of each graduate during the event and made available for purchase. Details will be emailed to graduates.
5:30 p.m.
Graduates check-in at the Auxiliary Gym in the Jones Athletic Center for preparation and instructions. A short presentation will begin promptly at 6 pm with important details related to the ceremony.
Venue opens for guests.
6:30 p.m.
Entrances close and guests should be seated.
6:45 p.m.
Processional of graduates, faculty and platform party begins.
*A reception will be held near the water feature following the ceremony.
Graduates check-in at the Auxiliary Gym in the Jones Athletic Center for preparation and instructions. A short presentation will begin promptly at 6 p.m. with important details related to the ceremony.
Undergraduate
Saturday, May 9, 2026 | The Quad (between Livermore Library and Old Main)
The ceremony will begin with the processional at 8:45 a.m. Each graduate will receive eight (8) guest tickets.
- Venue opens at 7:30 a.m. Guests should be seated by 8:30 a.m. Accessible parking is available in Lot 14. Please refer to the campus map for parking locations.
- The 51ÁÔÆæ Bookstore will offer roses, balloons, alumni gifts, and apparel prior to the ceremony.
- Professional photographs will be taken of each graduate during the event and made available for purchase. Details will be emailed to graduates..
- Overflow seating with a livestream will be available at the Givens Performing Arts Center.
For more information about the undergraduate commencement ceremony, please contact the Registrar at 910.521.6298 or registrar@uncp.edu
7:30 a.m
Graduates check-in at their assigned location. Entrances open for family and guests.
8:30 a.m.
Entrances close and guests should be seated.
8:45 a.m.
Processional of graduates, faculty and platform party begins.
*A reception will be held near the water feature following the ceremony.
Graduates will meet at their assigned check-in locations according to the table below. Detailed information about the check-in process will be emailed to each graduate.
An information tent will be set up at the front of the North Lawn by the University Center Annex on graduation day.
|
Gold Flag College of Arts and Sciences North Lawn – Near the University Center Annex |
|
|---|---|
|
Black Flag College of Arts and Sciences North Lawn – Near the University Center Annex |
|
|
College of Arts and Sciences North Lawn – Near the Jones Health & PE Center |
|
|
School of Education North Lawn – Near the Jones Health & PE Center |
|
|
College of Health Sciences North Lawn – Near the Jones Health & PE Center |
|
|
College of Business & Economics North Lawn – Near the Jones Health & PE Center |
|
Eligibility
To participate in commencement exercises, students must complete a in addition to the requirements for the bachelor's or master's degrees.
Degree requirements are outlined in the .
Undergraduate students who are within three credit hours of completing their degree may request special permission to participate by submitting a written request to the Office of the Registrar.
Attire
Bachelor's degree candidates wear a traditional black gown with long, pointed sleeves and a square mortarboard. Master's degree candidates also wear a black gown and mortarboard, along with a velvet-trimmed academic hood representing their field of study.
Graduation cords, stoles and sashes may be worn to recognize academic honors, university-affiliated organizations and honorary societies. Any requests to modify regalia must be approved in advance by the Office of the Provost.
Decorum
Graduates are expected to uphold the dignity of the ceremony by conducting themselves with respect and professionalism. Disruptive behavior — including excessive noise or physical demonstrations such as dancing, stomping, yelling, etc. while in procession, seated or crossing the stage — is not permitted.
Commencement is a formal university event, and all graduates are subject to the Student Code of Conduct.
The Mace
Commissioned in celebration of 51ÁÔÆæ’s 130th anniversary, the university’s ceremonial mace reflects its deep roots, mission and enduring connection to the Lumbee people and southeastern North Carolina. Carried by the faculty grand marshal, the mace is a powerful symbol of academic tradition and institutional authority at each commencement ceremony.
Topped with a 13-inch red-tailed hawk, the four-foot mace honors students taking flight into the future and alumni returning home. Sculpted by local artist Ed Walker and cast at Carolina Bronze, the hawk is plated in 24K gold, as is the pinecone-shaped footer, a nod to the longleaf pine.
Carved from wood sourced from the Lumber River basin, the staff is etched with symbols
of regional identity: pine needle baskets, tobacco leaves and the university seal.
Accessibility and Accommodations
51ÁÔÆæ is committed to ensuring all graduates and guests can fully participate in commencement. Those needing accommodations — such as accessible seating, parking, interpreters, or alternative formats — should contact the Accessibility Resource Center at least one week before the ceremony. While advance notice is preferred, the university will make every effort to assist with requests made up to the day of the event.
Parking and Transportation
Wheelchair-accessible parking is available for vehicles with a handicap placard. Courtesy golf carts will also be in service for guests who need assistance traveling from parking areas to the ceremony site.
Reserved Seating
Accessible seating is available for guests using wheelchairs and their companion. Seating for those with mobility or hearing needs will be offered in designated areas, including priority seating near the interpreter. Early arrival is encouraged, and reservations are recommended to guarantee space.
Interpreter Services and Assistive Devices
A sign language interpreter will be present, and assistive listening devices are available by request through the Accessibility Resource Center.
Meet Our Graduates
Commencement is a time-honored tradition — rich with history, symbolism and celebration. While the rituals remain familiar each year, the graduates crossing the stage are anything but ordinary. Each class brings a new wave of bold thinkers, problem solvers and leaders, ready to make their mark with knowledge, skills and determination that build on the BraveNation legacy of those who came before them. Here are a few of their stories.
Dec 17 Chad Locklear
Carrying Forward a 51ÁÔÆæ Legacy
A trailblazing alumnus and his daughter share a full-circle moment that spans generations at UNC Pembroke.
Dec 13 Mark Locklear
UNC Pembroke’s Historic Winter Commencement Celebrates Graduates, Inspires Them to ‘Go Beyond’
Once quiet and reserved, Andrew Cart arrived at UNC Pembroke focused on his studies and content to stay out of the spotlight — but over time, he found his voice, his confidence and his path.
51ÁÔÆæ Awards First Doctoral Degrees, Marking a New Chapter in University History
As the lights rise inside Givens Performing Arts Center tonight, eight nurse leaders will step onto the stage and into the history books. Their doctoral hoods, symbols of perseverance, scholarship and service, mark a moment 138 years in the making for the 51ÁÔÆæ.