Whether you are a senior preparing to graduate from MVC, or a family member planning to attend the commencement ceremony, you will find everything you need on this page.
Graduation Information
Commencement 2024
Date: May 10, 2025
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Gregg-Mitchell Field
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Gregg-Mitchell Field
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: To follow is the schedule of events for May 10th.
- 10:15 am Senior/Faculty/Board Pictures in front of Welcome Center
- 10:40 am Line up for Commencement in front of Baity Hall
- 11:00 am Commencement – Gregg Mitchell Field
NAME CARD: Please pick up your name card in the Registrar’s Office when you pick up your cap and gown. This card is to be completed and handed to me as you walk across the stage at commencement. For those that had their cap & gown sent home, you can pick your card up anytime. Please PRINT NEATLY and don’t use nicknames. Spell your name phonetically if necessary.
DIPLOMAS: You will receive an empty diploma cover during commencement. December graduates should have already received their diploma in the mail. Diplomas for May graduates will be mailed to the address listed on the departmental approval form within ten weeks of commencement. If you indicated that you will pick up the diploma, you will be emailed as soon as they are available. Summer candidate’s diplomas will be ordered upon completion of requirements and mailed upon receipt. Everyone should keep their diploma cover. The actual diploma will be shipped without a cover. Those that don’t participate in the graduation ceremony will be mailed the diploma in the cover.
CAP AND GOWNS: You keep the cap and gown after commencement. Remember to wear the cap flat on top of your head. We will have “helpers” available during the line up to assist you. Caps and gowns will be available for pick up beginning Monday, April 22nd in the Registrar’s Office. We will also be open early on graduation day for those that won’t be in Marshall until the day of graduation.
ACADEMIC HONORS: Since commencement is taking place before the final grades are due it will be impossible to determine academic honors. Therefore, we will use your current grade point average and will announce “with honors” if you have a 3.5 or above. Your name card indicates “with honors”. It is important to hang on to your card! The official Academic honors (Cum laude; Magna cum laude; Summa cum laude) will be indicated on the diploma.
HONOR CORDS: If you are a member of an academic organization that distributes honor cords, you should pick up the honor cords from the faculty advisor. The only honor cord awarded during the commencement ceremony are the Presidential Scholars (students with a current cumulative gpa of 3.9 or above). If you are a recipient it will be indicated on the front of your name card and you will receive your honor cord as you walk across the stage.
LINE UP: New this year, seniors will line up alphabetically by School:
- School of Arts & Humanities
- School of Business & Technology
- School of Education & Social Science
- School of Nursing & Health Science
- School of Science & Agriculture
There will be lists available so you can find your place. There will be “helpers” available to assist you in finding your place – if necessary.
PHOTOS: There will be a professional photographer taking pictures as you walk across the stage. Remember to take the diploma cover with your left hand and shake Dr. Parisi’s hand with your right hand – and pose for the camera. Someone will personally “coach” the first few people prior to commencement day – so just watch them and then follow.
GRADUATION FEE: Your $100 graduation fee ($120 graduate students) must be paid prior to graduation day.
WEATHER: Let’s hope it doesn’t rain, but if it does the commencement ceremony will be held in the Burns Gym and line up will be by the locker rooms. The heat may also be a concern for some. A bottle of water will be under every chair for graduates. Water will also be available for purchase for your guests.
GUESTS: We do not limit the number of guests you can invite, however seating is on a first come / first serve basis. We bring in extra bleachers, so seating is generally not an issue as long as the weather is nice and we remain outside. If you have guests that have limited mobility there will be a section of seating available on the track. They should park at the Burns gym and we will have staff members in golf carts transport them back and forth.
BROADCAST: The ceremony will also be broadcasted in the Malcolm Center Bacon room if you have guests that will not be able to handle the heat. The Bacon room will open at 1:15 for seating and again will be on a first come first serve basis.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me at lashleym@moval.edu.
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Graduation Requirements
Below is a list of things that must be done prior to graduating from MVC:
- Final Year Graduation Plan/Application for Graduation
To be completed the semester prior to your final two semesters. The plan should be mapped out exactly and signed by the student and the academic advisor. The plan is to be turned in to the registrar’s office. - Degree Audit
Completed by the Registrar’s Office staff and sent to the student. The Final Year Graduation Plan/Application for graduation must be turned in for a Degree Audit to be completed. Degree audit deadline: The semester prior to graduation. - Departmental Approval
To be completed during the final semester on campus and returned to the Registrar’s office. If the student plans on being away during the final semester (internship), the form should be completed prior to departing campus. The form must be signed by the academic advisor, division dean, business office, campus life and financial aid.
Missouri Valley College holds a graduation ceremony once a year in May. Students eligible to participate in the ceremony are students that completed all degree requirements the previous December, students scheduled to complete the degree requirements in May and students that are within 6 hours (or an internship) of completing the degree requirements in the summer.
Degree Requirements
- Complete 120 credit hours with a grade point average of not less than 2.0.
- Satisfy the General Education Core Curriculum.
- Pass a course of study and examination of the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Missouri by completing either HS 104, HS 105, or PS 100.
- Complete an academic major with a grade point of at least 2.0, with no grade less than “C”, and no pass/fail grades in the major.
- Complete in residence the last 30 credit hours.
- Complete 40 semester hours of upper division courses.
- Satisfy the final year graduation plan worked out during the junior year with the student’s advisor and approved by the Registrar.
- Complete the major assessment requirement.
- Merit the recommendation of the faculty.
- Pay graduation fee of $100.
Graduation Honors
Seniors who have completed a minimum of 60 graded hours in residence at Missouri Valley College are eligible for graduation honors based on the following overall grade point averages:
- 3.90-4.00 — Summa Cum Laude
- 3.70-3.89 — Magna Cum Laude
- 3.50-3.69 — Cum Laude
REMEMBER – IMPORTANT
- To understand the graduation requirements
- To keep the Registrar’s Office informed of any address changes
- That completing your graduation requirements and paperwork is your responsibility
- That you shouldn’t wait until the last minute to check your progress
- To regularly check your moval.edu email address
- Final Year Graduation Plan/Application for Graduation