139th Commencement Senior Letter

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March 1, 2012
Dear Bloomfield College Senior:
Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from Bloomfield College! Graduation is a very special milestone in your life, and we want to do everything possible to make all of the 139th Commencement activities enjoyable. Your presence at every event is important in making this a memorable occasion in your life. Please mark your calendar with the following dates and times, especially note the time for lineup on the day of Commencement, and the deadline for applying for tickets and seating for guests in wheelchairs.

**No one will be allowed to receive their degree unless they are in the lineup prior to the march beginning --- NO EXCEPTIONS

NOTE: Pocketbooks, cameras and other personal items are not acceptable in the academic procession and should be left with your guests or locked in your car. Please remember to keep your car keys in a safe place. You will not be able to leave any items in the College Hall.

Filing for Diploma: If you have not already done so, please contact Annette Raymond, Associate Registrar, at ext. 271.
In order to graduate, all outstanding bills must be paid prior to Commencement. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Federal Stafford Loan Recipients: If you received a Federal Stafford Loan while attending the College, you are required to have an Exit Interview. The Financial Aid Office will contact you with further information.

Job Preparation Services: Please make sure that you take advantage of the job preparation services that are available at the Career Services Office at ext. 250. Schedule an appointment with a counselor today. If you need assistance with Graduate School Preparation, please contact Susan Cox at ext. 255.

Regalia: A cap and gown is mandatory for Commencement.  The hood will be provided free of charge from the College and you will receive your hood during the Commencement ceremony. You may purchase the cap, gown, tassel and optional sash at the College Bookstore (ext. 304) starting Monday, April 23rd through Monday, May 21st.  You will be fitted at the time of purchase. The prices are as follows:

Bachelor’s: cap, gown, and tassel - $35/cap, gown, tassel and sash - $55 

Master’s: cap, gown, tassel - $46/cap, gown, tassel and sash - $66
Please note: the sash sold separately is $25.

The hours of the Bookstore are as follows:
                Monday                                                 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
                Tuesday through Friday                     8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Bookstore extended hours day of Commencement:
                Thursday, May 24th                              7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

If you are interested in purchasing a class ring, they will be on sale in the Student Center lobby. Sale dates will be announced soon.

Graduation Rehearsal: Rehearsal will be held Monday, May 21, at 5:00 p.m. on the Quad. Line-up and procession instruction, as well as other essential information, will be provided at that time. It is recommended that all graduating seniors attend rehearsal.
Following rehearsal, you will be asked to complete a senior survey which will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes. After completing the survey, you will receive a small token of our appreciation.

Photography:  Island Photography has been hired to capture this special moment.  You will be professionally photographed before you receive your degree and while you are receiving your degree on stage.  You will receive proofs via email and regular mail from Island Photography.  You can also receive a direct link to the photos.  You can visit Island Photography at http://orders.islandphoto.com/apps/registergraduates.aspx to register.  You may register several email addresses to allow all family and friends to receive a direct link to the photos. Images are posted within 72 hours of the ceremony.  All inquiries should be made to Island Photography at 800-869-0908.  Purchase is optional.

DVD: Commencement events will be videotaped. The Bloomfield College Media Center (Library, lower level) will produce DVDs of the Awards Ceremony, the Nurses’ Pinning, Baccalaureate and Commencement. These may be purchased one week after graduation for $7.00 per event. Graduates and their families can simply come into the Media Center with payment and pick up a copy.  Videotape copies will be produced by special request at the same price.  For questions, please call the Media Center at 973-748-9000 ext. 370 or media_center@bloomfield.edu.

Graduation with Honors: Honors Cords will be distributed during the Baccalaureate ceremony to those students graduating with College honors and those in honor societies. Generally, the students, faculty, administration and academic guests proceed in full academic dress. All graduating seniors are invited to march, so please bring your cap and gown. You may also invite family and friends to attend this ceremony. Seniors graduating with honors will receive a letter of invite from the Office of Academic Affairs along with sign-in instructions. Please remember that only seniors graduating with honors will receive honors cords.

Honorary Degrees: During your Commencement ceremony, honorary degrees will be conferred upon:
S. Jervis Brinton, Jr.
(Posthumously)
Mary Jo Codey
Jeh C. Johnson, Esq.
William E. Strickland, Jr.

Tickets and Commencement Announcements: Tickets are required – Announcements will not be accepted as tickets for admission. Each graduate who is on the official graduation list is entitled to receive six (6) guest tickets and Commencement announcements. Graduates must complete and submit an Application for Commencement Tickets form (enclosed and available for printing on-line at www.bloomfield.edu/commencement) by Monday, April 30. The form must be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs, 73 Oakland Avenue. Only students who have submitted the application form by April 30 will receive tickets and announcements.

Tickets and announcements will be available for pick up at the Student Financial Services Office in Knox Hall beginning Monday, May 1st to Monday, May 21st. Lost or stolen tickets will not be replaced. No additional tickets will be available.

If you are unable to pick up your tickets in person, you may have someone pick them up on your behalf. Follow these steps in order for the Student Financial Services Office to release your tickets:

1. Make a legible photocopy of your student ID card.
2. Write the following on the photocopy: “I authorize (insert the name of the person picking up your tickets) to pick up my Bloomfield College Commencement tickets.”
3. Sign and date the photocopy.
4. Instruct the person you authorized to pick-up your tickets to bring their photo ID for verification.

Tickets are required for all guests 2 yrs and older. Children under the age of 2 are expected to sit on the lap of a parent or guardian. Special seating will be arranged for guests in wheelchairs with validated tickets (please see Guests in Wheelchairs).

Guests in Wheelchairs: Validated tickets required. Seating for guests in wheelchairs will be available in a reserved section under the tent. Due to limited space, the reserved seating area is restricted to the person in the wheelchair and one guest. Additional members of your party should sit in the general seating area.

Graduates requiring seating for guests in wheelchairs should indicate same on the Application for Commencement Tickets form. After receiving your tickets, bring two tickets to be validated for wheelchair seating to the Office of Academic Affairs (73 Oakland Avenue) starting Monday, May 1st through Monday, May 21st.

Please note: Total number of tickets, including validated tickets for guests in wheelchairs, will not exceed six (6).

Guest Seating: Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:00 am. Please note that this is an outdoor event that will be held rain or shine. No strollers, carriages, carriers or any other equipment for transporting babies or toddlers will be allowed under the tent. This is a safety issue.

Parking: Parking is available in our main lot on Liberty Street. Please note that Liberty Street will be closed to traffic at 9:00 a.m.
A limited number of handicapped parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis in the Liberty Street lot. A handicapped hangtag or license plate is required. Passengers with disabilities may be dropped off in front of the College Quadrangle on Liberty Street prior to 9:00 a.m.

Etiquette: Commencement is a formal academic event to be conducted with dignity and decorum. To preserve the decorum of the event, please exercise etiquette appropriate for the occasion and express your excitement in ways that will not prevent others from hearing the speakers and enjoying the ceremony. Please extend consideration and courtesy to your fellow graduates by returning to your seat after your name has been announced and remaining at the ceremony until all the graduates have been recognized. Cellular phones and pagers must be turned off for the duration of the ceremony.

Please log on the College website at www.bloomfield.edu/commencement for up-to the minute information.

We are pleased that Bloomfield College has been a part of your life, and we look forward to sharing these special events with you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marion Terenzio
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty

Dr. Patrick Lamy
Vice President for Student and Dean of Students