Letter From the Dean

Caps and Gowns

Diplomas

Disability Services Seating & Parking

Faculty Information

General Alumni Association

Local Visitors Bureaus

Parking Information

Photography

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Speaker

Student Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Helpful Phone Numbers

Main Commencement

Letter from the Dean

January 2009

Dear Graduates:

Congratulations to all of you on the successful completion of your graduate studies! As you reflect on this important accomplishment and your time at Carolina, I believe you will view this as one of the most meaningful and rewarding times in your life. The Graduate School's Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 10 a.m. at the Dean E. Smith Center on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.

Each graduate student who participates in this ceremony will be called to the stage to have the hood of the commencement regalia conferred by his or her advisor or dissertation committee chair. Family and friends are invited to attend this ceremony.

Graduate students are also encouraged to attend the University-wide commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 10, 2009.

For questions about the Hooding Ceremony contact the Graduate School.
Again, I extend my warmest congratulations to you on your academic achievements. As you make your way into the world, whether in an academic or other professional setting, I wish you the greatest success in your endeavors.

Steve Matson

Dean of the Graduate School

Hooding Speaker

The 2009 Hooding Ceremony speaker will be Dr. Adron Harris.

Adron Harris received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1973, and conducted his postdoctoral work at the University of California at San Francisco. Dr. Harris has received numerous awards for his research on alcoholism, including the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer’s Association Foundation Faculty Development Award, Veterans Administration Alcoholism Research Award and a Distinguished Research Award in 1999. Dr. Harris served as president of the Research Society on Alcoholism from 1993-1995 and is the immediate Past President of the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. He served as the Scientific Director of Alcoholism Research Center at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine from 1992-1998. In 1998 Dr. Harris moved to the University of Texas in Austin where he holds the M. June and J. Virgil Waggoner Chair in Molecular Biology and is the director of the Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research.

Dr. Harris’s research is focused on the molecular sties of alcohol action in brain and the molecular changes on brain that are responsible for alcohol dependence. Based on citation analyses, his research publications are ranked in the top 1% in the fields of Neuroscience & Behavior, Clinical Medicine, Biology & Biochemistry, and Pharmacology & Toxicology.

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Student Information

In March, all May doctoral candidates, and the 2008 August and December graduates, will receive an electronic invitation to the Hooding Ceremony. Please RSVP by the deadline posted within that e-mail.

Caps and Gowns

Regalia for the PhD graduates will be available to purchase.

Click here for more information on regalia sales.

(Prices below are subject to change.)

Keepsake Doctoral Regalia can be purchased online or at Student Stores after April 24 for $69.99.

Commencement announcements can be purchased through Herff Jones.

Questions about generic announcements should be directed to UNC Student Stores, 962-2427. Generic announcements may be purchased at Student Stores.

Diplomas

Doctoral diplomas will be available for distribution immediately following Commencement, on Sunday, May 10, until 2 p.m. unless your department is having a departmental ceremony.

Disability Services, Seating and Parking

Services for guests with disabilities are available. If you require accommodations, special seating, parking, interpreter services, etc., please contact the Department of Disability Services, SASB – Suite 2126, Campus Box 7214, (919)962-8300 (TDD).

Faculty Information

Faculty and Deans who are attending the Hooding ceremony and wish to march in the academic processional, should line up at 9:30 a.m.

Faculty are expected to wear full academic regalia. If you wish to rent or purchase academic regalia, you can arrange to do so by calling Eve Bradshaw in Student Stores at 962-2427. Faculty who hold Carolina doctorates may also purchase distinctive Carolina regalia through Student Stores.

Parking information for faculty and members of the platform party will be announced at a later date.

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General Alumni Association

You are invited to become a member of your General Alumni Association at a special half-price rate. As our graduation gift to you, we are offering a one - year membership for $20 or a $50 discount on a lifetime membership in the GAA. Membership includes an annual subscription to the Carolina Alumni Review, access to Alumni Career Services, the opportunity to participate in local regional alumni clubs and many other benefits. For more information on membership, e-mail membership@unc.edu or call (919) 962-0742.

Local Visitors Bureaus

The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau  and the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau Web sites provide information on local lodging, restaurants, scheduled events, shopping, tours, and area resources.

Parking Information

Parking for guests attending the Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony on Saturday, May 10 will be available in most lots surrounding the Dean E. Smith Center. They include the Manning or Bowles Lots and the Craige or Business School Decks. Guest needing parking accommodations for the elderly or disabled should contact the Office of Disability Services at 919-962-8299 or 919-962-8300.

Reserved parking for faculty will be in the top tier of the Manning Lot. Parking for members of the Platform Party will be in the Dean E. Smith Lot next to Koury Natatorium.

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Photography

Professional photographers from Chappell Studios will be on stage at the Hooding Ceremony to photograph each student as they are hooded. Free proofs will be mailed to you and online viewing will be available at www.chappell.com. There are no fees and there is no obligations to purchase photographs.

GradTrak® by Graduation Images has an exciting offer for graduates!  They are offering students a $5 discount on any photo order over $25 when they register their email address prior to graduation. The link for graduates is www.gradimages.com.

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Scholarships and Financial Aid

Graduating students who have borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan while attending Carolina must complete Stafford Loan Exit Counseling. Students should go to www.mapping-your-future.org to complete an online Stafford Loan Exit Counseling session. The Office of Scholarships and Student Aid will be notified automatically once you complete the online session. Please save the confirmation page for your records.

Graduating students who have borrowed a Federal Perkins or Health Professions Loan or any long term University Loan must complete Exit Counseling by accessing the ECSI website. Students may contact the Office of Student Accounts & University Receivables at loans@unc.edu with any questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What time do graduates need to be there?

The 2009 Graduate School Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be held in the Dean E. Smith Center. Students and their faculty advisors should arrive no later than 9:00 a.m. in full regalia.

2. How long does the ceremony usually last?

About two hours.

3. Can I be hooded during this Ceremony but not officially graduate until
later this year?

No. Only candidates who have met all degree requirements for a May graduation (and August and December graduates from the PREVIOUS academic year) will be hooded at each Hooding Ceremony. Once you officially graduate in a future semester, please e-mail graduationcandidates@unc.edu and request an invitation to the following years Hooding Ceremony.

4. What happens if it rains?

The check-in process may be moved indoors, but the 2009 Graduate School Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be held in the Smith Center rain or shine.

5. Where do we park?

Please refer to the parking section above.

6. Is there handicapped parking?

Contact Disability Services with requests for handicapped parking or seating. Office of Disability Services, SASB – Suite 2126, 962-8300.

7. Will they call out my name?

Yes. Doctoral candidates will be individually recognized.

8. How do I find out when my department is having its ceremony?

Please check the website to see the departmental schedule.

9. Where do I get my diploma?

Doctoral diplomas will be available for distribution immediately following the Sunday, May 10th, Commencement until 2 p.m. unless your department is having a departmental ceremony.

10. Is there housing on campus for Commencement?

No, housing is not available on campus for parents and guests. A list of hotels in the area is available on the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau Web sites. 

Helpful Phone Numbers

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