Graduation Information

A mandatory meeting will be on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 4:00 PM in Mabee Fieldhouse. At this meeting we will go over the instructions for commencement, regalia, and answer questions. There will be a demonstration on the appropriate way to wear your regalia, confirm pronunciation of your name and several offices will be available to assist with questions.

Student Commencement Instructions

May 13, 2023
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Avila University Campus
Kansas City, Missouri

No less than two semesters and no more than four semesters; you should log into MyAU and request an audit to be completed for your degree.

Once you have completed this through MyAU, please allow four to six weeks for the audit to be completed in the Registration & Student Records Office. You will receive a communication from the Registration Office indicating your requirements through your Avila e-mail. Your academic advisor/s will also receive a copy of your audit results.

After receiving your audit results, please make an appointment with your academic advisor/s to review and determine when you will be able to complete the requirements. This will determine your graduation conferred date.

If participating in commencement, the application is due:

For all degree completion dates – NOVEMBER 15.

If NOT participating in commencement, the application is due:

A one-time graduation fee of $175 will be charged to student accounts when the application is received. Late fees will be charged to students who apply after the above deadlines.

Graduation honors are awarded for baccalaureate degrees only. Honors for the first baccalaureate degree will be based on all work completed, including transfer work. Honors for the second baccalaureate degree will be based on Avila University’s work only. Students must have completed at least 60 hours of coursework at Avila after the completion of the first degree to be eligible for honors.

Graduation honors are based on the cumulative grade point average as follows:
Summa cum laude …………. 3.900 – 4.000
Magna cum laude…………… 3.700 – 3.899
Cum laude …………………….. 3.500 – 3.699

Honors announced at the graduation ceremony will be based on the work completed the fall semester prior to May graduation. If a student did not attend the fall semester, the announced honors will be based on the grade point average from the last semester of attendance prior to the fall semester.

Official honors will be recorded on the student’s diploma and transcript. Official honors are based on the final grade point average after the last semester of coursework is completed. Official honors may be different than those announced at the graduation ceremony if a student’s grade point average changes the status during the last semester of coursework.

When two majors are completed in different areas (e.g. B.S., B.A.), the student must designate which major is the first major, which will indicate which degree will be conferred.  In addition to meeting all requirements for the first major, the student must complete a minimum of fifteen (15) credits in the second major that are not already used to satisfy requirements for the first major requirements for the core.

Second Degree Requirements for earning two degrees to be awarded simultaneously:

• Completion of a minimum of thirty (30) semester hours at Avila University in addition to the minimum 128 hours required for the first baccalaureate degree for a total of 158 hours.
• Completion of both majors with at least 12 upper-division hours in each major taken at Avila University; a “C” grade is required in each upper-division course in the majors.

Requirements for earning a second degree after having been awarded a baccalaureate degree:

• Completion of a minimum of thirty (30) additional semester hours at Avila University after the awarding of the first baccalaureate degree.
• Completion of a major with at least 12 upper-division hours in the major taken at Avila University; a “C” grade is required in each upper-division course in the major.
• Completion of the core curriculum as stated in the academic catalog.

All graduates or faculty interested in a cap, gown, tassel or hood will need to place an order via our new site. We recommend graduates or faculty submit their regalia orders by March 29, 2023 (last day to purchase) in order to ensure timely processing and shipment.

For Students: https://avila.shopoakhalli.com

For Faculty: https://avilafaculty.shopoakhalli.com

FACULTY WHO HAVE KEPT THEIR REGALIA FROM PREVIOUS CEREMONIES WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN ORDER

Graduation Cap Decoration Guidelines

You will receive written notification from the Registration & Student Records Office when your degree is ready. If you prefer to have your diploma mailed to you, please click the link below:

Mail My Diploma

TBD

Effective October 15, 2017, the graduation fee is $175.

You must have requested a Bachelor’s degree audit, received your results, and discussed with your academic advisor/s before applying to graduate.

Once you receive your graduation audit results and review with your advisor to determine your graduation conferred date, then you can submit your Graduation Application by logging into MyAU.  You will receive a confirmation email once you submit your Graduation Application in MyAU.

Please make sure to check out the Graduation Events section of this webpage for information regarding  Graduation Practice, Alumni at Last Bash, Sending Ceremony, and the Commencement Ceremony.

Effective October 15, 2017, the graduation fee is $175.

Notice: Master students are not required to submit a Graduation Audit Request form.

Please submit your Graduation Application by logging into MyAU. You will receive a confirmation email when submitted.  You will also receive a graduation snapshot of your degree requirements from the Registration and Student Records Office.  The graduation snapshot will be sent to your Avila email account.

Please make sure to check out the Graduation Events section of this webpage for information regarding Graduation Practice, Alumni at Last Bash, Sending Ceremony, and the Commencement Ceremony.

Avila University has secured a block of rooms and a reduced rate at the Sonesta Select hotel near campus. Please use the link below if you’d like to book your room and take advantage of these accommodations during commencement weekend.

Sonesta Select – Kansas City/South Overland Park
500 E. 105 Street
Kansas City, MO 64131

Student (Graduate) Parking:

To access designated parking lots (marked with yellow dots), graduates will need to use Wornall Rd. since the gate by the football field (Santa Fe Trail Road) will be closed. All other parking lots are reserved for guests and the entrances to those will be blocked off to graduates.

• Athletic Pavilion
• O’Reilly Hall
• Mabee Fieldhouse, Whitfield Center (Yellowbird Road)

Because on-campus parking is limited, carpooling or ride-sharing services are still recommended.

Student (Graduate) Parking Map

Guest Parking:

To access designated parking lots (marked with red dots), guests will need to use the entrance located off of Oak St. since the gates at Santa Fe Trail Road and 118^th St. will be closed to help with the flow of traffic. Guests with limited mobility will need to park in the front most parking lot (marked with a yellow dot) which will allow for easier access to the quad in the center of campus.

All other parking lots (not marked on the map) are reserved for graduates and the entrances to those will be blocked off to guests. Guests may drop off graduates at the Athletic Pavilion (14). Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church will be used for overflow parking. A shuttle will be provided at that location starting at 8:30 AM. Should you choose to, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is a (4) minute walk to campus.

If designated guest parking lots on campus or the overflow parking lot at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church are full, you may park on the side of 118^th St. or 117^th St. that are clearly marked by orange cones. This option will be a last resort and initiated by our onsite security personnel. 

Because on-campus parking is limited, carpooling or ride-sharing services are still recommended.

Guest Parking Map

Once parked, guests will be directed to Blasco Hall (1) to check-in. Here, guests will be able to redeem their tickets and receive a program before making their way into the QUAD for the ceremony. Your ticket must be stamped to ensure you receive a seat.

A vendor will also be onsite with florals and/or graduate gifts for you to purchase.

Guest Check-In Map

A section of seating in the quad has been reserved for students and guests who use wheelchairs or have mobility limitations. Accessible restrooms will be marked with signage and available in O’Rielly Hall and Goppert Theater.

Please do not approach the stage to take photos or video. Avila has hired professional photographers to record the event. At a minimum, all graduates will be photographed once they come off the stage and those images will be available through the Grad Images website.

The Commencement exercise is a formal academic ceremony. We ask that all guests respect the ceremony, graduates, and other guests by behaving in a dignified manner that the occasion merits. In keeping with decorum and the Avila tradition, we ask that guests adhere to the following guidelines.

Key Points

1. Keep all confetti, balloons, and noisemakers outside of the venue
2. Food, beverages, or rude and disruptive behavior will not be permitted. Security personnel will be on-site to enforce these restrictions and prevent disruptive behavior
3. Cellular phones should be turned to their silent operating modes to help ensure that all guests can hear and enjoy the graduation activities
4. During the reading of the names of the graduates, we ask guests to be considerate in their applause so that all names are heard clearly and the ceremony is not disrupted. We ask that you express your excitement in ways that will not prevent others from hearing the speakers and enjoying the ceremony
5. Please remain in your seats for the duration of the ceremony until after the recessional. Please do not block the aisles or passageways by attempting to greet or take photos with graduates.

Parking is limited so we ask that you car pool or ride share to the ceremony.

Gratitude Transportation has partnered with Avila to offer a discount on their transportation services. Use this link and enter the discount code — AVILA5 — in the trip notes when booking.

If inclement weather is forecasted for Saturday, a decision will be made by Wednesday, May 10^th to move the ceremony indoors. Students will be in Goppert Theatre while guests gather in Mabee Fieldhouse and the event will be livestreamed between the locations so that family and friends can hear their student’s name announced as they walk across the stage.