Seeing the faces of those who have taught, motivated, and mentored them makes Commencement meaningful for our graduates. Take this time to appreciate them and all they have achieved—they couldn’t have done it without you!
All IU Indianapolis faculty are invited and encouraged to participate in the ceremony, and can reserve their regalia free of charge.
Faculty members play key roles at Commencement—from the grand marshals, who lead the platform party and officially begin and end the ceremony, to the research chairs who hood their doctoral students, to the faculty members in the audience cheering for the graduates. The Commencement team deeply appreciates the participation of our IU Indianapolis faculty members in this milestone occasion, and we welcome your questions at commence@iu.edu or 317-278-1700.
Grand Marshal
The grand marshal is a faculty member, representing the university, who fulfill specific ceremonial duties that include leading the platform party to and from the stage and bearing the IU mace. They are appointed by a campuswide Commencement committee and serve terms that last for multiple years.
Head Marshals
The head marshals are faculty members from a number of programs at IU Indianapolis who assist in ceremonial duties related to the platform party. They, too, are appointed by the campuswide Commencement committee and serve terms that last for multiple years.
Faculty Marshals
The faculty marshals assist in the procession and seating of the graduates and other faculty members. They may also be called upon to help with the hooding of doctoral students, among other ceremonial duties. Early in the spring semester, each school’s Commencement contact asks for faculty members to volunteer to serve as marshals. If you haven’t received an invitation and are interested in being a faculty marshal at Commencement, please communicate directly with your school Commencement contact.
Doctoral Research Chairs
Ph.D. and other doctoral students hooded by the chairs of their dissertation committees or by other faculty mentors who have overseen their doctoral studies. These faculty members meet up with their students before the ceremony, accompany them in the procession, and hood them in front of the stage after the students’ names are announced. If you are unable to attend Commencement to hood your student, a faculty marshal who is present will be asked to do the honors.
Additional Faculty Participants
All IU Indianapolis faculty members are cordially invited to attend Commencement, and you can expect to be busy, helping to ensure that the proceedings are both orderly and festive. In addition to those faculty members who are hooding students at the Graduate Commencement, the Commencement team is always in need of the help of faculty members who can lend a hand. If you are interested in participating in Commencement, please reach out to your school’s event contact on this page.
