Family Info

Since our first Commencement ceremony in 1924, thousands of graduates, their families and friends have gathered on the picturesque University Green to celebrate the achievements of our academic community.

Rowan University’s 2012 Commencement exercises for bachelor’s degree candidates will be held on Friday, May 11, beginning at 10 a.m. on the University Green in front of Bunce Hall. We expect to host more than 10,000 guests on campus throughout the day, so please expect to arrive early and prepare for a busy, yet memorable day.

Please note: Route 322, from Bowe Boulevard to Main Street, will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Commencement day. Plan to arrive before 9 a.m.

To download a PDF copy of the Commencement Visitors' Guide:
Visitors' Guide

Alternate routes to the Rowan campus

Via US Route 322 West
Please follow posted signs for Route 322 West and proceed to campus where an officer will direct you to park in Lot A or U.

Via US Route 322 East (NJ Turnpike, Commodore Barry Bridge, I-295)
Please follow signs for Route 322 East to campus where an officer will direct you to park in Lot A, C or D.

Via US Route 47 (Delsea Drive) North and South
From Route 47, make a left (or right) onto Donald Barger Blvd. Follow Barger Blvd. to the Carpenter Street intersection where an officer will direct you to park in one of the North lots (B, C or D).

Via US Route 55, Exit 48 (Least congested route)
From Exit 48, proceed North on Route 641 (Ellis Street) to High Street. Make a left on High Street and find residential parking on High, Victoria, New, Holly or Oakwood Streets. Posted time restrictions are lifted just for Commencement day. Please be careful not to block driveways and intersections.

Via US Route 55, Exit 50A (Route 42, I-295)
From Exit 50A, take Route 322 East to campus where an officer will direct you to park in Lot A, C or D. Please note: This route is the most heavily traveled and traffic congestion and delays can be significant.

Via US Route 55, Exit 53
From Exit 53, follow Route 553 South (Woodbury-Glassboro Road) through Pitman to Route 47 (Delsea Drive). Make a right onto Delsea Drive and continue south to the first traffic light. Make a right onto Donald Barger Blvd. Follow Donald Barger Blvd. to Carpenter Street where an officer will direct you to park in one of the North lots (B, C or D).

Family and guest parking

Parking for guests of students is available on streets adjacent to the University and in all exterior lots except Lots P, R and J. For information about special needs parking passes, please visit here.

Tickets

Tickets are not necessary for the main outdoor ceremony on the University Green. However, tickets are required for admission to the College secondary ceremonies held at approximately 12 p.m.—about 30 minutes after the main ceremony concludes. Each degree candidate in the Colleges of Business, Communication, Education, Engineering and Fine & Performing Arts is issued four (4) tickets for his/her respective secondary ceremony. Degree candidates in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are issued three (3) tickets to their secondary ceremony.

Undergraduates must pick up and sign for their tickets by presenting a valid student ID card and one other form of identification (or two forms of photo identification). Tickets will be available in Memorial Hall between Monday, April 23 and Thursday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. NO TICKETS MAY BE PICKED UP AFTER APRIL 26.

College ceremony sites

Secondary College ceremonies will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the main outdoor ceremony at the following locations:

For the hearing impaired

If a sign language interpreter is needed for the main or secondary ceremonies, please contact the Academic Success Center at (856) 256-4259.

Commemorative photographs

Professional photographers from GradImages will photograph all graduates while receiving their diplomas during each secondary ceremony. Proofs will be mailed home and emailed within three to five days after Commencement. Pictures can be ordered online, by phone or by mail. GradImages can be contacted at (800) 261-2576 or via email at www.gradimages.com.

Flowers

Flowers may be purchased by the bouquet from the Senior Honor Society just behind Bunce Hall.

Graduation announcements

The Rowan University Bookstore offers personalized and generic graduation announcements. Beginning April 2, generic announcements may be purchased at the Bookstore for $16.98/pack. Personalized announcement packages can be ordered at the Bookstore during Grad Fair, online at www.herffjones.com/college/graduation or by contacting Al Leahman at (609) 267-0265.

Diploma frames, class rings and gifts

The Bookstore offers a variety of Commencement-related products with samples on display.

Bookstore hours for Commencement

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday, May 10, 2012 – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, May 11, 2012 – 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Commemorative Book Program
Purchase a bookplate in honor of a friend or loved one. For a suggested donation of $75, you may request to place a bookplate with the name of the person you wish to honor in a Campbell Library book or DVD on the subject of your choice.

A commemorative book is the perfect way to honor anyone connected with Rowan, from the new graduate to the 50-year alumnus. Commencement, birthdays, reunions–any occasion is suitable for this special gift. Bookplates may also be purchased in memory of friends and family members who have passed away.

If you would like to make a commemorative bookplate donation, please send a check payable to Rowan University Future/Fund/FoCal, along with a note stating the person's name and subject area of the book or DVD in which you would like to place the bookplate, to:

Friends of Campbell Library
201 Mullica Hill Road
Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701

You can also make your commemorative book donation online at: https://focal.rufoundation.org. For more information, please contact FoCaL at FOCAL@rowan.edu or (856) 256-4981.

Meeting with your family

Because of the great crowds attending Commencement, reuniting with family and friends after the main or secondary ceremonies can be daunting. For those unfamiliar with campus, University staff will be on hand with maps and signs to help direct foot traffic. Graduates and guests may find it helpful to designate a location on campus where they can meet during the day. The parking area to the east of the University Green, between Oak and Laurel Halls and the oak grove behind Bunce Hall are well-suited for family gatherings and photographs. The University will also provide a Rowan-themed portrait station in the Student Center.

Departure routes

Exiting Lots H, J and the parking garage
These lots will only be able to travel east on Route 322.

Exiting Lot A (Route 322 East only)
Only left turns onto Route 322 East exiting Lot A will be permitted after Commencement and upon the reopening of Route 322. To travel east out of Lot A, you must exit at the posted traffic officer location. Turn left onto Route 322 and continue east towards Route 553 or Route 47 (Delsea Drive). At Route 47, turn right heading south and follow signs for Route 322 East towards New Jersey Shore Points.

Exiting Lot A (Route 322 West only)
No right turns onto Route 322 West exiting Lot A will be permitted after Commencement. To travel west out of Lot A, you must exit at the rear of the lot (the “S” road). Proceed to the stop sign and turn left. At the next stop sign, turn left onto Bowe Blvd and make a right onto Route 322.

Exiting Lots C, D and M-1 (gravel lot)
To facilitate the flow of traffic departing campus, no one may exit Lot D onto Bowe Blvd. Please proceed to Wilson Road to exit. To get to Route 322 East, make a right onto Bowe Blvd. and a right onto Route 47. To get to Route 322 West, make a left onto Bowe Blvd. and a right onto Route 322.

Exiting Lots B, M, W and Robinson Circle
To facilitate the flow of traffic, these lots will exit onto Carpenter Street. Wilson Road will be blocked at Robinson Circle. To access Route 322 East, make a right onto Carpenter Street, a right onto Main Street and a left onto High Street. To access Route 322 West, make a left onto Carpenter Street, a left onto Bowe Blvd. and a right onto Route 322.

Dining options

On campus and within a few moments’ drive, visitors will find many dining options.

On-campus
The University’s Marketplace Cafe in the Student Center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. with a full breakfast buffet. The cost is $7.55 per person and $4.15 for children 12 and younger. The Market Basket Convenience Store in the Student Center is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Concession kiosks on the University Green will open at 9 a.m. through the end of the ceremonies.

Off-campus
Just off-campus on Delsea Drive, Glassboro offers specialty and national restaurants as well as fast food options. Go east on Bowe Boulevard to Route 47 (Delsea Drive) and north to Italian Affair, Terra Nova, Peking Buffet, Saladworks and Pizza Hut. Go south on Delsea Drive for Wendy’s, McDonald's, Samurai Hibachi Steak House and Sushi Bar, Tokyo Mandarin and PB’s Diner. Heading east on Rt. 322, guests will find Landmark Americana located on the edge of campus and, about 15 minutes farther, the Scotland Run Golf Course restaurant. Note: Plan lunch reservations accordingly.

Inclement weather procedures

In the event of inclement weather (thunderstorms, heavy rain, etc.) the main outdoor ceremony will be cancelled and the secondary ceremonies will be held at indoor locations beginning at 10:30 a.m. for the Colleges of Communication, Education, Engineering and part of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. For the Colleges of Business, Fine & Performing Arts and the rest of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the ceremonies will begin at 2:30 p.m. Indoor ceremony locations are listed below:

Secondary ceremony tickets are designated for a specific location and will admit guests only to that location. Time changes or cancellations for inclement weather will be announced May 11 at 7 a.m. on WGLS-FM 89.7 and KYM-AM 1060. This information will also be available by phone at (856) 256-4000 and on the University website.

Additional Information

Bottled water, snacks, disposable cameras, film and balloons are available at kiosks throughout campus and at the Bookstore.

Baby strollers cannot be left in the aisles.

There are no designated baby changing facilities on campus. Please plan accordingly.

Balloon bouquets are not permitted in the seating areas during the ceremony. They will block the view of other guests.

Departure from the parking lots after the ceremonies may take up to 45 minutes.

Campus maps

For your convenience, please find directions to Rowan University and campus maps below. Be sure to remember where you park.

Driving directions

Campus map

Commencement map