Online Commencement Weekend registration will not open on March 17, 2020, as previously planned, due to impacts of COVID-19.

Registration is required for all on-campus housing, the Buntrock Bash, and Sunday Brunch.  Please also register for other events during the weekend which are free and open to the public, including the Celebration Concert, the Illumination Ceremony, Baccalaureate, and Academic Department Receptions (view the full event list here). Meal tickets and housing assignments will be available to pick up when you check in for Commencement Weekend.

We highly encourage registering online.  If you have trouble completing your online registration, please email the Events Management Office or call 507-786-3811 for assistance.

Please register in a way that you feel is most comfortable.  While we generally encourage an entire party or family to register together on one registration (it helps keep registration materials easily accessible and cuts down on duplicate registrations), we do not require it.  If you prefer, you may keep your registrations separate, such as in the case of blended families or other circumstances.  We ask family members who register separately to make sure only one of the registrations includes the graduating senior.

Only the primary registrant on a registration will have online access to make changes.  The primary registrant will need to click on the blue button on the confirmation email labeled “Update My Registration” to make changes to existing event selections.  If changes to on-campus housing selections (adding or canceling) are required, please contact the Events Management Office by emailing commencement@stolaf.edu or by calling (507) 786-3811 for assistance.

Any changes to a registration that result in a refund will be honored if they are made either online or by contacting the Events Management Office no later than May 22, 2020.  We do not offer refunds after May 22, 2020.  Please contact the Events Management Office by emailing commencement@stolaf.edu or by calling (507) 786-3811 for assistance.

There is no cost to attend most of the events held during Commencement Weekend with these few exceptions:

• Buntrock Bash:  $35 per ticket (meal plans or Ole Cards are not valid for this event).
• Sunday Brunch:  $13 for Adults and Children age 13 or older, $7 for Children ages 6-12, Free for Children 5 years old and younger.  Graduating seniors with an active meal plan do not need to pay for this event. Please note that active meal plans for current students who are not graduating seniors end on Wednesday, May 20, unless those students are employed to work the Commencement and Reunion Weekends.
• Residence Hall Accommodations:  $45 per night for a single bed, no cost for children sleeping on the floor or for current or graduating students who remain in their own dorm rooms for the weekend.

The Commencement ceremony is not included in the Commencement Weekend online registration because tickets are not required if the ceremony is held outdoors, and there is no limit on the number of people who may attend the outdoor ceremony.

However, tickets will be required if the ceremony is held indoors, and seniors are responsible for reserving their family’s tickets as part of their graduation preparation process.

Yes.  All students who ordered a cap and gown for Commencement 2020 will receive an email with information on next steps for regalia. It will include a link for students who would like a refund, which the vendor will provide. Students also have the option of keeping their original order to celebrate with family and friends, to use for photographs, and/or to wear it for the ceremony to take place in late May/early June 2021.

Rooms in residence halls on campus are available for family and friends who wish to stay on campus for Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday nights only. The cost is $45 per person per night.

Hotel options are available in the nearby cities of Faribault, Lakeville, Burnsville, Bloomington, or Eagan.  Plan to make hotel reservations well in advance since rooms are usually in high demand due to Memorial Day Weekend.

St. Olaf works with GradImages to photograph graduating seniors as they leave the platform. Visit GradImages to pre-register your permanent email address prior to Commencement and they will contact you as soon as your photos are ready for viewing. GradImages will contact you by mail following the ceremony with information on ordering photographs. For further information or to view your photos after Commencement, visit gradimages.com or call 800-261-2576.

Digital video downloads and/or DVDs are available for purchase through the Commencement Weekend Registration process.  The cost is $25 for a digital video download or $35 for the digital video download and a DVD copy.  Otherwise, you can purchase downloads or DVDs anytime after Commencement Weekend at this link (applicable tax and shipping included). Please allow 6–8 weeks for delivery.

Graduation announcements can be purchased through Herff Jones and the St. Olaf Bookstore.

We do sell tickets to both the Buntrock Bash and the Sunday Brunch at the door.  Some families aren’t sure who will end up attending these events, so they prefer to wait to purchase tickets at the door.  Please be aware that ticket lines may be long for those purchasing them on-site.

Graduating seniors will pay for and pick up their caps and gowns at GradFest – a one stop shop for all their Commencement needs. Orders can be placed online through Herff Jones.  If Commencement is canceled, Herff Jones will offer a full refund.

Students are welcome to use any solid black cap and gown in good condition rather than purchasing a new set.