Fall Commencement

Saturday, Dec. 22, 2022 at 10 a.m. in Cuddy Arena
Congratulations Class of 2022!

Wingate University is planning in-person commencement ceremonies on its main campus on Saturday, December 18, 2021. Ceremony times include 10 a.m. for graduate programs and 2 p.m. for undergraduate programs. There are no tickets required, seats are on a first come, first serve basis, please plan to arrive early.

A committee of representatives from across the University is working to make this both a memorable and safe experience. As we monitor and navigate the ongoing Covid situation in our community, this information may change or be adjusted, please check this page frequently.

Schedule of Events

Ceremony Schedules

Ceremony Schedules

Information for Graduates

Graduation Requirements

A requirement to graduate is to apply for graduation. After you apply, make sure you communicate with the Registrar's Office about participation in the ceremony, with the Financial Planning Office to complete exit counseling and with the Business Office to clear any outstanding balances.

We recommend that you visit this page often and join your class social media pages (on Instagram, WUClass2022) to keep up to date with information. Check your email for communication from the registrar as well.

View all undergraduate graduation requirements

Rehearsal

Day of Commencement

Dress Code

Masks may be required, check this page closer to the event date.
Caps and gowns are required. Stoles and fraternity cords are permitted. Honor cords are distributed shortly before the Commencement lineup. “Sunday” dress is considered appropriate for both men and women. Ladies should wear dresses, skirts or dress trousers. Men should wear trousers and shirts with collars. Black shoes and socks are preferred. Guests should follow the same dress code. See the tab below for information about purchasing your commencement regalia.

Cap and Gown Purchase

Visit the Herff-Jones website to purchase your cap and gown.

Undergraduates need a bachelor's degree cap and gown.
Graduate students receiving a MAED, MAT, MBA, MASM, MPAS or MAC degree are required to have a master's gown, hood and cap.
Graduate students receiving an EdS degree need a doctoral gown, a master's hood and cap.
Students receiving a Doctor of Education, Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Doctor of Pharmacy or Doctor of Physical Therapy degree are required to have the doctoral gown, hood, tam and tassel set.

The University reserves the right to remove a degree candidate from the commencement ceremony if the candidate is not wearing the approved regalia as shown below. Questions regarding regalia should be emailed to commencement@wingate.edu.

Bachelor's Regalia

Black robe with twin front pleats, long sleeves and a zipper closure.
The robe should fall around mid-shin length.
Mortarboards (cap) with black tassels.
Stoles (see photo to the left) are permitted.

Master's Regalia

Black robe with elongated sleeve extensions draping below the wrist openings.
The robe should fall around mid-shin to ankle length.
Mortarboards (cap) with black tassels.
Master's hood matching your degree:
- Accounting - Drab
- Education - Light Blue
- Sport Management - Sage Green
- Teaching - Light Blue
- Business Administration - Drab
- Physician Assistant Studies - Kelly Green

Education Specialist Regalia

Black robe with bell sleeves and three chevrons on each sleeve in light blue, fine pleating velvet panels from the hemline to the center of the back, also in your discipline color.
The robe should fall at ankle length.
Master's of Education hood.
Mortarboards (cap) with light blue tassel.

Doctoral Regalia

Black robe with bell sleeves and three chevrons on each sleeve in your discipline color, fine pleating velvet panels from the hemline to the center of the back, also in your discipline colors.
The robe should fall at ankle length.
Doctoral hood (longer ands wider than master's hoods).
Mortarboards (cap) with appropriate colored tassel.
- Pharmacy - Olive Green
- Education - Light Blue
- Physical Therapy - Gold

Participation & Diploma

Class Ring

Student FAQs

Lyceum

Lyceum Series is a graduation requirement and you will not be eligible to walk in commencement, your degree will not be conferred and you will not receive a diploma if you do not complete the lyceum requirement. The Lyceum Series only applies to undergraduate students (excluding those earning a BLS degree). If you have questions about Lyceum requirements, please contact Keyua McElveen at k.mcelveen@wingate.edu.

Click here to check your Lyceum counts.

On-Campus Housing Check-Out

Seniors living on-campus will receive check-out procedures via email in the coming weeks. The deadline to check-out is by 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11. Seniors living on-campus should contact the Office of Residence Life at (704) 233-8245 if you have questions or concerns.

Honors Calculations

Undergraduate graduation honors are calculated using all college work attempted, but transfer work cannot raise the Wingate University GPA. Cumulative GPA is calculated by taking all quality points and dividing that by all hours attempted. GPAs are not rounded. As an example, if you have a 3.999, it will not be rounded to a 4.00.

Graduation honors are notated on your diploma (which will be mailed to you), on your transcript and in the commencement program. Your honors are also announced during the commencement ceremony. Due to the limited amount of time between final grades and commencement, honors may not be completely accurate.

Graduation honors are as follows:

Cum laude = 3.500 to 3.649 (Doctors o f Pharmacy and Physical Therapy: Cum laude = 3.50 to 3.69)
Magna cum laude = 3.650 to 3.899 (Doctors o f Pharmacy and Physical Therapy: Magna cum laude = 3.70 to 3.89)
Summa cum laude = 3.900 to 4.000 (Doctors o f Pharmacy and Physical Therapy: Summa cum laude = 3.90 to 4.00)

Please contact the Office of the Registrar if you have questions on how to calculate your GPA.

The Pi Alpha Honor Society recognizes Physician Assistants who have significant academic achievement and honors, leadership, research, community/professional service and other related activities. The society also encourages a high standard of character and conduct among students and graduates. The students are recognized by a turquoise and grey cord.

Contact Us

Undergraduates

Phone: (704) 233-8009
Email: s.houston@wingate.edu

Graduates

Phone: (704) 233-8006
Email: m.taylor@wingate.edu

Event Details

Phone: (704) 233-8018
Email: s.harris@wingate.edu

Important Numbers

Registrar’s Office: (704) 233-8006

Wingate Outfitters: (704) 233-8027

Campus Security: (704) 233-8999

Lyceum Office: (704) 233-8708

Residence Life: (704) 233-8245

Marketing & Events: (704) 233-8018

Commencement Photos

Senior Giving Campaign

Congratulations, Class of 2023!

As you join the ranks of distinguished Wingate alumni, please consider joining also those loyal alumni who support the University each year. Your gift in any amount to the Annual Fund, transformational student experiences, Bulldog Athletics, or other areas that have been meaningful to you as a student, will help make a difference for the Bulldogs who come after you.

Your gift of $20.23 or more will be recognized with a philanthropy cord to be worn at Commencement. You may break this up into smaller payments, as long as they total $20.23 or more. Deadline for making your gift in order to receive your cord is May 9, 2023.

You can make your gift online at the link below, using Venmo, Paypal, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Philanthropy cords will be available for pick up at Grad Fair, during One Day, One Dog, and at the Advancement Offices (Dickson-Goodwin House, next to the Jesse Helms Center).

Give Now

Information for Guests & Visitors

Students & Guests with Special Needs

Parking

General Parking

Parking for commencement is available in all campus parking lots. There is no cost to park. Campus safety and other staff will be available to direct guests to Cuddy Arena. Guests are advised to arrive early.

Special Needs Parking

We are especially attentive to our guests who require a little extra help when traveling to Commencement. You or your guest must be attending Commencement and have a handicap parking permit to use handicapped parking for Commencement.

Driving Directions

Campus Map

Tickets, Seating & Viewing

Tickets & Seating

There are no tickets required, seating is on a first come, first serve basis.
Masks may be required, check this page closer to the date of the event.
Guests are advised to arrive early.
Overflow seating will be in Austin Auditorium with a livestream showing the ceremony.
Download the ceremony program here...coming soon

Livestream Link

Wingate University Fall Commencement 2022

Speakers

Rebecca Boeschel

Professor Rebecca Boeschel is associate director of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at Wingate and a certified physician assistant. Before taking on her current role, she served as adjunct instructor, clinical coordinator, director of clinical education and academic coordinator. She teaches classes in pathophysiology, and ethics and professionalism; coordinates the capstone project; and leads an interprofessional education course with PA and pharmacy students. Her scholarship interests include genomics, interprofessional education, and quality-improvement education.

Boeschel is a confirmed Tar Heel, having grown up in Winston-Salem. She attended Meredith College before transferring and obtaining her undergraduate degree in zoology from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. After working for two years as a research associate in the immunology department at Bowman Gray School of Medicine (now Wake Forest University School of Medicine), she left the laboratory to chase her dream of practicing clinical medicine.

After graduating from the Wake Forest Physician Assistant Program in 1979, she began her career as a practicing PA in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio. Never one to stray too far from her research roots, she coordinated advanced-phase drug trials and clinical research on GI-tract function. In addition to providing medical supervision of research-study patients, she unexpectedly found herself in the world of grant writing, protocol cost accounting, data analysis and co-authorship of scientific papers.

A family move took her to the Medical College of Georgia, where she joined the pediatric hematology/oncology division. In addition to patient care, her duties included coordinating Children’s Cancer Group protocols and a multidisciplinary hemophilia clinic.

Upon moving back to North Carolina, Rebecca spent some priceless time at home with her growing family while completing a master of science in health sciences at George Washington University, where her areas of concentration were clinical therapeutics and clinical leadership. Her career in education started in 2002, when she began teaching undergraduate anatomy and physiology and contemporary issues at Carolinas College of Health Sciences, where she was named Outstanding Educator in 2005. The opportunity to teach at the graduate level in her own profession presented itself in 2008 when she joined the Wingate faculty.

Professor Boeschel is sister, wife, mom, mother-in-law and Nana. She and her husband enjoy traveling, hiking, following college and professional sports and spending time with three magical grandchildren who live nearby.

Chris Harrist

Dr. Chris Harrist is an associate professor in the Wingate School of Sport Sciences, where he serves as chair of the Department of Sport and Recreation Management. Dr. Harrist teaches courses in program organization and planning, youth services and organizations, research and grant writing, and adapted sport and recreation.

He also helped create the sport leadership and coaching education track within the Master of Arts in Sport Management program, where he teaches courses in the developmental theories of coaching, and athlete development and ethics. His practitioner-focused research explores positive developmental contexts within sport, coaching education, and pro-social outcomes associated with participation in sport and recreation for individuals with disabilities.

A native Texan, Dr. Harrist holds a bachelor’s degree and a master of science from Tarleton State University and a Ph.D. in youth development from Texas A&M University. During his undergraduate career, he was a member of the men’s basketball team, which won back-to-back-to-back conference championships and participated in the national tournament. It was also during this time that Dr. Harrist found his passion for coaching and helping young athletes develop into fully engaged adults.

Now in his 27th year of coaching, “Dr. Coach” Harrist has had the privilege of playing a small part in the lives of many young athletes. Most recently, he helped guide Team Hope 2022 to a memorable season in showcase tournaments up and down the East Coast, culminating in all 11 of his players receiving offers to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. Now semiretired from competitive coaching, he helps with the high school basketball program at Metrolina Christian Academy.

While at Wingate University, Dr. Harrist has been fortunate to be awarded the mentor medallion each semester since its inception and has had the chance to present alongside students at regional and national conferences. He values most the opportunities he has found to develop meaningful relationships and challenge students to find their passion.

Dr. Harrist has been married to his lovely wife, Jennifer, for 21 years, and they have two sons. CJ is a freshman at Mary Baldwin University and a member of the men’s basketball team, and Aiden is a seventh-grader at Metrolina Christian Academy, where he plays football and baseball. Dr. Harrist enjoys cooking (and eating!) good barbecue, kayak fishing, and watching his sons do what they love.

Hotels

Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriot (8 miles from Wingate – approx. 15 minutes)

Click here for the website.
1825 Williams Rd. Monroe, N.C. 28110
(980) 290-2190

Holiday Inn Express (8 miles from Wingate – approx. 15 minutes)

Click here for the website.
2505 W. Roosevelt Blvd. Monroe, N.C. 28110
(704) 774-1770

Quality Inn & Suites (8 miles from Wingate – approx. 20 minutes)

Click here for the website.
2351 W. Roosevelt Blvd. (across from Wal-Mart) Monroe, N.C. 28110
(704) 283-9600

Best Western Inn & Suites (8 miles from Wingate – approx. 20 minutes)

Click here for the website.
2316 Hanover Drive (across from Wal-Mart) Monroe, N.C. 28110
(704) 283-4746

Hampton Inn (9 miles from Wingate – approx. 20 minutes)

Click here for the website.
2368 Roland Drive (across from Chick-fil-A) Monroe, N.C. 28110
(704) 220-2200

Quality Inn & Suites (17 miles from Wingate – approx. 35 minutes)

Click here for the website.
13470 E. Independence Blvd. (Hwy. 74 near Cracker Barrel) Matthews, N.C. 28105
(704)821-9800

Courtyard by Marriott (18 miles from Wingate - approx. 35 minutes)

Click here for the website.
11425 E. Independence Blvd. (Hwy. 74 near Pizza Hut and I-485) Matthews, N.C. 28105
(704)846-4466