Upcoming Events
Center for Culture, Equity and Empowerment Graduation Ceremony for Students of Color
May 7, 2022, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
The Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment (CCEE) is proud to announce that we will be hosting a graduation ceremony on May 7th at 6:30 PM in Dewberry Hall and live-streamed for remote guests to recognize the personal and academic growth and achievements of all GMU graduating students of color for (this includes undergraduate and graduates).
During the ceremony, each graduate will be presented with a stole representing their cultural identity, and then donned (stole placed on graduate) by a family member, friend, current faculty, staff, graduate students, or a campus/graduate chapter advisor for a student organization at GMU.
Graduates have the option to attend in person or virtually and are welcome to bring up to 3 guests. To participate, register on Mason360 or use this link: https://go.gmu.edu/CCEEgrad by April 8 2022 at 5pm (EST).”
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why is there a CCEE graduation ceremony for students of color?
The CCEE would like to acknowledge that students of color often face more challenges and barriers in higher education compared to their dominant culture counterparts. This celebration aims to center the accomplishments of students of color by creating a space dedicated to their recognition.
Is the ceremony in person or virtual?
Both! The ceremony is planned to be in-person with a virtual live streaming option if you would like to attend virtually. You can indicate your preferred format of attending via the registration form
Do registered graduates have to report to Johnson Center Dewberry Hall early?
Yes, students participating in the ceremony should arrive at Dewberry Hall in cap and gown by 5:30pm.
What if I have class that does not get out until 6pm?
Please make every effort to arrive at Dewberry by 5:30pm. If you have class, please notify the CCEE team, ccee@gmu.edu at least a week before the ceremony to inform us that you will be late for lineup. If not, we ask that you participate virtually as your name will still be called.
How will the graduates be honored?
Each graduate will have a PowerPoint slide dedicated to them outlining their name, major, accomplishments, a quote, and future plans that will be shown on the big screen during the ceremony
Is there food at the event?
No, but there will be individual community mixers that will have cake and punch available for graduates and their guests
If I register late, will I be able to get a stole?
The stoles are first come first serve, the sooner you register the more likely you will be able to obtain a stole
Can I bring guests?
Yes. Each graduate is permitted to have no more than 3 guests. Live streaming is available for additional guests to watch virtually
Who is eligible to participate in the ceremony?
Any undergraduate or graduate student who will be graduating in Fall 2021, Spring 2022, or Summer 2022 is eligible to participate in the ceremony
What is a donner and how do I get one?
A donner is someone you choose to don the graduation stole onto you during the ceremony. You will be ask to indicate your donner on the registration form. The donner can be a family member, friend, current faculty, staff, graduate students, or campus/graduate chapter advisor for a student organization at GMU.
What if I don’t have a donner in mind?
A staff member of CCEE can serve as your donner if you don’t have one in mind. You can indicate this on the registration form
What about COVID-19 safety protocols?
To ensure proper social distancing during the ceremony, each graduate will be limited to 3 guests. All attendees must also ensure they are not experiencing a fever of symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been exposed to a COVID-positive case in the previous 14 days. All attendees must complete a Mason COVID Health Check prior to entering the event. All guests are encouraged to take the precautions that make them most comfortable.
Does my donner count as one of the three guests?
Yes, live streaming is available for additional guests to watch virtually
How do I indicate my racial identity? What if I don’t fit into one category?
There is a place on the registration form to write in your salient racial identities. We recognize folks might fit into more than one racial identity so if none of the selections feel salient to you, another stole option is available for you to select during registration.
How do I sign up?
Please complete the registration form found here or in the CCEE bio on Instagram (@MasonCCEE)
When is the deadline to sign up?
Please complete the registration form by April 8th 2022 by 5PM (EST) to be included in the ceremony
Can I get a stole if I attend virtually?
Yes, once registration closes, we will email each student attending virtually to obtain their mailing address to send them their stole
For any other questions please contact us at ccee@gmu.edu.
We can't wait to celebrate with our graduates!
Student Engagement for Racial Justice Team
Center for Culture, Equity, and Empowerment