Volunteer Position Descriptions for Commencement
Faculty assistants organize the faculty into a line for the processional to their seats. During the recessional at the end of the ceremony, faculty assistants lead and assist the faculty to the arena floor to line up for the honor aisle.
Floor Monitors assist on the floor of the arena by guiding students and faculty to and from seating and stage and prevent family and friends from entering the arena floor.
Gonfalon Handlers will hand the flags posted in the back of the arena to the gonfalon bearers as they enter the arena. During the ceremony, gonfalon bearers will lead their college onto the stage as they receive their diploma covers. As they exit the stage, they will hand the flag to the handler who will then post the flag at the front of the arena.
Guides welcome students, faculty and guests as they arrive. Direct students to registration in the auxiliary gym, faculty to lounges on east end of arena, and guests to the main arena for seating. During the recessional, guides move to designated areas to assist students in returning to the auxiliary gym.
Photo Flow Assistants direct students in the photo areas behind the stage during the presentation of degrees and assist students in preparing for their formal photo (make sure their cap is on straight, their diploma cover is in the right direction, etc). It is important to keep the photo line moving quickly so all student are back in their seats for the end of the ceremony.
Program Runners restock the supply of programs at the arena entrances.
Program Ushers greet guests and hand out programs at the arena entrances.
Readers welcome the crowd, announce the faculty, student, and stage party's entrance and read the names of each graduate as they cross the stage to receive their diploma covers.
Reader Card Handlers are stationed by the readers during the ceremony. Card handlers assist with collecting cards from the students and handing cards to the readers right side up as the students enter the stage and keeping the cards in order once the names have been read.
Reserved Seating Greeters monitor the roped-off designated seating area and welcome and assist guests with passes to the area (i.e. the family of the student speaker and honorary degree recipients).
Seat counters help count students and faculty during the processional to assure rows do not overflow and new rows are started for each college.
Shufflers assist with line up and flow of graduates in the staging area prior to the processional. Shufflers assist students with general questions (location of Seawolf Store and late registration tables), assist with regalia, make sure students have their reader cards complete, etc. **Once the processional is finished at the start of the ceremony, shufflers move to fill another volunteer position (Photo Flow Assistant, Floor Monitor, etc.).