Commencement

Grad Fair — Wednesday, April 12, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the YCP Bookstore

This is the first opportunity for graduates to claim their ship-to-store regalia and guest tickets, as well as see options for purchasing class rings from Jostens representatives. Students who cannot attend the fair may claim their regalia and tickets after April 12.

Grad Rehearsal — Monday, May 1, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Waldner Performing Arts Center (WPAC)

Graduate check-in begins at 5 p.m. Rehearsal provides comprehensive information to help graduates prepare to participate in commencement. Students do not need to bring their regalia. Those who cannot attend should review the video recap of rehearsal that will be sent to all graduates afterward.

To participate in the procession and platform recognition ceremony, each graduate must wear the regalia appropriate to their degree and major. 

The YCP bookstore sells regalia with ship-to-store or ship-to-home options. The Bookstore also sells individual regalia pieces, including caps, tassels, and hoods. Students should watch their YCP emails for order reminders.

The Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion has a limited number of regalia sets to lend to students who cannot afford to purchase their own. Submit a regalia request.

Regalia accessories include cords, stoles, pins and medals. Bachelor degree students who have achieved a GPA that qualifies for Latin honors by the end of the previous semester will receive their honor cords with their ship-to-store regalia, or may pick up their honor cords with their guest tickets on or after April 12. All other accessories are provided directly to students by the office, organization, or program that awards them. The Bookstore does not carry those items. 

Students should report to check-in at Commencement already wearing their regalia and accessories, if applicable. Regalia will not be available for sale or rent at the ceremony.

Decorating the mortarboard, or graduation cap, is a fun and creative tradition at YCP. Students are welcome to decorate their cap with a design related to their major, YCP spirit, or their personal interests. We are proud to say our graduates know how to decorate with flair and good taste. If you can show your cap proudly to your favorite professor, then you have made a good design choice.

Each graduate who indicates they will attend commencement will receive five (5) guest tickets for admission to the commencement tent on Main Campus where the ceremony is held. Each guest age two (2) and over will need their own ticket to enter the tent. Graduates do not need a ticket for themselves. 

Three (3) of the tickets are green and two (2) are white. Both green and white tickets will be accepted at the marquee tent entrance on Main Campus. In the unlikely event that Commencement must be moved indoors due to dangerous weather conditions, only white tickets will be accepted for entrance to the Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center Field House on West Campus, where space is limited. Students should not give away their white tickets.  

Guest tickets will be available at the YCP Bookstore beginning Wednesday, April 12, at the Grad Fair event from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Graduates may claim their ship-to-store regalia and guest tickets on that date or after April 12 if they cannot attend the Grad Fair event.

Graduates who have purchased ship-to-home regalia or are getting their regalia from another source must still claim their guest tickets at the YCP Bookstore on or after April 12. Guest tickets will not be mailed or given to anyone other than the graduate.

Commencement staff will make every effort to assist graduates in acquiring extra tickets, but they are not guaranteed. Graduates may submit their request for additional guest tickets using this online form. (Only the graduate may request extra tickets for their guests.) Graduates will be notified by early May if they are to receive extra guest tickets and where to claim them.

Guests may attend Commencement to support their graduate and view the ceremony from any of the indoor live-stream auditoriums on Main Campus. These locations will be clearly marked with flags and will not require tickets. 

Indoor viewing locations are ideal for guests who prefer air-conditioned spaces, comfortable seating, and easy access to restrooms. They are adjacent to spacious lobbies for those who need breaks during a long event. 

• Waldner Performing Arts Center
• Iosue Student Union
• Weinstock Lecture Hall, Willman Business Center

A public livestream video of the ceremony will be linked from this webpage (ycp.edu/commencement), offering the opportunity for anyone to watch on any device. A free recording will be available on York College's YouTube channel shortly after the ceremony. A link to that recording will also be provided on this page. 

Tent entrance: The Commencement tent will open at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 13 for guest seating. Graduates will be instructed to check in at a specified location near the tent at 8:30 a.m. 

Parking: All guests and graduates will park on West Campus. Entrances to West Campus parking lots are located at Grantley Road and West Jackson Street, as well as across from Rutters at Indian Rock Dam Road and South Richland Avenue. Most guests and graduates choose to walk to Main Campus. Shuttles will also be available.

Drop-off and handicap parking: Guests with disabilities may be dropped off on Main Campus. There are also a limited number of handicap parking spaces on Main Campus for guests with the proper tag or plate. 

The ceremony begins at 10:15 a.m. with the procession of graduates into the marquee tent. The ceremony lasts approximately two hours. Afterward, most graduates stay to sign Ol’ Spart (The Rock) and visit with friends and professors. Families wishing to have lunch in the area should plan for a late reservation at 1:30 or 2 p.m.

Please contact Desiree Kile (dkile1@ycp.edu, 717-815-1548) to arrange accommodations for graduates or guests during the ceremony (e.g., sign language interpretation, wheelchair access, accessible seating).

Photography

Professional photos of the ceremony and of each graduate receiving their degree will be available from GradImages. Proofs will be provided by GradImages directly to graduates a few weeks after the ceremony. Purchasing photos from GradImages is always optional for students and their families. 

Students who preregister with GradImages get 20% off an order of $50 or more.

Video Streaming

A public livestream video of the ceremony will be linked from this webpage (ycp.edu/commencement), offering the opportunity for anyone to watch on any device. A recorded version will be available on York College's YouTube channel shortly after the ceremony. A link to that recording will also be provided on this page.

The Office of Communications will work with an outside organization to alert local media in each graduate’s hometown of their graduation. It is at the discretion of the individual papers as to when these announcements appear.

For questions about this process, contact Mary Dolheimer, mdolheim@ycp.edu.  

May Commencement is scheduled to be held under a large event tent on the Main Campus lawn. If severe inclement weather forces the College to hold Commencement indoors or cancel the ceremony, an announcement will be emailed to all graduates and posted on the MyYCP portal, institutional social media accounts, and the Weather Hotline at (717) 815-6789 by Thursday, May 11, 2023.

If Commencement is moved indoors, two guests for each graduate will be admitted to the Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center Field House on West Campus where the ceremony will take place. Guests will need to present white tickets to enter. Green tickets will not be honored. Guests without white tickets may view the live ceremony broadcast at any of the indoor viewing locations on Main Campus. No tickets are required for those venues.

Signing Ol’ Spart, located on Main Campus, is a proud YCP tradition on Commencement day. Graduates may sign Ol' Spart any time after the conclusion of the ceremony. Paint markers will be available by the Rock for our newest alumni to use at their convenience.

A copy of each student’s grade report will be made available online as soon as it is processed. Students who have an incomplete grade or an apparent discrepancy should take the necessary corrective action immediately. The grade report will not contain documentation of graduation.

Diplomas will be mailed to graduates after final verification of all degree requirements has been completed. A copy of the final transcript documenting the student’s graduation will be included with the diploma. Please allow approximately 3 to 4 weeks after Commencement for this process.