Commencement 2023 begins at 1:45 p.m. on Hollingsworth Field.
The 544 students of the Gustavus Adolphus College Class of 2023 will graduate on Saturday, May 27, with an on-campus commencement ceremony beginning at 1:45 p.m. on Hollingsworth Field.
The majority of the graduates started at Gustavus in the fall of 2019, spending most of their first year on campus—living in residence halls with their new friends and classmates, attending small, discussion-based classes across campus, and getting involved in one or more of the College’s 120+ student organizations—before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted courses in the spring of their first year. After an uncertain sophomore year marked by a mix of in-person, hybrid, and online courses, they returned to campus full-time as juniors in the fall of 2021. But it wasn’t until the 2022-23 academic year that the Gustavus community once again conducted full on-campus operations, and this year’s graduates were able to enjoy their last year on the Hill complete with the activities, clubs, events, and co-curricular options that make the Gustavus experience unique.
Among this talented class of students, researchers, artists, musicians, and athletes, this resilient group includes members of the first women’s hockey team outside the Northeast to win the Division III national championship, a hockey teammate who overcame a devastating injury in time to walk the Commencement stage with her classmates, sorority sisters who have made it their philanthropic mission to fight childhood cancer, multiple winners of prestigious academic awards, politically active students who have learned how to advocate for their future, student-researchers who have shared their work well beyond the campus borders, a student-athlete with multiple national championships who will now move on to compete at the Division I level, additional athletes who have competed at the highest levels while also earning accolades for their academic achievements, core value-focused students who have explored all corners of the globe during J-term and study-abroad semesters, civically engaged Gusties who have helped make the College a beacon for democracy, first-generation college students who proudly represent Gustavus to the world, an active-duty soldier who’s completing his degree in between deployments overseas, career-focused students who are leveraging internships into future job prospects, and many more accomplished Class of 2023 graduates.
Use #Gusties23 on social media to share the excitement, messages of gratitude and advice for the graduating seniors!
Weather permitting, Commencement will be held on Hollingsworth Field (no tickets required).
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will move indoors to Lund Center Arena (ice arena), where tickets will be required. Each graduate will receive three tickets to distribute to guests. Additional guests may watch the ceremony from the Lund Forum.
See the complete schedule or watch the livestream of the Commencement ceremony at gustavus.edu/commencement.
9 a.m. | Baccalaureate Service, Christ Chapel
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Geology Museum Open (Nobel Hall of Science, first floor)
10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Hillstrom Museum of Art Open featuring work by Senior Studio Art Majors
10:30 a.m. | Baccalaureate Service, Christ Chapel
12 p.m. | Gates open to Hollingsworth Field
12:45 p.m. | Graduates line up in Christ Chapel (Lund Center in case of inclement weather)
1:10 p.m. | Musical Prelude featuring the Gustavus Wind Orchestra under the direction of Dr. James Patrick Miller
1:45 p.m. | Commencement Procession of graduates into Hollingsworth Field
2 p.m. | Commencement Exercises [In case of inclement weather, Commencement will be held in Lund Center Arena (ticket required for your three guests). Overflow seating in Lund Forum will air the broadcast on large screen. No ticket required for your additional guests.]
4 p.m. | Formal Department Receptions (Eckman Mall, or in Lund Forum in case of inclement weather)
###
Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510