Celebrating the Class of 2021
Congratulations on your achievements! We are so excited to welcome you and your guests to commencement events the weekend of May 14, 15, and 16, 2021.
The registration form for Class of 2021 commencement ceremonies is now closed. If you still wish to sign up or need additional assistance, please contact sturec@loyno.edu.
Friday, May 14
We will hold Masses organized by college in Holy Name of Jesus Church. Based on initial RSVP numbers, you will be able to bring up to four guests to Mass. We will be following New Orleans’ usual church protocols and occupancy requirement, which have worked well for months now.
There will be no virtual ceremony on Friday night. Instead, we will engage with campus in a way that spreads out our numbers to allow you to include your guests. After the Mass for each college, we invite the graduates of that college, and their families, to wander around campus in regalia. We hope it will be a moment when you can show Loyola off to your guests, introduce them to your professors, and see other friends and their families.
New Orleans restaurants are open for dinner plans, with distanced tables for those who feel comfortable inside, outdoor seating, or many offer curbside pickup or delivery options through services like Grubhub and Waitr.
Saturday, May 15 – Sunday, May 16
The diploma ceremonies will now be held at UNO Lakefront Arena, about 25 minutes from Loyola’s campus. You may have up to four guests, and we will livestream the ceremonies for anyone who does not fit or cannot travel. Graduates will have assigned seats on the floor of the arena in accordance with public health restrictions. We will add as much pomp and circumstance as we can, and show the virtual speeches during the ceremony.
The number of graduates by college do not divide neatly into four. Instead, we will divide you by last name, in reverse alphabetical order.
Saturday at 2 pm: R-Z
Saturday at 6 pm: L-Q
Sunday at 10 am: E-K
Sunday at 2 pm: A-D
For those who cannot make it: We will also release an entirely virtual ceremony for you at 4 p.m. Central time on Saturday, May 15, so you can gather with friends and family wherever you are. The virtual ceremony will be available on Loyola's YouTube channel.
We will continue to send more information as it becomes available, and you can send questions and special requests to commencement@loyno.edu.
The College of Nursing and Health is doing their own ceremonies on campus on Saturday, May 15. CNH graduates should check their email for details. The College of Law will hold separate Commencement ceremonies on May 12 – 13 for law graduates.
Are you part of the Class of 2020? Learn about the special events we have planned for you.
Schedule of Events
Friday, May 14
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| College of Music and Media Mass and Awards | 9 a.m. | Holy Name of Jesus Church |
| College of Arts and Sciences Mass and Awards | 11 a.m. | Holy Name of Jesus Church |
| College of Business Mass and Awards | 1 p.m. | Holy Name of Jesus Church |
| College of Nursing and Health Mass and Awards | 3 p.m. | Holy Name of Jesus Church |
Saturday, May 15
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma ceremony, College of Nursing and Health, Department. of Counseling, Loyola Institute for Ministry, School of Nursing (DNP and BSN) | 10 a.m. | Holy Name of Jesus Church |
| Diploma Ceremony, College of Nursing and Health, School of Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing | 11:30 a.m. | Holy Name of Jesus Church |
|
Diploma ceremony, all graduates, last names R-Z |
2 p.m. | UNO Lakefront Arena |
| Diploma ceremony, all graduates, last names L-Q | 6 p.m. | UNO Lakefront Arena |
Sunday, May 16
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma ceremony, all graduates, last names E-K | 10 a.m. | UNO Lakefront Arena |
| Diploma ceremony, all graduates, last names A-D | 2 p.m. | UNO Lakefront Arena |
Please note: The College of Nursing and Health is doing their own ceremonies on campus on Saturday, May 15. CNH graduates should check their email for details. The College of Law will hold separate Commencement ceremonies on May 12 – 13 for law graduates. Law students can find updates here and check their emails for more info.
What to Expect
Please know that if the status of the pandemic changes, or if the city’s event guidelines change, the university may have to alter its plans.
At this time, here is what to expect if you attend:
- In order to participate in commencement ceremonies, candidates must have completed an application for a degree by April 15, 2021. Please contact Student Records at sturec@loyno.edu or 504.865.3237 regarding the application for degree.
- Ceremonies will be held at the UNO Lakefront Arena on May 15 and 16 and will be live-streamed online for those unable to attend in person on Loyola’s YouTube channel.
- The registration form for Class of 2021 commencement ceremonies is now closed. If you still wish to sign up or need additional assistance, please contact sturec@loyno.edu.
- Each graduate will be allocated a maximum of four guest tickets—no exceptions. Guests must be from the same household and will be seated together. More information on tickets will be provided when it is available.
- Graduates will be seated in physically distanced seats and will be invited to walk across the stage when their name is called.
- To minimize contact with others, graduates will not shake hands with anyone while on stage.
- All graduates and their guests are expected to follow the COVID-19 safety protocols, including remaining six feet apart from people not in your pod and wearing a face covering that covers your nose and mouth at all times.
- Any person who is ill, particularly with COVID-19 symptoms or has had close contact with someone infected with COVID-19 in the last 10 days, should not attend the commencement ceremonies. All ceremonies will be live-streamed for those who cannot attend in person.
- To request disability-related accommodations or for questions about the 2021 commencement ceremonies, please email commencement@loyno.edu.