2021 Spring Ceremonies
Graduation on the Green
Last February, we committed to holding in-person commencement ceremonies, and we will honor that promise this weekend. We are excited to celebrate our graduates while returning to a historic campus location with Graduation on the Green.
Weather Statement
The SDSU Commencement Planning Team continues to monitor the weather for this weekend’s graduation ceremonies. We are committed to providing our graduates an outdoor experience that allows them and their families the best viewing of the ceremonies. We are asking families and graduates to please be prepared for possible weather scenarios that might include cooler temperatures and a chance for showers. If absolutely necessary, ceremonies will be moved inside to Frost Arena.
In the event a ceremony is held in Frost Arena, we will continue to honor the six-ticket limit per graduate. We will also follow public health guidelines for indoor events that include required face coverings for all graduates and all family members while inside Frost Arena. POD seating will be implemented as guests arrive to the arena. Similar to the outdoor ceremony, seating in Frost Arena will begin one hour before the ceremony. Communication about any change of location will occur 3 hours prior to the ceremony. An email will be sent to each graduate, as well as posting the communication to this website and the university’s social media accounts.
Following student RSVPs on April 23, a six-ticket seating pod will be sent directly to the student for dissemination. No tickets are available for purchase.
South Dakota State University is committed to having in-person Commencement Ceremonies this May.
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the Colleges of:
9:30 a.m. Ceremony
Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Natural Sciences
4 p.m. Ceremony
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Sunday, May 9, 2021
Associates, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the Colleges of:
10 a.m. Ceremony
Education and Human Sciences
Nursing
4 p.m. Ceremony
Engineering
Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions
Commencement ceremonies will held with the health and safety of everyone in mind and will incorporate public health policies as necessary. SDSU remains committed to providing traditional elements such as speakers from across campus representing the President’s Office, Academic Affairs, respective colleges, SDSU Alumni Association, South Dakota Board of Regents and more. Student speakers that were nominated and selected to speak at commencement will also be featured.
Commencement ceremonies are scheduled to be held on the College Green. A limited number of family members will be allowed to attend. For more information, visit the Graduation on the Green website.
2021 Livestream
- 9:30 a.m. CDT May 8, 2021
- 4 p.m. CDT May 8, 2021
- 10 a.m. CDT May 9, 2021
- 4 p.m CDT May 9, 2021
Past Ceremonies
2020 Virtual Ceremonies
- 10 a.m. CDT May 5, 2020 Undergraduate Ceremony
- 2 p.m. CDT May 5, 2020 Undergraduate Ceremony
- 5 p.m. CDT May 5, 2020 Graduate Ceremony
2019 Ceremonies
- 10 a.m. CDT May 4, 2019 Undergraduate Ceremony
- 2 p.m. CDT May 4, 2019 Undergraduate Ceremony
- 5 p.m. CDT May 4, 2019 Graduate Ceremony