Students will celebrate years of work at Eastern’s fall graduation commencement ceremonies, which will take place at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday in Lantz Fieldhouse

Ceremonies for the Lumpkin College of Businesses and Applied Sciences and The Graduate School, College of Arts and Humanities and The Graduate School are at 10 a.m.

Ceremonies for the College of Education and Professional Studies and the Graduate School, the College of Sciences and The Graduate School, the School of Continuing Education will be at 1 p.m.

Graduates can pick up their cap and gown at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday in the Charleston-Mattoon Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

If a graduate is not able to be on campus until the day of the ceremony, he or she can pick up their cap and gown in the Field House of Lantz Arena on Commencement Day. They can then return their cap and gown to the Student Recreation Center.

Joshua Reinhart, the director of the annual fund and commencement, said preparing commencement is a collaborative effort.

“It brings all areas of the university together to celebrate our students’ many achievements,” Reinhart said.

Since less students participate in fall commencement ceremonies, the colleges separate into two ceremonies instead of the four that happen in the spring.

“That approach allows our fall graduates to enjoy the same comprehensive commencement experience as students who participate in EIU’s spring ceremonies, which generally see a larger graduate turnout,” Reinhart said.

Charles LeGrand, the candidate for the master’s in gerontology degree, will be the graduate school student commencement Speaker for the 10 a.m. ceremony.

Angela Pearson, the candidate for the bachelor’s in general studies degree, will be the School of Continuing Education student commencement speaker for the 1 p.m. ceremony.

The commencement marshal for the 10 a.m. ceremony who carries the ceremonial mace is Lisa Moyer, a professor of Family and Consumer Sciences, will be representing the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences.

The marshal for the 1 p.m. ceremony is Jeffrey Stowell, a professor of psychology, will be representing the College of Sciences.

Because of the traffic on campus that can be around on commencement day, Reinhart said they encourage everyone to plan accordingly.

“(We) ask that graduates remember to arrive an hour prior to their ceremony,” Reinhart said. “That helps us deliver the best experience possible for everyone involved.”

More than 1,300 students are eligible to graduate this fall, but not all students who are eligible to graduate participate in the ceremonies.

Reinhart said Commencement at EIU is the culmination of Eastern students’ hard work. “We want to congratulate our graduates on their academic achievements and wish them every possible success in the future,” he said.

After they graduate, the new alumni can join the Alumni Association.

“Doing so (Joining alumni association) helps us share important updates about EIU and gives our alums a chance to reconnect with their classmates, friends, professors and mentors at various programs and events,” Reinhart said.

Cassandra Buchman can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]