2026 Commencement Ceremony

Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
Time:  2:00 pm
Location: Soka Performing Arts Center

• Ticket is required to enter the Performing Arts Center.
• Performing Arts Center lobby doors will open at 12:30 pm.
• Doors to the center will open at 1 pm for seating.
• Guests are encouraged to be seated by 1:30pm. All guests must be seated by 1:45 pm in order to start the ceremony on time.
• No drinks or food are allowed inside the Performing Arts Center.
• Campus is closed to the public.
• Light refreshments will be served following the ceremony outside of the Performing Arts Center. In case of rain, refreshments will be served in Founders Hall.

Graduating students will not receive the actual diploma at the Commencement Ceremony. They will only receive their diploma cover. For Undergraduate students, once a final degree check has been completed, the diploma will be printed and mailed. Students should be sure to update their home/mailing address information in Learning Solutions before they leave. Graduate students will receive their diploma after the ceremony.

Guest admission to the Commencement Ceremony is by ticket only. Other than graduating students, no other members of the SUA community can request tickets for their guests.

• Guests of Graduating Students: 
  All guest tickets and special accommodations must be requested by the graduating student through the Commencement Ticket Request Survey. Graduating students may request up to a maximum of five (5) tickets for their guests (The graduate does not need a ticket for admission). Any special seating request such as wheelchair access or seating for children under the age of five must be made at the time of ticket request.

Accessing Tickets:

• All tickets are emailed, and guests are strongly encouraged to access their tickets in advance. If the email address of a guest was not indicated in the Ticket Request Survey, the tickets were emailed to the graduating student.
• Please CLICK HERE for instructions on how to access tickets and display ticket barcodes (printed or digital) required for venue entry.
• Any name changes must be made in advance by the graduating student and not by a member of their party.
• Some tickets may indicate restrictions such as partially obstructed view or wheelchair space/companion seat. Please be assured that all seats will have varying, but adequate sightlines and padded chairs placed in any unused wheelchair spaces.
• Any student or guest who is unable to access tickets under their name in advance may pick them up at the Soka Performing Arts Center Box Office (located to the left of the main lobby entrance) the day of commencement between 10:00am – 2:00pm.
  • Please make sure to bring a photo ID that corresponds to the name assigned to the ticket. No tickets will be distributed without a matching photo ID.
  • Ticket pick up is for tickets that cannot be distributed in advance.
  • Please allow up to 30 minutes for pick up.
  • Seats cannot be changed.
  • No new tickets will be assigned at pick up.

If you have already requested tickets through the appropriate parties, please contact tickets@soka.edu for any questions.

• Special Requests 
  Any special seating request such as wheelchair access or seating for children under the age of five must be made at the time of ticket request by the graduating student.
• Family-Friendly Seating 
  For younger guests who will not be comfortable sitting through a two-hour ceremony, family-friendly seating is offered in the Black Box Theatre for live-stream viewing. Food and drinks are permitted in the Black Box Theatre. Tickets are not necessary to enter the Black Box Theatre, so guests who choose to view the entire ceremony in the Black Box Theatre should inform their graduating student. Allotted Commencement tickets are only for guests who will be seated in the Performing Arts Center.
• Underclass Students, Adjunct/Visiting Faculty, and Staff
  Those wishing to attend can request one (1) ticket for themselves. Directions on how to request the ticket is forthcoming. Due to limited seating, there may be a lottery if the total number of requests exceeds the allotted seat number.
• Alumni 
  All alumni will receive an email in the spring with details on how to request a commencement ticket. If you have any questions related to this process, please reach out to AlumniRelations@soka.edu.

Campus Tours

Campus tours will be provided for friends and families of the graduates who will be visiting the university during Commencement Week. The tour will begin at Founder Hall 1st Floor Atrium.

Date: Thursday, May 21
Place: Founders Hall 1st Floor Atrium
Time: 10:00 am and 1:30 pm

Date: Friday, May 22
Place: Founders Hall 1st Floor Atrium
Time: 10:00 am

Soka Heritage Hall Tours

Date: Tuesday, May 19 & Thursday, May 21
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Date: Friday, May 22
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Bookstore Hours During Commencement Week

Monday - Wednesday: 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Thursday: 10:30 am – 6:30 pm
Friday: 10:00 am – 6:30 pm

Discounted Meal Tickets

Students may purchase discounted meal tickets for guests from Dining Services for $60. Each packet contains 5 meal tickets which can be used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Hotel Accommodations

There are no lodging accommodations on campus. However, family and guests can find nearby hotel information on the Around Soka webpage.

Parking

Parking is available on campus and maps of parking lots will be provided at the Main Gate by the Security upon request.

Donations

The Office of Development will be accepting donations at the following times and locations on Commencement Day:

9:30 am – 12:00 pm Founders Hall 1st Floor
12:30 pm – 5:00 pm On the Patio of the Soka Performing Arts Center

If you are on campus prior to Commencement Day and would like to make a donation, please go to the Founders Hall 1st Floor reception desk and ask for a representative from the Office of Development. We accept donations in cash, credit card, and checks. You can also make donations online at give.soka.edu.

Thank you for your generosity.