Graduation Ceremony

Spring 2025 Graduation Ceremony

Friday, May 2, 2025, 2 p.m.
Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland

Our next graduation ceremony honors graduates from June, August and December of 2024 and April of 2025. In preparation for that event, review details of last year's event below. More information about the 2025 ceremony will be available in January.

Congrats to our 2024 graduates!

Thank you for attending the 2024 graduation ceremony, or joining us virtually!

Photos

Recording

2024 Event Details

Celebrate the academic achievement of our 2023-24 graduates as they become the newest cohort of alumni at the Pitt Public Health Commencement ceremony on Friday, April 26 at the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 and student line-up begins at 5:15.

This year's speaker is Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health.

Student awards will also be given during graduation, as well as the Craig Award for Teaching Excellence and our new undergraduate-focused teaching award. The event honors graduates from June, August and December of 2023 and April of 2024.

Event Zoom link
 (available event day)

FAQs for Graduates Attending the 2024 Ceremony

Are there tickets for this event?

No, we are not issuing tickets for guests of graduates. We asked for guest totals earlier to get a sense of how many people would be coming, but also so we could make preparations. If you're numbers have changed slightly, that's ok! The venue holds over 1,500.

I have family and friends who can't make it but would love to see the event; is there a way?

We are live streaming the ceremony and you can find it here during the event. We will post the link closer to the day of the event.

Where should I park?

Soldiers and Sailors garage is not far away, but there is also limited parking onsite. There is a fee for this parking garage (as well as Soldiers and Sailors' garage), but it is the closest option.

I've never been to the Carnegie Music Hall; how do I get to the right area?

There are three entrances you can choose from. If you do park onsite please use the Courtyard Entry located next to the parking lot. If you're coming from Forbes Avenue there are two entrances facing Forbes to enter. Click image to enlarge.

What time should I arrive?

We will open doors at 5 p.m. (including for your guests). We understand this is a late event and it is close to most people's dinner time, so we will have snacks before the event and after, but they will only be light snacks. Our plan is that this should end around 8 p.m., for those who want to make plans afterwards.

What should I wear?

Look for an email from Mike Dolinger about regalia, but please keep in mind that the staging areas will not be staffed by security once you are in the main auditorium. We strongly suggest giving any personal items to your guests who are in attendance, or if you have a purse or small bag that you want to wear under your gown you can do that too.

Keep in mind also that this is a very old auditorium, with sometimes narrow rows and surprise grates on the floor! Please keep this in mind as you choose your shoes.

What should I do once I get to the Music Hall?

We have a pretty good process to line you all up before the event begins and walk you into the Music Hall, but the process will only work if you all help us out!

When you enter the hall, regardless of which entrance you use, you will see two long tables and a "Student Check In" sign. At these tables, you will be greeted by staff members who will check you in. It doesn't matter which staff member you go to, but you must check in with one of them. When you check in you will be given a card, which includes your name, pronunciation (if you gave us the pronunciation of your name), your hooder (DrPH and PhD only), and any other degree/certificate you are receiving/have received. Along with this information will be your degree code (BSPH, DRPH, PHD, MS, MHA, MPH, CERT) and a number. If your pronunciation is wrong or there is an issue, please let us know ASAP! There will be time to change this before we process into the auditorium. There will be time to mingle around, but we will line up at 5:15 p.m. sharp!

You will line up in the staging area that corresponds with your card. Even if you are receiving multiple degrees and/or certificates, please line up in that staging area! When it comes time for line up, we will line you up by numeric order (by the number on your card), and then begin to process into the auditorium. There will be staff members to help you into the auditorium and to show you where to sit. Please pay attention to where they tell you to go.

Please do not lose your card! When it is time for graduate names to be read, you will hand in your card to the professional reader on stage, so if you lose this they will not know what to say when it is your turn.

When it is time for the graduates' names to be called there will be a staff member to help get you from your seat to the stage. You will hand your card to the reader, and as they read your name you will walk across the stage to the dean. She will hand you a diploma cover and there will be a photographer to take a picture of you both. Then a staff member will help you back to your seat.

What happens at the end of the ceremony?

We will help you process out of the auditorium, where you will find areas throughout the main entrance to take pictures with your department and connect with others.