Commencement
UNH Law's 38th Commencement Ceremony
Saturday, May 18, 2013
2:30 p.m., White Park
Concord, New Hampshire
(updated 5/3/13)
Welcome to our graduation information center. We hope you will find all the information you need about our commencement ceremony. If you have additional questions or need more information, please contact Mary Sheffer, Alumni Director, at (603) 513-5175 or mary.sheffer@law.unh.edu.
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Graduating Student Release Invitation |
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
Order of Exercises
The commencement ceremony typically lasts around 2 hours. The dean's reception, which has light refreshments, desserts, punch and coffee, immediately follows the ceremony.
- Processional
- National Anthem
- Welcome and introduction
- Advice from the faculty
- Student speakers
- Awarding of honorary degrees
- Commencement address
- Awarding of degrees
- Closing remarks
- Recessional
- Dean's reception
Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients
Noted attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies, who argued the same-sex marriage case before the U.S. Supreme Court this spring, will address the graduating class.
Boies and Olson will receive honorary degrees, along with Judge Arthur J. Gajarsa of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (ret.), and John Lynch, the former governor of New Hampshire.
Senator Warren B. Rudman, the namesake for UNH Law's new Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership and Public Policy, will be awarded a posthumous degree.
COMMENCEMENT PREPARATIONS
Graduating Student Release Invitation
The school's Alumni Office would like to create a press release about your upcoming graduation. Please complete the template we have created.
It can be found at http://alumni.law.unh.edu. (will be forthcoming)
Order a Custom Diploma Frame - click here
Invitations and Guest Tickets
Every student attending commencement will receive six formal invitations. If you are on a full–time spring externship, invitations will be mailed to you, if requested.
Each graduate is allotted six tickets for reserved seats under the commencement tent. Additional seating will be available outside the tent. Graduates may bring as many guests as they would like to the ceremony but only those guests with tickets who arrive before 2:30pm will be guaranteed a seat. After 2:30pm, all seats are on a first come, first served basis. You should receive the invitations and tickets the week of April 8th.
Graduation Announcements
Each student may purchase personalized announcements for relatives and friends who cannot attend the commencement ceremony. If you would like to purchase announcements, please contact Dan Kenney at Town & Country Reprographics: dkenney@reprographic.com or at 603-226-2828.
Commencement Ceremony Regalia
Tams and gowns will be distributed the week of April 30th.
The tams, gowns and hoods are rented by UNH School of Law and must be returned immediately following the commencement ceremony. A representative from the rental company will be at the entrance to White Park to collect them. You may keep the tassel but must return the gown, hood and tam. If your tam, hood and gown are not returned, you will be charged the purchase price.
If you would like to purchase a tam, gown and/or hood, please email Aaron Fox at University Cap and Gown: aaron@universitycapandgown.com.
Purchase pricing for this year is:
JD & LLM Gown - $89 USD
JD & LLM Hood - $79 USD
Master Gown - $69 USD;
Master Hood - $69 USD;
Academic Tam - $25 USD
Financial Aid Information – Exit Interview/Debt Counseling
It is required that all students who have received federal student loans while in attendance at UNH School of Law complete an exit interview.
Exit Counseling must be done online.
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Go online to: http://mappingyourfuture.org/OSLC to complete your exit counseling for your Federal Stafford, Graduate Plus, and Perkins Loans (if applicable)
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You can access your federal loan information, including amount borrowed, name of servicers, etc. online at www.nslds.ed.gov.
- Important: All graduating students must complete an Exit Counseling session(s) before Monday, May 13, 2013 or they may not receive their diploma on Graduation Day. Please do not wait until the last minute to do your Exit Counseling!
Accommodations
Several area hotels offer rooms at a discounted rate for guests who mention UNH Law when they make their reservations. Please go to http://law.unh.edu/about/visit-us/where-to-stay to see the list.
Also see how to get here at http://law.unh.edu/about/visit-us.
Graduation Portraits
Our graduation photographer, Louise Supple, is offering to take a graduation portrait of you in your cap and gown.
There is no cost for taking the photograph, your only expense is when you buy the photograph - which you can view online before purchasing. (when you get your photo taken you receive a printout with all the information)
No need to sign up, just show up with your cap and gown.
Portraits will be taken in the courtroom on:
Tuesday, May 14, 10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 15, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
GRADUATION DAY GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Plan to arrive at UNH School of Law no later than 2:00 p.m. in your tam and gown.
Promptly at 2:00 p.m., a professional photographer will take group photos of the classes on the front steps of UNH School of Law (the columned entrance). In case of rain, the photo will be taken in the Rich Room. Please be punctual so that the process runs smoothly.
Classes will be photographed in the following order:
- JD
- JD/LLM Intellectual Property
- JD/LLM Commerce & Technology
- JD/LLM International Criminal Law & Justice
- LLM Commerce and Technology
- LLM Intellectual Property
- LLM International Criminal Law and Justice
- MIP
- MCT
- MICL&J
Immediately following the group photos, go to the Rich Room, Room 205 or Room 201 to line up for the procession to White Park. Faculty marshals will be there to direct and assist you. The processional will begin promptly at 2:15 p.m.
In Case of Rain
Don't let your tam and gown get wet! The fabric dye may bleed when wet and could damage your clothing. If it is raining, bring your tam and gown in the plastic bag provided.
Seating
Seating under the tent will be by ticket only until 2:30 p.m. Ushers will collect tickets and give instructions as to available seating. Guests without tickets will not be allowed under the tent until after 2:30 p.m. Thereafter, seats will be available as space allows. "Saving" seats for others is not permitted. Please let Mary Sheffer know if you have a guest who uses a wheelchair or needs special seating arrangements. Unfortunately strollers are not allowed under the tent, per direction of the Concord Fire Marshal. There is plenty of room to leave them outside of the tent. Please plan accordingly.
Parking
Map of the campus
We have arranged with the Concord Police Department for an "easement of parking restrictions" around UNH School of Law on May 18th. They have agreed to allow parking between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on both sides of Washington Street between Rumford and Centre Streets, and both sides of White Street between Beacon and Washington Streets.
Also, UNH Law rents White Park for the day so you and your guests are free to park in the White Park lot.
In addition to the handicapped parking spaces located in front of the Rines Building and behind the F. Dane Buck, Jr. Building, there will be designated handicapped spots along the fence by the White Park entrance at the corner of White and Washington Streets.
Photography
Professional photographers will be documenting your commencement ceremony. They will be taking photos of the class, of graduates receiving diplomas, and of you and your family (if desired), as well as numerous candids. Please check back here for information about how to view and purchase your photos online.
This service enables all students to have a photograph of their graduation. We ask that your families remain in their seats until your name is announced. There will be designated locations in the front of the tent for family members to take photos during the ceremony.
Bookstore
The UNH School of Law Bookstore will be open for your convenience on Commencement Day. The hours will be 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Diplomas
JD Degree Candidates
You will receive your Juris Doctor diploma during the ceremony provided that you have completed your Financial Aid exit counseling and cleared your account with the Business Office. If you are not planning to attend the commencement exercises you must make arrangements with the Registrar's Office to receive your JD diploma by mail.
LLM and MIP Degree Candidates
LLM and MIP students will receive a symbolic diploma at the time of graduation. Students who have completed their degree requirements will have their diploma mailed to them shortly after graduation. Students who have not completed their degree requirements will receive their diploma upon completion of their program in early August.
Diplomas will be mailed to the address on record. Please be certain that your address is up to date and accurate with both the Registrar and Alumni offices. Second mailings are at the students' expense.
Joint Degree Candidates
Those of you who have completed all requirements for receiving a joint degree by graduation day will be asked to stand twice (for each degree) but will only walk up once (for their JD degree) during the ceremony. You will receive your diplomas at the time of graduation.
SERVICES FOR GRADUATES
Career Services
As a graduate you are entitled to use the resources of the Career Services Office, such as individual career development counseling, resume and cover letter review and access to our job postings on the Career Services web page.
We can also request reciprocity for you from another law school which, if granted, will enable you to use select resources in their Career Services Office. Keep us informed of your status and current contact information. If we learn of opportunities that we think would interest you, we will contact you.
E-mail Access
Your UNH School of Law e-mail account will remain active until May 31, 2014, when it will be deleted. A lifelong alumni email account is available to you. If you wish to have access to this email account, which can be done any time after commencement, please contact helpdesk@law.unh.edu in the Computer Services Office.
Note, all email in your existing UNH School of Law email account can be transferred to this new @alumni.piercelaw.edu account and you can have any future student email (up to that May 31, 2014 date) forwarded to this account. Your student email address @law.unh.edu will be deleted after the May 31, 2014 date.
Library Policy
Following graduation, alumni may enjoy a free year of library membership for the period extending from their graduation date until June 30th of the following year, after giving the membership coordinator a permanent address and phone number.
Benefits of membership include checking out circulating materials, and many online resources. At the end of the first membership year, a renewal notice will be sent. At that time, alumni can elect to continue their membership for a fee.
Membership rates are scaled for the first five (5) years of practice. After five years, alumni are charged the sole practitioner fee and may purchase individual memberships, even if they work in a firm of two or more attorneys. An alumni membership may not be used by anyone other than the alumnus.
Access to the collection is always available to alumni, regardless of membership status, however, services are reserved for fee-paying members.
Registrar's Information for Graduates
Final grades are a priority for graduating students the week prior to graduation. The Registrar’s Office is in constant contact with faculty concerning graduating students’ grades. You will be notified immediately if an issue surrounding your graduation arises.
Bar forms (certificates of JD degrees, character/fitness, etc.) should be submitted to Lyla Mulkhey or Lory Attalla. You may place them in their mail slots or drop them off in the Registrar's Office.
Students must complete their Federal Student Loan exit counseling by May 13, 2013. Students who do not complete this required Federal Student Loan exit counseling by May 13, 2013, will not receive their diploma during the commencement ceremony. Questions, please see or contact Lynn Froleiks in the Financial Aid Office.
Bar Applications
You are encouraged to complete your bar applications early. The forms certifying your graduation are completed by the Registrar. Please leave the appropriate forms with that office, providing sufficient time for the Registrar to complete them.
For those of you taking the New Hampshire Bar, do not be concerned about the requirement asking you to submit two certified copies of your diploma. We have an agreement with the New Hampshire Supreme Court which allows us to submit two copies of our graduation list to them the week following commencement. This takes care of the aforementioned requirement.
Please let the Registrar's Office know if your bar application requires a copy of your transcript. There is no charge for the transcript that goes to the bar.
Transcripts
A final law school transcript and class rank letter will be sent to your home address in CAMS. Please update your address in your CAMS student portal.
The transcript is unofficial and free, and you should expect to receive it one month after graduation. If you require additional transcripts, you may request one at: http://law.unh.edu/registrar/transcript-information. Expect five to eight business days for the processing of a request.
Notary
If you need any documents notarized, please see any of the following people at UNH School of Law: Lynn Blanchard, Jon R. Cavicchi, Kathy Fletcher, Linda Lee Lugg, Mary Pilkington-Casey, Christine Rousseau, Charles Temple.
Contact Us
If you have questions pertaining to the Commencement Ceremony, please contact Mary Sheffer, Alumni Director, at (603) 513-5175 or mary.sheffer@law.unh.edu.