Frequently Asked Questions

The President will preside over ceremonies for each school on the following days:

Sunday, May 24

• 8:30 a.m. – Medicine
• 2:00 p.m. – Pharmacy
• 5 p.m. – Dentistry

Friday, June 12 

• 1 p.m. – School of Public Health
• 4 p.m. – San Manuel Gateway College

Sunday, June 14

• 8 a.m. – Allied Health Professions – Allied Health Programs
• 11:00 a.m. – Allied Health Professions – Communication Sciences and Disorders, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy
• 1:30 p.m. – Behavioral Health and Religion
• 4 p.m. – Nursing – Summer 2025, Autumn 2025, and Winter 2026
• 6:30 p.m. – Nursing – Spring 2026

May ceremonies will take place on the Campus Mall; June ceremonies will take place at the Drayson Center.

Baccalaureates are University religious services around commencement. At Loma Linda University, these services are designed for people of all faiths, as we celebrate the commitment and accomplishments of our graduates. Your family and friends are invited to attend this inspirational service. Graduates are invited to participate and march with their graduating class, wearing full academic regalia.

This year’s baccalaureate services will take place as follows:

Saturday, May 23 

• 9 a.m. – Medicine
• 11:45 a.m. – Dentistry and Pharmacy

Saturday, June 13 

• 11:45 a.m. – Allied Health Professions, Behavioral Health, Nursing, Public Health, Religion, San Manuel Gateway College

The Campus Mall is located at the center of our campus, between Prince Hall (School of Dentistry) and the Loma Linda University Church. Please refer to our campus map under “Directions and Parking.”

The Drayson Center is located at 25040 Stewart Street, Loma Linda, CA 92350. Please be advised that there will be road closures and detours on both commencement weekends.

Loma Linda University does not issue or sell tickets to attend commencement ceremonies or other commencement-related events. The university will not honor any tickets or seating reservations that may have been sold. We recommend that you arrive at least one hour before the scheduled ceremony. May commencements are held outdoors in our Campus Mall, with adequate accommodations under the tent and immediate surrounding area; June commencements are held indoors at the Drayson Center, and we are able to accommodate all guests using the main venue and adjacent overflow areas.

Items not allowed in our ceremony venues are balloon arrangements, glitter, confetti, or signs/banners that may obstruct other guests’ views or cover the venue’s permanent signage. Obscene language or graphic material will not be allowed. Noise makers will be retrieved at the entrance, or during the ceremony if necessary. University personnel reserves the right to search persons and belongings for illegal or restricted items.

We have transitioned to a resource-minded approach, and we now publish our commencement program via mobile app. You and your guests will be able to access the program via QR code.

We will continue to uphold the same dress code for all participating graduates: business casual, long pants, collared shirts (no t-shirts), no flip-flops; ties optional.

Graduates must wear their tam or mortarboard and have their robe zipped up during commencement ceremonies and other commencement-related events where regalia is required.

We will continue to uphold the same guidelines as in past years, in alignment with LLU’s principles and mission.

• Robes & Hoods: no altering, modifying, embellishing or decorating. Robes must be zipped up at all times
• Cords/Stoles/Sashes/Medallions: as issued, approved, and managed by the schools and/or the university
• Leis: no food leis at commencement ceremonies; no flower leis (no exceptions) at baccalaureates
• Mortarboards: this is regulated by the schools, and they will communicate with their graduates directly 
• Flags: participants and guests are not allowed to bring/display flags (this includes graduates' stoles), national or otherwise, in the commencement venues - baccalaureates, commencement ceremonies, hooding events, other. We seek to maintain a neutral and respectful atmosphere for all, that focuses on the graduates' achievements. The commencement stage displays the flags of countries represented by our graduates

Yes, a professional photographer has been contracted to take the official photo of each graduate receiving their diploma; the photo will include the Dean and the President, with the graduate in the middle. Photos will be available shortly after commencement season on our website; access is login/password protected. Schools will notify their graduates when videos and photos are available for viewing and downloading.

Yes, the University will produce a video of each school’s commencement, and the final edited video will be uploaded to the commencement website for viewing and downloading. The school will communicate with each graduate when the video has been uploaded.  

Immediate play-back of each ceremony will be available as raw footage, accessing the menu on the right at “Graduation Schedule”. A final and completed edited video will be available shortly after commencement season, along with the official photo of you with your diploma, the Dean and the President.

The University does not provide wheelchairs, but it does provide ADA designated parking areas and shuttles, giving priority to guests that require mobility assistance. To have access to ADA parking areas, guests must display their blue placard.

Please contact your dean’s office or school commencement coordinator, as far in advance as possible, to communicate your needs.

For guests or graduates requiring ASL services, the graduate should contact their dean's office or commencement coordinator right away.

Diplomas are issued by the Office of the Registrar.  Most schools will present the graduate with the diploma cover at the ceremony, and upon confirmation by the school that all requirements have been met and they have signed off, the diploma will be mailed to the graduate.  For additional information, please contact your school directly

We now publish the commencement program using a mobile app, enhancing the experience. The program can be accessed via QR code or the commencement website during our commencement weekends.