Grad Fest is an event for seniors graduating in May and is March 17-19 in the Liberty Room in the David B. Burks American Heritage Building. Graduating seniors will have the opportunity to pick up their caps and gowns, find out which ceremony they will participate in, receive counseling about loans, leave forwarding addresses with the post office and purchase graduation announcements and class rings.
Grad Fest committee member and Generation HU young alumni representative Sarah Bobo said the event is for graduates to get everything ready for commencement in May.
“They will talk to Finance to make sure all loans and what not are in good standing so they can graduate,” Bobo said. “They will also talk to alumni relations about alumni programs.”
Dr. Ross Cochran, professor of Bible and committee leader of Grad Fest, said Grad Fest will save seniors time and hassle by attending.
“Graduating seniors are given a chance to take care of numerous tasks in a ‘one-stop’ event,” Cochran said. “They make sure everything is in order for their transition from student to alumni. Putting all the tasks they need to take care of in a single stop is for their benefit in a few minutes they can take care of a lot of the business necessary to graduate.”
Natalie Oliver, Grad Fest Provost Office representative, said the departments are trying to make the graduation process as easy as possible for seniors.
“Grad Fest is a good opportunity to get to numerous offices at one time,” Oliver said. “We’re trying to make it as easy for the students as we can. We realize your senior year is crazy, and you’re too busy to be jumping from office to office.”
According to Oliver, the Provost Office decided to transform the graduation process into a celebration. They are attempting to do that again this semester.
“In the past, we just had the event right outside the bookstore, but this year, we put a tent on the front lawn and tried to make it carnival themed,” Oliver said. “We tried to make it more fun.”
Due to unpredictable weather, Grad Fest will be held in the Liberty Room in the Burks American Heritage building instead of the front lawn, but there will still be a carnival theme.
Grad Fest will take place March 17-19, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
