Volunteer

Commencement is an exciting day for our graduates and their families, and it takes a lot of us in the UMBC community working together to make the day special. If you would like to be a part of the team on commencement day by volunteering, please sign up on the volunteer sign-up form. Please indicate your preferred role and secondary role, we will do our best to put you in a preferred role, but they will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Below is a description of all the volunteer assignments available for the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies. Please note that not all assignments apply to both ceremonies.

Faculty/Staff Line-up

Locate Faculty and Staff Marshals and direct them to head of line; assist with placement of regalia and robing; review procession, recession and seating instructions; count faculty/staff into seats during processional; assist special needs faculty and staff; direct faculty and staff out of arena during recessional.

Accessible Seating & Assistance

Place signs on seating prior to ceremony; assist special needs guests with seating in designated areas; must be patient and courteous and understand special needs guests. Must be able to stay calm and remain flexible and above all be able to solve problems on an as needed basis. Communication is the key.

Undergraduate Line-up

Assist in line up of students; direct students to line up in alpha order according to department under the signs posted in hallways; continue to monitor students during line-up to make sure they have “floor pass” cards, and green/pink start and stop cards; assist special needs students; walk with students in processional to “count” and “seat” students; assist late arrivals; assist during ceremony with students walking up onto stage and leaving stage and returning to seats; assist with recessional guiding students out of seats and guarding exits. Full instructions and training given prior to ceremony.

Ushers

Ushers will need to assist with reminding guests that no strollers or balloons are allowed in the arena; hand out programs, direct guests to proper seating areas; assist in maintaining proper decorum such as no standing in aisles, or stairways, no photographs or videos to be taken outside of the confines of their seats; no balloons or strollers allowed in the arena, no blocking of the aisles or stairways, etc. Full instructions and training will be given prior to the ceremony. Ushers must remain in their positions during the entire ceremony. Proper enforcement is provided by security personnel.