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Commencement
Commencement 2025

MICA Commencement 2025

In this Section

History of MICA's Honorary Degree Recipients
ArtWalk 2025
Grad Show 2025

Commencement 2025

History of MICA's Honorary Degree Recipients
ArtWalk 2025
Grad Show 2025

MICA Commencement 2025: Livestream

Welcome to MICA Commencement

Maryland Institute College of Art is thrilled to celebrate each year’s graduates at our annual Commencement each May. The ceremonies, one for the undergraduate BFA programs and one for the graduate MA, MFA, and MPS programs, are held off campus at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, home of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Commencement will take place on May 19, 2025 for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Questions? Email us at: commencement@mica.edu

Plan Ahead

 

Applying to Graduate

Do I need to apply for graduation?

NO

BFA, MFA, MAT, MA


NO

MPS, MFAST, and MA/MBA:

Degrees are conferred automatically for online/low-residency programs once the requirements have been met.

Diplomas and Transcripts

We’ve teamed with Parchment Inc. to provide two versions of your diploma: a traditional printed diploma and an digital version. The digital diploma is an official document that you can share online or send to employers, educational institutions and others for fast verification of your degree. There are a few key actions you need to take to ensure that your diploma is correct and delivered to you.

Printed diplomas will be shipped to your permanent address in approximately 4 weeks after submitting. You can track the shipment through your Parchment account.

What do I need to do to get my diploma?

See the How to Get Your Diploma page!

Will I get a digital version of my diploma?

As long as you designate a Degree Email in your Student Center, step 2 in your 3 Diploma to dos, yes. The digital diploma will be sent to your Degree Email shortly after your degree is conferred. Anyone who does not designate a Degree Email will not receive a digital diploma.

How do I access my transcript?

See the instructions on the Diplomas and Transcripts page!

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Commencement Tickets

How How do I order tickets and how many do I get?

Ticket ordering will be March 10 - April 1; after that, any extra tickets will be available for redistribution between April 11-15.

The link to order through Eventbrite as well as instructions will be sent to graduates in March.

Students for each ceremony can order up to 4 tickets for guests. The graduate does not need a ticket, only guests.

How much do tickets cost?

$0! There is no cost for either the initial 4 tickets OR any additional tickets requested.

Please email events@mica.edu if you have any issues or concerns with this process.

email events@mica.edu

Regalia

What regalia do I need to buy and how do I buy it?

Regalia is recommended, but not required.

You can buy your regalia either through the official vendor Herff Jones, or through whatever retailer you choose.

Regalia consists of a Standard black graduation robe and a Black beret (traditionally velvet, wool is also ok). No tassel.

Berets handmade by an alum and gowns from the official vendor, Herff Jones, can be ordered through the MICA Store

Limited quantities of regalia will also be available on Commencement Day at the MICA Store starting at 8am.

Visit the MICA Store

Parking

Free parking will be available at Mosher Street and the Mt. Royal Station Building Lot. These lots may fill up quickly, however, there are paid parking garages in the area such as the Symphony Center Parking Garage.

Weather Policy

In the case of heavy rain or other weather event, students will be notified by email on the morning of Commencement if we are switching to the rain plan for check in, the class photo, and the processional.

Rain Plan: Check in at the Brown Center in the lower lobby outside of Falvey Hall. Then proceed into Falvey Hall for the class photo.

In the case of light rain, we encourage students to bring a small umbrella.

View Nearby Parking Garages

Traveling From out of Town

Students, family, and guests who are traveling to Baltimore from out of town may find the following resources helpful

Hotels and Restaurants

Lodging and Accommodations available at a discounted rate through MICA are here.

Restaurant recommendations from the MICA community are here.

Baltimore Museums and Attractions

Baltimore Museum of Art Free year round
website

Walters Art Museum Free year round
Website

American Visionary Arts Museum Ticket Prices Vary
Website

Maryland Center for History and Culture Tickets $19 for adults, $17 for students
Website

Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture (Tickets $12) Website

Other Attractions

Camden Yards (Tickets $12) website

Fort McHenry (free— technically a military outpost from the war of 1812, but also just a really nice park for a picnic or walk)
Website

Rawlings Conservatory (free, but $5 donation encouraged)

The Avenue in Hampden the heart of Baltimore quirkiness

Historical Lexington Market opened in 1782 and still running as a market and site for public art

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Commencement Weekend

 

Commencement Ceremony

Where and when is the Commencement Ceremony?

The Meyerhoff Symphony Hall 1212 Cathedral Street

May 19, 2025 (additional details to come)

10:00 a.m. EST for the Graduate Ceremony (MFA, MPS, MA)

3:00 p.m. EST for the Undergraduate Ceremony

How do I participate in the Commencement Ceremony?

MFA and MA: Apply for graduation before the deadline, reserve tickets for your guests (see below for details), and show up to the ceremony!

MPS and MA/MBA: Reserve tickets for your guests (see below for details), and show up to the ceremony. You do not need to apply.

BFA: Apply for graduation before the deadline, complete the Graduating Student Survey, reserve tickets for your guests, and show up to the ceremony!

Am I eligible to attend the May Commencement ceremony?

Anyone who graduated (finished degree requirements and earned their diploma) in the preceding August or December or who will finish in May is welcome to attend Commencement. If you have received emails from commencement@mica.edu about the May ceremony, you are officially invited.

What can I bring?

here is no restriction on what you can bring into the Symphony Hall, but we encourage you to stick with what you can fit in your pockets. There will not be a good place to leave a bag during the ceremony. Snacks and water will be available at check in

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Graduate Ceremony Timeline

8:00am EDT

MICA Store opens for Regalia pickup

9:00am EDT

Graduate students arrive at the Church parking lot next to the Main Building to check in and line up for the Graduate Class Photo.

9:15am EDT

Class Photo, Main Building front steps

9:30am EDT

Graduates follow staff down Mt Royal Ave to line up by program in front of Station Building for Graduate Commencement Procession

9:50am EDT

Graduate Commencement Procession begins.

10:00am EDT

Commencement Procession enters Symphony Hall

10:00am-12:30pm EDT

GRADUATE COMMENCEMENT at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

12:30-2:00pm EDT

Graduate Commencement Reception at Cohen Plaza Commencement Celebration Tent

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Graduate Ceremony Instructional Videos

Get a guided video walkthroughs of what to expect on the day of the big event. Both offstage and on!

What to expect the day of commencement

Your browser does not support the HTML5 Video element.

What to expect on stage

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Undergraduate Ceremony Timeline

9:00am - 12:00pm EDT

MICA Store opens for Regalia pickup

2:00pm EDT

Undergraduate students arrive at the Church parking lot next to the Main Building to check in and line up for the Undergraduate Class Photo.

2:15pm EDT

Class Photo, Main Building front steps

2:30pm EDT

Graduates follow staff down Mt Royal Ave to line up by program in front of Station Building for Undergraduate Commencement Procession

2:50pm EDT

Undergraduate Commencement Procession begins.

3:00pm EDT

Commencement Procession enters Symphony Hall

3:00pm-5:30pm EDT

UNDERGRADUATE COMMENCEMENT at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

5:30pm EDT

Graduate Commencement Reception at Cohen Plaza Commencement Celebration Tent

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Undergraduate Ceremony Instructional Videos

Get a guided video walkthroughs of what to expect on the day of the big event. Both offstage and on!

What to expect the day of commencement

Your browser does not support the HTML5 Video element.

What to expect on stage

Your browser does not support the HTML5 Video element.

Artwalk and
Exhibitions

 

Artwalk Events

Gallery Schedule

ArtWalk Show
Friday - 10am-9pm
Saturday - 10am-5pm
Sunday - 10am-5pm
Monday - 10am-5pm

Family Day on Sunday

ArtWalk Family Day

Sunday Before Commencement

10am-5pm

Open to graduating students, families, guests, faculty, and friends

Departmental receptions take place campus-wide - locations vary year to year

Cafe Doris open

Tours

MICA's urban campus encompasses more than one million square feet of academic, residential, and creative spaces supported by high-end tech, green sanctuaries, galleries and cafés, multi-use performance spaces, a highly active career center, every kind of maker space you can image, and over 40,000 square feet of independent studio spaces. And you can explore it now from the comfort of your home!

Take the Virtual Tour

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Artwalk

Artwalk Opening

Friday before Commencement - 5:30 pm-8:30 pm

  • Gateway
  • Bunting
  • Fox
  • Brown
  • Main
  • Dolphin
  • Mount Royal Station
  • Outdoor installations

Other Information

  • Open to the general public
  • It's Free!
  • MICA Store Open
  • Bar in Cohen Plaza tent
  • Food trucks in Bunting East lot
  • Cafe Doris open
  • Students stand by artwork 5:30pm-7:30pm
  • Bar closed and trucks leave at 9pm

Event Parking In

  • Mt. Royal Station Parking Lot
  • Mosher Parking Lot
  • Bunting West Lot
  • Additional paid parking at Fitzgerald Garage
Learn More About Artwalk

COHORT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Undergraduate

Undergraduate students should have received an invitation to an undergraduate-specific canvas site that contains more information on undergraduate commencement and exhibitions. If you did not receive this email, please email commencement@mica.edu.

Open Studies

The Open Studies office hosts an online exhibition that showcases each graduate’s hard work. The goal of such an exhibition is to display students’ achievements for friends, family, prospective employers. MICA students, staff, and the broader community.

In order to add your Capstone to the exhibition, we need to gather some information. Please review the specific program requirements.

Learn more about OS Commencement

MICA Grad Show 2025

MICA Grad Show 2025 will host on-campus and community engagements and virtually showcase the culminating work of MFA and MA graduate students from 14 of the College’s internationally renowned programs. Campus galleries are open to the public daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.* On weekends, outside visitors will need to be accompanied by a MICA community member with a MICA ID in order to swipe and gain access into respective buildings.

Learn More

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Regalia & Traditions

 

Regalia and Traditions

Master's Hoods

MA, MFA, MPS only: Hoods can be purchased as part of your graduation package or separately if you don't need all parts of the regalia. Hoods are a traditional part of the Master's degree regalia and signify the advanced level of education a student has achieved. The velvet, lining, and chevron colors all convey different meanings– here’s what to choose. 

Velvet: color signifies your field of study
MFA: Brown
MA or MPS: white
MAT: light blue
Lining: gold with a black chevron signifies that you have graduated from MICA

Master's Honor Cords

MA, MFA, MPS: Graduate degrees do not use Latin honors (Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Summa Cum Laude) and the regalia thus does not include honor cords corresponding to the GPA. However:

1) student leaders (graduate program assistants, etc),

2) students who go through the on-campus International Student program, and

3) students who are military veterans

will receive cords honoring those achievements.

These cords do not need to be purchased and will be available to pick up on Commencement day at check-in.

Bachelor's Honor Cords

BA and BFA Academic Honor Cords are worn by students who earn top GPAs:

Cum Laude, 3.70+ (green)
Magna Cum Laude, 3.80+ (red)
Summa Cum Laude, 3.90+ (gold).

The Art Education Honor Cord (light blue) is worn by undergraduate students accepted into the five-year BFA/MAT program. Leadership Honor Cords (bright blue) are worn by students recognized for outstanding leadership and contributions to the MICA community. Military Service Honor Cords (dark blue and gold) are worn by current members and veterans of the United States military.

 

The Chain of Office and Medallion

The Chain of Office and Medallion is worn by MICA’s president during Commencement. The Medallion, designed by Karen Klinedinst ’85, includes symbols that represent MICA’s endurance since its founding in 1826. It is paired with the Chain, designed by Betty Cooke ’46, where each link features the name of the College’s official and acting presidents, symbolically connecting MICA’s founder to its current leader.

Leadership in Diversity Stoles and Cords

Leadership in Diversity Stoles and Cords are worn by students recognized for leadership, academic achievement, and involvement in advancing the Center for Identity and Inclusion’s mission and vision. The stoles are red which represents power, energy, creation, passion, and love. The Adinkra Ghanaian symbol shows two conjoined crocodiles, which symbolizes democracy and cooperation and means Unity in Diversity. Other stoles include Asian Silk Stoles (silk bamboo print), Faith-based Stoles (Jewish stoles are blue and white, Christian stoles are teal), Heritage Stoles (red, green, and yellow), Hispanic Stoles (white, red, and blue), Kente Stoles from Africa (green, gold, and maroon), and LGBTQIA Stoles (rainbow colors with an inverted pink triangle).

Our Velvet Beret

A graduation cap is a sign of the freedom of scholarship which endows the wearer with responsibility and dignity. Rather than mortarboards, a black velvet beret has been traditionally worn as the cap by graduating students at MICA since the 1960s.

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Student to Alumni Transition

 

Alumni Services & Benefits

As a former student, you are automatically a member of the Alumni Association - an international network of more than 16,000 graduates and students of the College living in every state and 64 countries throughout the world.

The Office of Alumni & Parent Relations administers the MICA Alumni Association. The office works all areas of the College to develop programs, services, and communication which benefit our alumni.

Learn More

Student to Alumni Transition

When will I lose access to my MICA accounts?

30 days after your last day of class.

Includes anything you use your MICA credentials to access– Google apps, Gmail, Adobe, LinkedIn Learning, etc

See this roundup of directions for archiving/transferring/saving your files and data from your MICA accounts.

How do I access Career Development Services after graduation?

As the Career Development Center offers lifetime access for alumni, you can utilize all of the resources available on the Career Development webpage; to schedule with a career advisor, click the Make an Appointment button at left.

Can I maintain a MICA email address after I graduate?

While MICA’s cloud storage constraints prevent us from maintaining email accounts for alumni, please see the many other benefits and services that we are happy to provide for our graduates!

How do I get my Commencement photos?

3-4 weeks after Commencement, check gradimages.com and enter your last name, school name (Maryland Institute College of Art), and graduation year. This will show you your photo proof, and you can choose to order them.

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Accessiblity and Accomodations

If you require an accommodation for visitors or guests to MICA's commencement ceremonies, please submit a request via the form linked below. Students who need commencement related accommodations should contact the Office of Accessibility & Disability Services at ads@mica.edu.

Request an Accommodation
 

 

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