Commencement

Commencement ceremonies last approximately two hours.

Students are not required to participate in the ceremony if they don’t feel comfortable. The ceremony will be live-streamed so you are able to watch and see your fellow graduates walk across the stage.

UNMC has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation both locally and nationally. If at any point between now and the scheduled ceremony COVID-19 trends present an increased risk for safety, we will modify our planning and update our graduates and campus community. 

We remain committed to the health and safety of the campus and community as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Per Dr. Meza and the Chancellor’s office, masks are not required but recommended.

We strongly discourage gathering outside of the arena pre- and post-ceremony. During the processional, graduates will be directed to exit the arena after receiving their diploma. Guests should meet graduates outside and leave immediately.

There will be no COVID-related restrictions on the number of guests allowed per graduate and tickets will not be issued.

The in-person ceremony will be live-streamed for any guests to view remotely. Access to the live-stream will be made available to graduating students a few days prior to the ceremony.

Omaha participants can pick up their attire on Wednesday, December 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pickup is in Williams Science Hall on the second floor.

For spring commencement, Lincoln, Norfolk, Kearney and Scottsbluff participants will receive information from their location coordinators.

All HOLD information can be found in MyRecords. You must clear the HOLD with the appropriate department/person/college.

All degrees are expected to be posted by the end of the month after Commencement, contingent upon completion of all UNMC and degree requirements.

As long as there are no HOLDS on your records, diploma will be distributed immediately after the ceremony. If you will not be participating in the ceremony, your diploma will be mailed to the address provided on the graduation application approximately 3-4 weeks after the end of the semester.

Your digital diploma will be emailed to your UNMC email address approximately 3-4 weeks after the end of the semester. All degree requirements must be completed and campus holds must be released in order to receive your digital diploma.

No. Diplomas are mailed certified via USPS, so a signature is necessary for delivery.

If you need to update your diploma mailing address, send an email to bbreazea@unmc.edu with your name, NUID, and new diploma mailing address.

• A professional photographer will take photos of each student. You can view and order proofs online.
• All questions regarding photos should be addressed directly to Lifetouch's customer support. The Customer Chat can be accessed online at the chat box in the bottom right corner.

All graduating students will need to mail their photo id (no clip or additional card) to:

Photo ID Card Office
984290 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha NE  68198-4290

Students in Omaha will also have the option to turn in their UNMC badge during attire pick up.  

Your UNMC student email will remain active for six months after the end of the semester. IT will notify you when your account is deactivated. You will be given approximately a two week notice to resolve any issues/concerns/notifications regarding your UNMC email account. The Help Desk number is 402-559-7700.

Students can contact the Academic Records office at academicrecords@unmc.edu.