Commencement

Location:

Thalia Mara Hall
255 East Pascagoula Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39201

Visitor & Parking Information:

• Parking will be available on the street around Thalia Mara Hall and in the parking garage across the street.
• The parking fee is $10.00 for the garage.
• Accessible Parking: Guests needing ADA accommodations will find convenient reserved spaces in the parking lot along Thalia Mara and in the garage across the street.

Guest Reminders:

• Guests enter through the lower-level public doors at the front of the building, not the graduate entrance.
• Aisles must remain clear. Family members should remain seated during the diploma processional and for the entire ceremony.
• Take pictures before the ceremony or from your seat.

Review Venue Policies:

• Thalia Mara Hall uses a Clear Bag Policy. Noncompliant bags and prohibited items must be returned to a vehicle.
• Animals are not permitted inside Thalia Mara Hall, except for trained service animals as permitted by law. Emotional support animals, therapy animals, and pets are not allowed.
• Contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@belhaven.edu with questions or concerns.

• Seating: ADA seating is limited, so we encourage graduates to reach out early if they or their guests need special accommodations. Please contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@belhaven.edu to connect with our Commencement staff and discuss your needs.
• One family member may accompany a guest who needs accessible seating.
• Accessible seating is reserved for disability or mobility needs. Graduate accommodations may include accessible seating, mobility access, or another approved need.

• Graduates must order regalia through the Graduate Supply House.
• Ordering will open Monday, September 28, 2026.
• Ordering will close on Monday, November 2, 2026.

• If you will not participate, email registrar@belhaven.edu or call (601) 968-5922 by November 2, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
• Your student account must be financially clear before you may walk in the commencement.
  • You must have either a zero balance or a current, established payment plan.
  • An outstanding balance or past-due payment plan will prevent you from participating in the ceremony and will place your diploma and transcript on hold.
  • Contact the Business Office at (601) 968-5933 or studentaccounts@belhaven.edu or make a payment through BlazeNet.

• The graduate’s name and degree will appear on the diploma and commencement program as recorded in BlazeNet.
• For a legal name change, graduates should submit a completed Name Change Form with identification by November 4, 2026.
• For diploma shipping, graduates should submit an Address Change Form by Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
• The graduation application does not update the graduate’s BlazeNet address.
• Shipping addresses must be in the United States or Canada

• Commencement ticket ordering opens Monday, November 30, 2026, at 12 a.m. and will end Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 2 p.m.
• Graduates order tickets from https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/belhaven
• There is no charge for tickets.
• Each graduate will receive 8 tickets due to venue capacity.
• Additional tickets are not available.

• Graduates should arrive Saturday, December 12th, already dressed in academic regalia.
• Use the side entry ramp and enter through the Ticketmaster door. Do not enter through the lower-level guest doors.
• Report to the large room on the bottom floor for instructions and lineup. This area is reserved for graduates only.
• Leave tote bags, cell phones, purses, outerwear, and other belongings with family members. Storage is not available, and staff cannot be responsible for personal items.

• Women: dress or dark pantsuit, dark shoes, and subdued jewelry.
• Men: dark trousers, dark shoes, dark socks, a tie other than a bow tie, and a white or light-colored dress shirt; no coat is necessary.
• Avoid distracting jewelry, including large earrings or facial jewelry.
• Wear the mortarboard flat, with the brim parallel to the ground and the tassel on the left. Do not decorate the mortarboard.
• Only Belhaven University honor cords may be worn.
• Regalia from unaffiliated societies, sororities, or organizations must be removed.

Your graduation day deserves unforgettable photos—and our campus has plenty of stunning backdrops! Here are some favorite spots:

• The beautiful fountain between Preston Hall and Fitzhugh Hall
• The moving globe outside the Billy Kim International Center
• The iconic BU sign outside the Admissions building on Riverside Drive
• The beloved Belhaven Bowl, now featuring our powerful motto on the brick wall in the end zone: “To Serve, Not to be Served.”

Capture these moments, strike a pose, and let your Belhaven memories live on forever!

Photos and video will be posted in a new album on the Belhaven University Facebook site in the days following the commencement ceremony.

Fall Commencement will be recorded and made live on the Belhaven YouTube Channel a few days following the ceremony.

Spring Commencement will be available live-stream on the day of commencement on the Belhaven YouTube Channel.

Registrar’s Office – 601-968-5922 or registrar@belhaven.edu