Student Checklist

Student Commencement Checklist

Here’s a checklist of important information and deadlines to help you prepare for Commencement 2023.

Order Your Cap and Gown

A note about academic attire for the Law School’s Commencement Exercises:

JD

• Cap: Black velvet tam
• Gown: Red doctoral gown with black chevrons
• Hood: Purple velvet doctorate hood (received on the Commencement stage)

LLM in Bankruptcy

• Cap: Black velvet tam
• Gown: Black doctoral gown with purple chevrons
• Hood: Purple velvet doctorate hood with a silk lining that features the colors of the school from which you received your JD (your cap and gown order includes the hood)

LLM in US Legal Studies and Transnational Legal Practice

• Cap: Black velvet tam
• Gown: Black doctoral gown with purple chevrons
• Hood: Purple velvet doctorate hood from St. John’s University (your cap and gown order includes the hood)

Place Your Order:

Please order your cap and gown through our online store. There are two shipping options and corresponding order deadlines:

• Ship to St. John’s Law: Order by Friday, March 24, 2023
• Ship to your home (additional fee): Order by Friday, April 21, 2023

If you ship your cap and gown to the Law School, pick up is at the:

• Law School: Thursday, April 27, 2023 from 10 am to 2 pm
• Taffner Field House: Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 10 am to 2 pm

Complete Your CDO Exit Interview

To participate in Commencement Exercises, you must first have an exit interview with your career counselor, which will take about 15 minutes. Please arrive five minutes early so you can complete a graduate employment survey. Contact your career counselor or the Career Development Office by May 1, 2023 to schedule your exit interview.

Get Your Commencement Tickets

You can pick up 10 Commencement tickets in the Career Development Office starting Monday, April 3, 2023 through Friday, May 5, 2023. If you need more tickets, we’ll give out any extras we have on a first come, first served basis when we distribute caps and gowns at the Law School on Thursday, April 27, 2023 from 10 am to 2pm. If you don’t need all of your tickets, please give them to a student who needs them.

If you have guests in need of special assistance or seating accommodations for the Commencement ceremony, please email Iris Diaz or call her at 718-990-1950. You can pick up tickets for those guests from the Office Special Events starting Monday, May 1, 2023 through Thursday, May 18, 2023.

Empty Your Law School Locker

You need to empty your Law School locker by Friday, May 19, 2023. If you’re taking the July Bar Exam and want to continue using your locker, please complete and submit a Law School Locker Registration form by Friday, May 5, 2023.

Enjoy Your Commencement Photos

GradImages will take a photo of you after you receive your hood on the Commencement stage and descend the stairs to take your seat on the arena floor. They will email the photo proofs to your St. John’s Law email address about a week after Commencement.

Receive Your St. John’s Law Diploma

The Office of the Registrar will contact you at your St. John’s Law email address when your diploma is ready to be mailed or picked up. Diplomas will be mailed to the address on file in UIS. So, if you move after graduation, please update your address in UIS.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please email Iris Diaz or call her at 718-990-1950.