Elena Perez
School of Public Affairs and Administration
Commencement 2025
Congratulations to all Rutgers University-Newark students and guest participating in the 2025 in-person Commencement ceremonies!
Important Announcement
Members of the Rutgers Community, please be reminded that this University event is taking place to celebrate the culmination of our students' hard work and earned degrees. It is a momentous event for our many graduates and their guests, activities that disrupt the ceremony will not be tolerated.
Ceremony Information
Dates and Times
Salute Week
Thursday, May 15 - Scarlet Forever Parade and BBQ, PRCC Plaza and Tennis Courts
4:30pm - Grads line up on the Plaza
4:45pm - Parade begins
5:00pm - BBQ begins at Tennis Courts
Rutgers University-Newark Commencement
Thursday, May 22 - Prudential Center at 9AM
Guest speaker: TBA
Graduating students of the following schools are welcome to participate:
- School of Arts and Sciences-Newark
- Rutgers Business School-Newark undergraduates
- School of Criminal Justice
- School of Public Affairs and Administration (undergraduate and graduate)
- Graduate School Newark
Graduate School-Newark Doctoral and MFA Hooding Ceremony
Wednesday, May 21 - Paul Robeson Campus Center at 3PM
Keynote speaker: TBA
Graduating students of the MFA and Ph.D. programs are welcome to participate.
Rutgers Business School Graduate Convocation
Tuesday, May 20 - NJPAC at 1PM
Graduating students of the MBA and all specialty master’s programs are welcome to participate.
Rutgers Law School Commencement
Friday, May 23 - NJPAC at 10AM
Graduating students of the Law School are welcome to participate.
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2024
Congratulations Video
Senior Testimonies
Graduating seniors from various backgrounds and Rutgers-Newark schools share their experiences as they complete their academic journey.
Rutgers Newark Commencement Keynote Speaker
Rutgers Newark Commencement Keynote Speaker
Tyriq Trotter
aka Black Thought
Black Thought
Founder of The Roots, critically acclaimed solo artist, actor and New York Times' Best-Selling author will be attending the 2024 Rutgers University-Newark Commencement as the keynote speaker.
Student Speaker
Applications for Undergraduate Student Commencement Speaker
The Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs is requesting applications from members of the undergraduate graduating class of 2024 for the Undergraduate Commencement Speaker at our commencement exercises on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. We request applications from graduating seniors who are not only strong students, but who also have demonstrated commitment to leadership and community service. The selected student will have the honor of representing the graduating class at the Prudential Center, an arena that seats over 17,000!
Applications must include letters of recommendation from two faculty and/or staff members and a one-paragraph summary with the intended themes of the speech. The topic of the speech should focus on an event at RU-N that resonates with you, demonstrates your commitment to RU-N and be both personally meaningful and relevant to the Class of 2024. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA or higher (Fall 2023).
A selection committee will review the applications and select finalists. Finalists must be available to present a two-minute speech to the committee based on the paragraph submitted on Friday, April 12, 2024 (between 9am – 1pm).
All Applications must be submitted using the following link no later than
Friday, March 29, 2024 at 5:00pm
Graduation Portraits
Graduation portraits can be taken by Island Photography; an email with login has been sent to graduating students that have applied for graduation with their academic units. Please check your spam folder in case it’s not in your inbox. You can also try contacting Island Photography directly at (516) 767-1234 or email at custserv@islandphoto.com to schedule an appointment.
Currently, there is not a yearbook for the graduating class of 2024. This means you can take portraits at the studio of your preference.
Accordion Content
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As of now no orders are being accepted for any regalia, but students can shop in store.
Hello Grads!
On behalf of the Barnes and Noble, here at Rutgers Newark, Congratulations!
We are happy to announce that students who have not yet purchased regalia may do so starting on Wednesday, April 24th. Our store hours will be 10:00am - 5:00pm daily, and students will be able to purchase packages and accessories. These items are only available in-store, and units are not eligible for hold or reserve.If you have any questions in regard to the package you'd need, please feel free to email @Brielle Amos.
If you are unsure if you placed an order, please contact OakHall via the information shared below. For those of you who have ordered via the online site for ship-to-bookstore, please await notification before coming into pickup items as we are still waiting for these items. If you've placed an order for shipping to your home, please use the track order tool linked here. You'd need to have your sales order number in order to use this feature.
Questions? 540-378-7001 or customercare@oakhalli.com
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Graduation rings can be purchased through Balfour. Visit https://www.balfour.com/newark-rutgers to look at the rings and make a purchase. If you have any questions you may call the Customer Service Department at (800-225-3687) or email CollegeRings@Balfour.com.
Tina Stenman | Territory Manager |Commemorative Brands, Inc. | Balfour | PA/DE/NJ/NY| Direct: 484-868-3599
Parking and Venue Policies
Graduating students and their guests will be able to park in either Rutgers-Newark parking decks for free or at other locations for a fe
Rutgers Parking
Free commencement parking for all graduates and their guests all day long for all ceremonies (Undergraduate, Graduate and Law) will be available in the following Rutgers-Newark parking decks:
- Deck 1: 200 University Ave, Newark, NJ
- Deck 2: 166 Washington Street, Newark, NJ
- Deck 3: 180 Washington Street, Newark, NJ (next to Deck 2)
- Deck 4: 130 Washington Street, Newark, NJ
Shuttle Services
Rutgers University-Newark will be providing shuttle services to Prudential Center on Wednesday, May 15. Complimentary shuttles to and from the Prudential Center will run continuously from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Departure boarding to the Prudential Center will be located at Decks 2, 3, and 4 (parking is complimentary on campus). Guests traveling from the Prudential Center back to campus should board at the corner of Lafayette and Broad Streets
Prudential Center Parking
Rutgers University - Newark Commencement (SASN, SCJ, SPAA, RBS-Undergraduate, GSN)
In addition to RU-N parking, the above graduates and their families can park in or near the Prudential Center. It is highly advised that guests use public transportation on commencement day.
Prudential Center Policies
Prudential doors open at 8:00am for students and 8:15am for guests.
Please allow time for security checks - allow at least 45 minutes to go through security.
NJPAC Parking
Rutgers Business School Graduate Convocation and Law School Commencement
In addition to RU-N parking, the above graduates and their families can park at NJPAC. We found that in previous years many students chose to park there for the convenience of their guests. Look for Parking Lots A and C, adjacent east of the building. Each of these lots contain special parking locations for handicapped patrons. Eagle West lot (120 Orange St., Newark NJ) will also be available.
Special Accommodations
For students and guests in need of special accommodations, we ask that you please reach out to the appropriate contacts below. We want to ensure you that every reasonable effort will be made to arrange accommodations in an effective and timely manner.
Accordion Content
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The Paul Robeson Campus Center is an accessible facility that can accommodate guests with physical challenges. Graduate School staff will be available to provide assistance. For questions related to disability accessibility, please contact Kinna Perry at kinnap@rutgers.edu or (973) 353-5834.
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Special Accommodations for Prudential Center- The Prudential Center is an accessible facility that can accommodate guests with physical challenges. Please visit https://www.prucenter.com/ada-guide for details. For questions related to disability accessibility, please contact Lorren Whitaker lw553@newark.rutgers.edu or 973-353-5375.
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Guests requiring accommodations at NJPAC are encouraged to reach out to their dedicated customer service team at 1-888-MY-NJPAC for personalized assistance.
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Students who require accommodations should contact: rbs_graduation_grad@business.rutgers.edu and RBS staff will accommodate their seating arrangements.
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NJPAC provides accessible parking accommodations to all patrons requiring such assistance. For detailed information regarding designated parking locations tailored to specific needs, please reach out to NJPAC customer service at 1-888-MY-NJPAC. For parking information, directions, and maps, please visit https://www.njpac.org/visit/directions-and-parking/
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Guests with special needs should be dropped off near the entrance of NJPAC at or soon after 3:00pm. NJPAC ushers will direct ticketed guests and their families with special needs to a designated location. Only the person(s) accompanying that guest when they enter NJPAC will be seated together.
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NJPAC offers ADA seating in every tier should your guests require it. If you will have a guest with a disability that requires a special seating arrangement, contact Gail Brown at gail.brown@law.rutgers.edu for more information.
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NJPAC parking lots contain special parking locations for disabled patrons.
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