2019 MD, PhD, and Dual Degree Commencement Ceremony

3:30 pm: Graduates must be at David Geffen Hall with their academic apparel
3:30 pm: Doors open for Special Needs Seating
4 pm: Doors open for General Seating
4 pm: Platform Party Arrives
4:30 pm: Commencement Ceremony Begins
7 pm: Commencement Ceremony Concludes

The Herff Jones website is now open; you can begin placing your cap and gown orders from now until March, 20, 2019. Place your order.

Orders placed on the website by March 20, 2019 will be rented by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai at no cost to you.

Orders placed after March 20, 2019 will not be accepted and you will have to rent your own regalia. After March 20, 2019 students who have not ordered their regalia will be outfitted with extra apparel and cannot be guaranteed correct sizing or hood colors.

If you have further questions, please contact Steven Clarke at Herff Jones: 516-223-2572; thegraduateguy@aol.com

Caps and Gowns ordered by March 29, 2019 can be picked up in Stern Auditorium from 12 pm – 4 pm during the below days:

• For Last Names (A-K): Tuesday 4/23/19 – Friday 4/26/19 
• For Last Names (L-Z): Tuesday 4/30/19 – Friday 5/3/19

All graduating candidates for the MD degree will be able to invite (1) person of their choice to hood them on stage during the ceremony.

If you do not wish to invite an external hooder you will be hooded by Drs. Reena Karani and Peter Gliatto. 

Chosen hooders will have their names printed in the Commencement program.  Names of hooders will NOT be called when coming onto stage with their graduate.  Hooders are not required to wear academic regalia.

 Criteria for Hooder Requests:

• If you are graduating with a clinical degree (MD, MD/MSCR, MD/MPH, MD/PhD), you will be able to have (1) person of your choice hood you on stage during the ceremony.  In an effort to achieve equity by providing every graduating student with an opportunity to be hooded by someone important in their lives, our new hooding process must limit each student to one hooder.
• MD students who want to be hooded by a person other than Drs. Karani and Gliatto must make a formal request by filling out this form by Friday, March 15, 2019.

There will be NO exceptions.

• All requests will be reviewed by the Department of Medical Education or the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
• Students will be emailed with a final decision by Friday, March 22, 2019.

MD Hooder Instructions

• Please be sure that your selected hooder meets you while you are lined up along the side wall of the auditorium before you prepare to walk onto the stage.
• They must have the assigned ribbon pinned to their blouse or lapel (you will receive the ribbon when you pick up your regalia), so security knows to let them approach the stage.
• Before stepping on stage, have your hooder line up behind you and prepare to walk on stage. The hooder must immediately follow you onto the stage to be able to hood. If your hooder does not follow you onto the stage, he/she will not be able to hood you due to time constraints
• It is your responsibility to make sure your hooder has his/her ticket and designated ribbon. Without both, your chosen hooder will not be allowed to hood you.

All MD, PhD, and Dual degree graduates will be given eight (8) guest tickets during cap and gown pick-up in April 2019.

If you need additional tickets, please email commencement@mssm.edu and indicate how many extra tickets you need.  Request deadline for additional tickets is Friday, March 29. 

Your name will be placed on a waiting list to be contacted once the allotted number of tickets have been distributed. Please note that all guests, including graduates, infants and children, will need a ticket to enter David Geffen Hall.

Processional

• The processional will enter the auditorium beginning with the Grand Marshal, followed by the Marshals before and after the graduating students, then the Faculty and Platform Party.
• Marshals will lead the two lines to the appropriate entrances.
• Graduates will be seated in designated rows in the front of the auditorium.
• The key people are those who are seated at the beginning or end of a row.
• The seating plan is designed to ensure that you are seated in proper alphabetical order for the conferring of degrees.
• It is extremely important that every seat be filled.
• Do not leave any seats empty.
• The staff will assist you in getting to the right place in line prior to the processional.
• Please remain standing until all members of the Platform Party are in place and the Grand Marshal signals for all to be seated.

Walking from Seat to Stage

• When walking to the stage to be hooded and receive your diploma, stay in the line-up order, as you will be called up on stage in that order.
• At the Marshal’s signal, ONLY the first row will rise, turn to face right, move in single file up the aisle towards the back of the Hall, turn left to walk across the back of the Hall and down the side wall up to the stairs leading up to the stage.
• The first candidate will proceed onto the stage.
• Wait until your name is called and then proceed onto the stage.
• Marshals will direct you from your seat and then on to the stage.
• As soon as the name of the next to last person in the first row is called, a Marshal will direct the entire second row to rise, turn to face right, move in single file up the aisle towards the back of the Hall, turn left to walk across the back of the Hall and down the side wall up to the stairs leading up to the stage.
• Repeat for each successive row.

On Stage

As your name is called, proceed across the stage as follows:

• Make sure your hood is NOT buttoned in the back before you walk on stage.
• Walk to the assistant hooder who will take your hood.
• Turn towards the audience and remain there until the hooding is completed (see hooding instructions).
• After the hooding, proceed to the diploma table to receive your diploma and congratulations from the dean.
• Turn towards the audience when you receive your diploma (this is a key photo opportunity). A professional photographer will take your picture, which will be available for download, or purchasing prints later in May.
• Special Note: Your hands must be free to shake hands and accept the diploma from the dean.
• After receiving your diploma, continue across the stage and exit using the stairs on the far side of the stage.
• A Marshal will be at the foot of the stairs to assist you.
• Return to your original seat and be seated.

Recessional

• The Grand Marshal will announce the conclusion of the ceremony.
• The Platform Party will leave, followed by the Faculty and then the graduates.
• The first two rows of graduates will recess first utilizing both aisles.
• Line leaders: please remember which direction you should be going during all the different stages of the ceremony.
• All line leaders will be identified prior to the start of the ceremony.
• Marshals will be there to insure you walk in the right direction.

Any degree candidates who require special accommodations in order to participate in their Commencement Ceremony should contact commencement@mssm.edu. Students with guests requiring early seating or special needs accommodations for Commencement should email commencement@mssm.edu.

You will need to provide the name of the guest needing special accommodations, one (1) person who will accompany him/her to assist with seating, and a cell phone number for the guest. Please note that David Geffen Hall selects the areas for special needs seating and that those who enter the Hall for early seating cannot hold seats for others.

For ease, we have reserved a block of rooms at the following hotels:

Empire Hotel
44 West 63 Street
New York, NY 10023

Discounted rates ranging from $279.00 - $299.00 per night are valid until April 8, 2019.

Book your hotel stay online or by calling the Reservations desk at (855) 265-7400. If you make your reservation over the phone, please reference “Icahn School of Medicine Group,” in order to receive the discounted rate.

Courtyard Marriot—New York Manhattan/Upper East Side
410 East 92^nd Street
New York, NY 10128
(212) 410-6777

Discounted rates ranging from $239.00 - $259.00 per night are valid until April 8, 2019.

Book your hotel stay online.

Hotel Wales
1295 Madison Avenue (at 92^nd Street)
New York, NY 10128
(212) 876-6000

Discounted rates ranging from $299.00 - $345.00 per night are valid until April 8, 2019. You can book your hotel stay online or by calling the Reservations desk at (866) 925-3746.

If you make your reservation over the phone, please use the group code #249996 in order to receive the discounted rate.

For parking information, visit Lincoln Center or call Centercharge at 212-721-6500 (TTY 212-957-1709). Parking reservations may also be made online.

You will be allowed to take photos outside after the ceremony but you MUST return your cap, gown, and hood inside David Geffen Hall.

• After the ceremony ends, you will be able to take pictures with your guests. You must return all academic regalia to the Herff Jones drop-off stations inside David Geffen Hall. You will not be permitted to leave the premises with any regalia.
• A professional photographer will be hired by the School to get shots of you being hooded and receiving your diploma on stage.
  • Prints of these professional shots will be available for purchase after the Commencement Ceremony.
  • You will receive further information on how to order prints in late May 2019.

Q: How many tickets does each student get? Can you get extra tickets?
A: Each student will get up to eight tickets. If you need additional tickets, please email commencement@mssm.edu by Friday, March 29, 2019 and indicate how many extra tickets you need. Your name will be placed on a waiting list to be contacted once the allotted number of tickets has been distributed.

Q: My father/mother is a doctor, so can he/she hood me?
A: We will confirm details about Commencement Ceremony hooders shortly. Please stay tuned for updates.

Q: How long is the ceremony?
A: The ceremony is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Q: Can I take pictures in David Geffen Hall during the ceremony?
A: Yes, you can take pictures during the ceremony.

Q:  Can I leave tickets for family members at the front desk?
A: Yes, you can leave tickets for your family members in a labeled envelope with the attendants at the information window at David Geffen Hall.

Q: Where is David Geffen Hall?
A: David Geffen Hall is located at 10 Lincoln Center Plaza (at 65^th Street).

Q: Will there be discounted parking?
A: There is no discounted parking for Commencement.

Q: Is there reserved seating?
A: There is no reserved seating.

Q: Can children attend the ceremony?
A: Yes, children can attend the ceremony but require a ticket, regardless of age.

Q: Will professional pictures be available to purchase?
A: Several weeks after Commencement, pictures will be available for purchase online.

Q: I need disabled/special seating accommodations; who can I contact?
A: Students with guests requiring early seating or special needs accommodations for Commencement should email commencement@msssm.edu.

Q: Are there any other events happening in addition to the Commencement Ceremony?
A: Yes, the Mount Sinai Achievement Ceremony and Awards will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at 3 pm. It will be immediately followed by the Dean’s Reception at 5 pm for all graduating MD, PhD, and Dual Degree students and their guests in the Guggenheim Pavilion Atrium at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.