Quicklinks
Graduation 2025
Baccalaureate
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
The Church of St. John the Divine
Students should report to Sumners Hall at St. John the Divine dressed in their robes by 4:00 p.m.
Seating will open at 4:00 p.m. (there will be no access to the sanctuary before 4:00 p.m.)
Ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m.
The ceremony will end by 5:30 p.m. with the Senior Class picture and reception following in The Quad. Photography will be provided by Marc Nathan Photography.
In the event of rain, the reception will be held in Flores Hall.
Due to seating limitations at the Church of St. John the Divine, we ask that only the parents and siblings of graduates attend Baccalaureate.
The Church of St. John the Divine
Students should report to Sumners Hall at St. John the Divine dressed in their robes by 4:00 p.m.
Seating will open at 4:00 p.m. (there will be no access to the sanctuary before 4:00 p.m.)
Ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m.
The ceremony will end by 5:30 p.m. with the Senior Class picture and reception following in The Quad. Photography will be provided by Marc Nathan Photography.
In the event of rain, the reception will be held in Flores Hall.
Due to seating limitations at the Church of St. John the Divine, we ask that only the parents and siblings of graduates attend Baccalaureate.
Commencement
Thursday, May 22, 2025
The Great Lawn
Seating will open at 5:45 p.m. (Parking lots open and parking shuttles begin running at 5:30 p.m.)
Students should report to the Science Building hallway dressed in their robes and caps at 6:30 p.m.
The ceremony begins at 7:00 p.m. with the formal bagpipe procession; all guests must be seated at this time. The ceremony will end by 8:30 p.m. with a reception following in Flores Hall. (Livestream of the ceremony will be available on monitors inside of Flores Hall.)
The Great Lawn
Seating will open at 5:45 p.m. (Parking lots open and parking shuttles begin running at 5:30 p.m.)
Students should report to the Science Building hallway dressed in their robes and caps at 6:30 p.m.
The ceremony begins at 7:00 p.m. with the formal bagpipe procession; all guests must be seated at this time. The ceremony will end by 8:30 p.m. with a reception following in Flores Hall. (Livestream of the ceremony will be available on monitors inside of Flores Hall.)
You do not need a ticket to attend Commencement. We want to emphasize that the purpose of holding Commencement outdoors is to increase the opportunity for all families and their guests to attend this most significant ceremony.
If there is inclement weather, Commencement will be held in the gym. Chairs will be set up in addition to use of the bleachers. There will be additional seating in the Lowe Theater of the VST where the livestream of the event will be shown. More detailed information about inclement weather plans will be communicated closer to the date of Commencement if in fact the weather forecast is not favorable.
Livestreaming & Photography
Link to access the livestream of both events: https://www.youtube.com/@SJSMavTV/streams
This link will be available in the Quicklinks on the front page of the website. Please note that the livestream filming itself will begin approximately 15 minutes before either ceremony begins.
Photography will be handled by Marc Nathan Photography.
Senior Lot parking will be reserved for our graduates and Gate 1 will be open only for those in need of accessible parking (there will be no general parking available in the Chute, Circle, or underground). All other parking lots on campus will be open. In the event of rain, the Lower School parking lot (via Gate 4 on Westheimer) will be reserved for accessible parking only.
Shuttles will be circulating through the various parking lots to transport guests who prefer not to walk. The shuttles will run from approximately 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Accessible Seating and Parking for Commencement
Click here to secure accessible seating and/or parking for Commencement. It is important to complete this form in advance so that the School can ensure appropriate accommodations. Any seats not occupied in the accessible seating section will be released for general seating at 6:45 p.m.
Guests who will be using accessible parking should enter through Gate 1 on Claremont Lane and then will be directed to the appropriate parking location.
In the event of rain, accessible parking will be available in the Lower School parking lot through Gate 4 on Westheimer.
Click here to secure accessible seating and/or parking for Commencement. It is important to complete this form in advance so that the School can ensure appropriate accommodations. Any seats not occupied in the accessible seating section will be released for general seating at 6:45 p.m.
Guests who will be using accessible parking should enter through Gate 1 on Claremont Lane and then will be directed to the appropriate parking location.
In the event of rain, accessible parking will be available in the Lower School parking lot through Gate 4 on Westheimer.
Inclement Weather
If there is inclement weather, Commencement will be held in the gym. Chairs will be set up in addition to use of the bleachers. There will be additional seating in the Lowe Theater of the VST where the livestream of the event will be shown. More detailed information about inclement weather plans will be communicated closer to the date of Commencement if in fact the weather forecast is not favorable.
Livestreaming & Photography
Link to access the livestream of both events: https://www.youtube.
This link will be available in the Quicklinks on the front page of the website. Please note that the livestream filming itself will begin approximately 15 minutes before either ceremony begins.
Photography will be handled by Marc Nathan Photography.
2025 Commencement Speaker: Dr. Renu Khator
Renu Khator has been serving as chancellor of the University of Houston System and president of its flagship University of Houston campus since January of 2008. She broke boundaries and glass ceilings with these appointments, as she became the first female chancellor in the state of Texas and the first Indian immigrant to lead a comprehensive research university in the U.S.
During her first decade of leadership, Renu Khator guided the remarkable transformation of the University of Houston into a top-tier institution that has become nationally recognized for its unique blend of academic accomplishment, research innovation, athletic achievement, and dedication to the success of a significantly diverse, determined student body.
She has been named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has served on numerous boards, including Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, TIAA-CREF, NCAA, American Council on Education, Association of American Colleges and Universities, and the Greater Houston Partnership. Additionally, she has been an advisor and on committees and councils for several Indian prime ministers. Her alma mater has bestowed an honorary doctorate degree upon her, as has Swansea University. She has been named a Global Education and Institutional Leadership Honoree by the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, a Houston Business Journal Women Who Mean Business Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Houstonian of the year and inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. In 2014, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee presented her with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, the highest distinction bestowed upon a non-resident Indian.
Born in India, Khator came to the United States and earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from Purdue University. Prior to her appointment at UH, she was provost and senior vice president at the University of South Florida. Click here to read her full bio.
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