2019 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 9:00 a.m.
Dean E. Smith Center

Letter from the Dean

Dear Graduates:

Dean Steve MatsonThrough your years of hard work, your creativity and your determination, you've achieved something truly remarkable: the completion of your graduate studies. Congratulations! The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony is focused on recognizing your accomplishment. We hope you will take part in this ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, May 11, 2019 at the Dean E. Smith Center. We welcome family members, friends and anyone else you would like to invite.

Each doctoral graduate student who participates in the ceremony will be called to the stage to have the hood of the commencement regalia conferred by their adviser or other departmental faculty member.

Please review the rest of our site for answers to frequently asked questions and other important information you'll need to know about participating in the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony. Graduate students are also encouraged to attend the University-wide Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 12, 2019.

Please accept my sincere thanks for what you've given your University — through your teaching, research and service — while pursuing your own ambitious academic goals. You've enriched Carolina during your years here, and I wish you abundant success in your careers.

Steve Matson, Ph.D.
Dean of The Graduate School
Professor of Biology

Hooding Ceremony Speaker: Dr. Ramesh Raskar

Dr. Ramesh Raskar

Dr. Ramesh Raskar received his doctoral degree in computer science from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2002. He then conducted research at Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab, where he invented new forms of augmented reality using projectors and spawned work in the new field of computational photography. He joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008. Dr. Raskar founded and now directs the Camera Culture research group at the MIT Media Lab, where he is an associate professor within the Media Arts and Sciences graduate program.

Among his research team’s inventions is a form of photography, called Femto Photography, which is able to see around corners and beyond the line of sight based on an ultrafast camera and laser. The camera captures the light that bounces around the corner at the equivalent of approximately 1 trillion frames per second. An algorithm then processes the data to produce the 3D reconstruction of the hidden scene. Potential applications include medical imaging, autonomous vehicle navigation, and fire and rescue operations.

Dr. Raskar also co-invented a technology that facilitates portable eye testing. At first, the innovation, which calculated a personalized eyeglass prescription for each user, snapped onto a pair of binoculars. Since then, the technology has further advanced and can be snapped onto a mobile phone. This is now a venture-backed company, called EyeNetra. Related portable technology (eyeSelfie) can now diagnose glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

Numerous national and international organizations have honored Dr. Raskar for co-creating innovations with global impact. In 2016, he received the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize, recognizing inventors whose ideas have significant value to society. The prize was used to launch REDX.io, a platform for young inventors to co-innovate and work toward solving global challenges. In 2017, he received the ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics Achievement Award, one of the world’s highest honors in computer graphics.

Student Instructions

All May 2019 doctoral candidates, as well as 2018 August and December graduates, will receive an electronic invitation on March 1, 2019 to the Hooding Ceremony sent to their UNC email address (and/or personal email address) on record. August and December graduates should make sure to have an updated personal email address listed with the University Registrar through ConnectCarolina or records@unc.edu.

Please check all of your inboxes and folders in case the invitation is inadvertently directed to junk/spam folders. If you can attend, please RSVP through the event registration system by March 31, 2019 with the name and email address of your hooding faculty (see instructions below).

If you have not received the invitation by the end of the week of March 1, 2019, please contact Hoi Ning Ngai, Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

If you do not successfully complete all of your degree requirements to have your degree conferred at the ceremony, you will not be allowed to participate. No exceptions will be made.

Hooding Faculty Selection

Each doctoral graduate student will have the hood of the commencement regalia conferred by their adviser or other departmental faculty member. Please inquire as early as possible with your adviser whether they will attend the ceremony with you. If you have two faculty advisers, both of them can attend and hood you jointly.

If your faculty adviser is unavailable to attend the ceremony and confer your hood, you can request that another faculty member (preferably from your dissertation committee), your director of graduate studies, or your department chair confer your hood instead. The faculty member who confers your hood must be listed with The Graduate School as regular or fixed-term faculty.

If none of your faculty are available to confer your hood, the Provost and the Royster professor will confer your hood.

Please make sure that you and your hooding faculty have each other's mobile numbers so that you can coordinate where to meet the morning of the ceremony. Given the heavy crowds as well as noise and visibility issues, a meeting location away from or even outside the entrance and check-in areas will minimize confusion and stress.

Day-of-Ceremony Instructions

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Graduating students who have borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan while attending Carolina must complete the Stafford Loan Exit Interview. Students should go to mappingyourfuture.org to complete an online Stafford Loan Exit Counseling session. The Office of Scholarships and Student Aid will be notified automatically once you complete the online session. Please save the confirmation page for your records.

Graduating students who have borrowed a Federal Perkins or Health Professions Loan or any long-term University Loan must complete Exit Counseling by accessing the ECSI website. Students may contact the Office of Student Accounts and University Receivables at loans@unc.edu with any questions.

Regalia Purchase

Student regalia will be available to purchase through the UNC Student Stores— online or in-store. Please make sure to indicate whether you are a PhD, EdD, DNP, or DPH student so that you can request the proper hood for purchase.
Information and deadlines for regalia sales.

If you wish to purchase basic black keepsake robes, you can do so online through April 25 or in store through Graduation Day. These robes are meant to be a cost-effective and eco-friendly option for graduating students. This option takes 2 weeks and costs less than $100. Online orders are delivered in 2 weeks and in-store purchases are available immediately.

If you wish to purchase more elaborate custom regalia, contact the graduation department at graduation@store.unc.edu or stop by the graduation department at UNC Student Stores for more information. This option takes 4-6 weeks and ranges between $800 and $1300. Custom regalia is available in traditional black or Carolina Blue.

NOTE: Due to significantly higher order volume, our regalia vendor Oak Hall will *not* be able to guarantee custom regalia delivery by this year’s ceremony. To ensure that all students will have robes given this unfortunate situation, Oak Hall will provide *free* basic regalia rental to all students whose custom regalia will not be delivered in time. If you have any questions about your existing or future order, do not hesitate to email graduation@store.unc.edu.

Commencement announcements can be purchased through Herff Jones.

Photography

Hooding Ceremony photographerProfessional photographers from GradImages™ will be at the ceremony to photograph each student as they receive their commencement hood. Free proofs will be sent to you and online viewing will be available at gradimages.com. There are no fees for reviewing the proofs and there is no obligation to purchase photographs.

Every student who RSVPs through the event registration system will receive outreach from GradImages™ in advance of the ceremony. Please check all of your inboxes and folders in case the outreach is inadvertently directed to junk/spam folders.

Diplomas

Effective Spring 2019, diplomas will no longer be available for pick-up from the Registrar’s Office.

If your department has a separate ceremony, check with your department to determine whether or not they intend to distribute diplomas at their ceremony. Diploma frames can be purchased at the UNC Student Stores.

Faculty Instructions

Students and advisors at Hooding Ceremony

Faculty regalia can be rented online through the UNC Student Stores or purchased at 1-800-223-0429 by the first week of April.
Information and deadlines for regalia rentals.

For additional questions, contact the graduation department at graduation@store.unc.edu.

Reserved parking for faculty and deans will be in the top tier of the Manning Lot.

Reserved parking for members of the platform party will be in the Smith Center Lot, behind the Koury Natatorium and the Smith Center.

Hooding Faculty

Hooding faculty should arrive at the Smith Center (Entrance D) to meet their students between 7:30 and 8:15 a.m. You do not need to check in.

Please make sure that you and your students have each other's mobile numbers so that you can coordinate where to meet the morning of the ceremony. Given the heavy crowds as well as noise and visibility issues, a meeting location away from or even outside the entrance and check-in areas will minimize confusion and stress.

Your student(s) will receive a name card at check-in which will later be scanned by a staff member prior to them going on stage. Please help us make sure that your student(s) does not lose that card over the course of the morning's activities.

As soon as your student checks in and connects with you, please proceed immediately to the first floor (lower level) for the processional line-up. The stairwell and elevator leading to the first floor are located immediately to the left of Entrance D (when facing the doors). Please follow staff instructions to proceed downstairs. Any congregation by Entrance D impedes the check-in process for others.

At the end of the ceremony after the platform party recesses, students and faculty will be free to exit the floor and connect with family and friends. There is no recessional for students and hooding faculty.

Due to the timing of afternoon events in the Smith Center, staff will direct everyone off the floor and into the stands as soon as the ceremony is done.

Accessibility Services, Seating and Parking

Services for students, faculty, and guests with disabilities or medical conditions are available.

Accessible parking for guests is available in the Williamson Lot across the street from the Smith Center by presenting a disability permit/placard or license plate. The lot will be clearly marked with the appropriate signage. Golf carts will pick up guests needing assistance from the lot and drop them at Gate A.

Accessible seating is located all along the concourse level in the Smith Center. No ticket is required for seating. If you require other accommodations (interpreter services, more specialized seating, etc.) or if you do not have a disability permit/placard or license plate, please contact contact Commencement Accessibility Services at access@unc.edu.

Students and faculty who have accessibility needs should contact Accessibility Resources and Service at ars@unc.edu who will work with staff from The Graduate School and University Events accordingly to navigate ceremony details.

Parking Information

Students do not have designated parking, so all applicable lots for guests (see below) can be used by students.

Reserved parking for faculty and deans will be in the top tier of the Manning Lot.

Reserved parking for members of the platform party will be in the Smith Center Lot, behind the Koury Natatorium and the Smith Center.

Parking for guests will be available in most lots surrounding the Smith Center (map of these parking lots). They include: the Manning Lot (on Bowles Drive between the Smith Center and Family Practice), the Bowles Lot (on Bowles Drive behind Craige Dorm), and the Business School Deck.

Accessible parking is available in the Williamson Lot across the street from the Smith Center by presenting a disability permit/placard or license plate. Guests needing parking accommodations for the elderly and not having a disability permit, plate, or placard should contact Campus Accessibility Services at access@unc.edu.

Guest Information

Family at Hooding CeremonyAll guests are welcome to attend the ceremony. No tickets are necessary and there is no restriction on the number of guests invited per each graduate.

Guests should arrive between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. and enter the Smith Center at Entrance A where programs will be available. Please do not bring gifts into the Smith Center.

No refreshments will be available at the ceremony. Please bring water and stay hydrated, especially if it is hot outside that morning.

International Guests

Students and scholars who want to invite family members to visit the U.S. as tourists may use the information below to assist those family members in applying for a visa.

  1. Visit this document to learn how you can invite family members to the US for your commencement ceremony.
  2. Request a graduation application confirmation letter from the Registrar’s office. Please email registrar@unc.edu requesting for a letter of confirmation for graduation for your family’s visa.

Local Visitors Bureaus

The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau web sites provide information on local lodging, restaurants, scheduled events, shopping, tours, and area resources.

Venue

Dean E. Smith Center Entry Policy

All guests and their belongings are subject to screening by entry personnel. The following items will not be permitted in the Smith Center:

Water is permitted as no refreshments will be available at the ceremony.

Directions to the Dean E. Smith Center

Address: 300 Skipper Bowles Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514

From Virginia and points north

Take I-85 South to Durham. Exit left at US 15-501 in Durham and follow 15-501 approximately nine miles to Chapel Hill. Once in Chapel Hill, maintain US 15-501 Bypass (Fordham Boulevard). At around the seventh stoplight, turn right onto Manning Drive. The Smith Center is half a mile on the left on Skipper Bowles Drive.

From points west

Take I-85 North towards Durham. Exit just past Burlington onto NC 54 East (Exit #148, Chapel Hill Exit). Follow NC 54 for approximately 20 miles to Carrboro. Pass Carrboro Plaza on the right and stay on NC 54 for about four miles to the next stoplight, Manning Drive. Turn left on Manning Drive. The Smith Center is half a mile on the left on Skipper Bowles Drive.

From points east

Take I-40 West toward Chapel Hill. Exit at NC 54 West (Exit #273 A) and follow for approximately four miles. Once in Chapel Hill, continue to follow signs for NC 54 West, which means you will have to exit right under the first overpass. At the top of the exit turn right at the light. Follow NC 54 West/15-501 South until the second stoplight. Turn right onto Manning Drive. The Smith Center is half a mile on the left on Skipper Bowles Drive.

From points south

Take US 15-50 North toward Chapel Hill. Exit right onto US 15-501 Bypass in Chapel Hill. Turn left at first stoplight onto Manning Drive. The Smith Center is half a mile on the left on Skipper Bowles Drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What time do graduates need to be there?

    The Graduate School Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be held in the Smith Center. The processional will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. Students and their faculty advisers should arrive starting at 7:30 a.m. and no later than 8:15 a.m. in full regalia. Students will need to pick up and hold on to their name cards, which will be scanned before they cross the stage, so that their names show up on the screen(s) overhead.

  2. Are tickets required for guests?

    No tickets are necessary and there is no restriction on the number of guests invited per graduate.

  3. When should guests arrive?

    Guests should arrive between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and enter the Smith Center at Entrance A where programs will be available. Please do not bring gifts into the Smith Center.

  4. How long does the ceremony usually last?

    The ceremony will be over no later than noon.

  5. Will the names of graduates be announced?

    Yes. Each doctoral graduate student who participates in the ceremony will be called to the stage to have the hood of the commencement regalia conferred by their adviser or other departmental faculty member.

  6. Who can hood graduates?

    Students should be hooded by their faculty adviser(s). If their faculty adviser(s) are unavailable, they can be hooded by another member of their committee and/or their program/department, such as their director of graduate studies or department chair. Students without available faculty will be hooded by the Provost and the Royster professor. Students cannot be hooded by a non-faculty member, such as family, friends, or colleagues.

  7. Can students be hooded during this ceremony but not officially graduate until later this year?

    No. Only candidates who have met all degree requirements for this ceremony (and August and December graduates from the previous calendar year) will be hooded at this ceremony. If you officially graduate in a future semester, you will be invited to the following year's ceremony.

  8. Where do students, faculty, and guests park?

    UNC Visitor Parking Information and Maps

    Students do not have designated parking, so all applicable lots for guests (see below) can be used by students.

    Reserved parking for faculty and deans will be in the top tier of the Manning Lot.

    Reserved parking for members of the platform party will be in the Smith Center Lot, behind the Koury Natatorium and the Smith Center.

    Parking for guests will be available in most lots surrounding the Smith Center (map of these parking lots). They include: the Manning Lot (on Bowles Drive between the Smith Center and Family Practice), the Bowles Lot (on Bowles Drive behind Craige Dorm), and the Business School Deck.

    Accessible parking is available in the Williamson Lot across the street from the Smith Center by presenting a disability permit/placard or license plate.

  9. Is there handicapped parking?

    Accessible parking is available in the Williamson Lot across the street from the Smith Center by presenting a disability permit/placard or license plate. Guests needing parking accommodations for the elderly and not having a disability permit, plate, or placard should contact Commencement Accessibility Services at access@unc.edu.

  10. How do students find out if and when departments are having ceremonies?

    Please visit the School and Departmental Ceremonies and Receptions on the UNC main website.

  11. Is there housing on campus for commencement weekend?

    Audience at hooding ceremonyNo. Housing is not available on campus for parents and guests. A list of hotels in the area is available on the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau websites.

  12. Where are diplomas picked up?

    Effective Spring 2019, diplomas will no longer be available for pick-up from the Registrar’s Office. At the end of June, diplomas will be mailed to the student’s home address as listed in ConnectCarolina. If your department has a separate ceremony, check with your department to determine whether or not they intend to distribute diplomas at their ceremony. Diploma frames can be purchased at the UNC Student Stores.

Livestream

The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be broadcast live on May 11 at 9 a.m.

Additional Resources

Two students waving to family at hooding ceremony