TAMU Law Spring Commencement
Frequently Asked Questions
General Inquiries
Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025
Location: Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts, 1110 W. Debbie Lane, Mansfield, TX 76063
Graduate arrival time: 11:00 AM
Doors open to guests: 12:00 PM
Event Start & End Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CST
Yes, all guests no matter what age require a ticket to enter the venue.
Graduating students will be able to randomly draw a bundle of tickets the week before and day of the ceremony. For more information about tickets, please see the Student Graduation Checklist.
Each graduating student gets seven (7) tickets for guests.
Each graduating student will be able to pick up tickets bundled together. Students will be able to randomly draw a ticket bundle the week before and day of the ceremony. For more information, please see the Student Graduation Checklist.
All graduates can randomly draw a ticket bundle from TAMU School of Law the week before commencement or at the Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts will-call booth on the day of the ceremony. Each ticket bundle will include seven (7) tickets with assigned seating. Every guest must have a ticket to enter the facility, no matter what age. The ticket bundle includes seating directly around each other.
Dates and locations to pick up tickets:
April 28 - May 2 at TAMU School of Law: 1515 Commerce St., Fort Worth, TX 76102
May 3 at Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts Will-Call: 1110 W. Debbie Lane, Mansfield, Texas 76063
Extra tickets that the graduate does not need can be returned to the law school or at Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts will-call booth on the day of the ceremony to be dispersed to those who would like additional tickets.
If picking up additional tickets, please be aware that the seating is assigned and guests may not be sitting all together.
As the length of the ceremony varies with the number of graduates, it is best to plan for up to three hours. Although visitors may leave the viewing area at any time, graduating students and their guests are requested to respect the other graduates by staying during the entire ceremony.
Graduates, family, and guests are typically dressed in business or business casual attire.
All graduates who walk the stage to receive their diploma must wear the appropriate commencement attire and are required to wear the TAMU regalia for the degree they will be awarded.
Yes. Items must be in a clutch smaller than 9" wide by 5" high or resealable gallon bag. All patrons will enter through a weapons screening device.
Click here for more information on the bag policy in the venue.
The Performing Arts Center’s policies prohibit weapons on the premises for events hosted at the venue. For more information, please see the Center’s Prohibited Items policy.
Free parking is available at the Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts. Event staff members will be driving golf carts throughout the parking lots to assist any graduates or guests with mobility issues arrive at the front doors. There will be nurses available to help any graduates or guests enter the facility.
Graduating Student Information
All students are required to apply for their degree in order to receive their diploma. The application rule and process may be found on the Student Graduation Checklist page of the graduation website.
Law students whose degrees were conferred in December 2024, law students expected to graduate in May 2025, and law students expected to graduate in August 2025.
Please note graduation ceremonies are held in College Station for December and August graduates. Thus, law students who participate in the May ceremony in Fort Worth may not also participate in a College Station ceremony for their graduation term. There is no graduation ceremony in College Station in May for law graduates, and thus May graduates should attend the spring Fort Worth ceremony if they would like to participate in a graduation ceremony.
Please review the Student Graduation Checklist.
All graduates who participate in the ceremony must wear the appropriate commencement attire and are required to wear the TAMU regalia for the degree they will be awarded.
To find information about ordering regalia, please see the Student Graduation Checklist.
There is no advance rehearsal unless you have requested a special accommodation or otherwise noted.
No, students will receive their diploma via mail after the ceremony if they submitted their graduation application on time, have met all degree requirements, and have cleared any financial obligations owed to the university. Students who complete these tasks can expect their diploma to ship approximately two to three weeks after they clear and their degree is awarded. Please see the Student Graduation Checklist for the anticipated timeline for degree clearance. An email with tracking information will be sent to the graduate’s TAMU email account once the diploma ships.
Your certificate may come separately from the diploma, and both will be mailed to the address you have saved on Howdy.
To receive the certificate, please be sure to apply for it by follow the steps on the Student Graduation Checklist.
Yes, degree candidates needing disability accommodations in order to participate should contact Allison Elsbernd via email (aelsbernd@law.tamu.edu) by March 24.
For additional information, please refer to the Disability Accommodations section of our website.
Yes, JD students expected to graduate with Latin Honors will be acknowledged at commencement by gold-colored honor cords. Honor cords will be distributed by the Office of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs during the last week of final exams. Eligible students will be contacted by email with instructions on picking up their honors cords.
Master of Legal Studies, Master of Jurisprudence, and Master of Laws are not eligible for Latin honors in accordance with Texas A&M University's standards.
Degree candidates should arrive at 11 AM before the ceremony begins. Check-in will take place at the north entry of Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts. Those that have not checked in thirty minutes prior to the start of the ceremony will be marked as absent and not announced in the ceremony.
Graduates should enter through the north entrance. Front doors will open at 12 PM for guests to enter the facility and find their seats. Click on the image to zoom in. 
Graduating students are requested to respect their fellow graduates by staying for the duration of the ceremony.
As a graduate, give all personal items to guests or leave them in the car. There will not be a space to put personal items to pick up after the ceremony.
Flash Photography is the official commencement photographer. When graduates check in for commencement, they will be given a card that has their name and pronunciation on one side, and space to submit contact information for Flash Photography. Flash Photography will get the cards after the ceremony and reach out to those who filled out the contact information side to review proofs and order the photos. If you have any questions, please contact the photographer directly via their website at www.FlashPhotography.com.
All graduates can randomly draw a ticket bundle from TAMU School of Law the week before commencement or at the Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts will-call booth on the day of the ceremony. Each ticket bundle will include seven (7) tickets with assigned seating. Every guest must have a ticket to enter the facility, no matter what age. The ticket bundle includes seating directly around each other.
Dates and locations to pick up tickets:
April 28 - May 2 at TAMU School of Law: 1515 Commerce St., Fort Worth, TX 76102
May 3 at Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts Will-Call: 1110 W. Debbie Lane, Mansfield, Texas 76063
Extra tickets that the graduate does not need can be returned to the law school or at Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts will-call booth on the day of the ceremony to be dispersed to those who would like additional tickets.
If picking up additional tickets, please be aware that the seating is assigned and guests may not be sitting all together.
Guest Information
Yes, all guests, regardless of age, require a ticket to enter the venue. Seating is assigned and will be notated on the ticket.
Each graduating student will be able to pick up seven (7) tickets bundled together. Students will be able to randomly draw a ticket bundle the week before and day of the ceremony. For more information, please see the Student Graduation Checklist.
Graduates, family, and guests are typically dressed in business or business casual attire. Graduates are required to wear regalia in order to participate in the ceremony.
The front doors to Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts will be opened for guests one hour before the start of the ceremony.
Guests will enter through the doors on the south side of the building. You can click the image to zoom in.
Yes. Items must be in a clutch smaller than 9" wide by 5" high or resealable gallon bag. All patrons will enter through a weapons screening device.
Click here for more information on the bag policy in the venue.
The Performing Arts Center’s policies prohibit weapons on the premises for events hosted at the venue. For more information, please see the Center’s Prohibited Items policy.
Guests and graduates cannot bring bags larger than 9" wide and 5" tall, outside food and beverages, alcohol or tobacco products, noisemakers/air horns, pets, tripods, or monopods. Guests are not allowed to bring flowers, signs, or balloons into the auditorium.
Click here for more information on permitted items in the venue.
Items must be in a clutch smaller than 9" wide by 5" high or resealable gallon bag. All patrons will enter through a weapons screening device.
The Performing Arts Center’s policies prohibit weapons on the premises for events hosted at the venue. For more information, please see the Center’s Prohibited Items policy.
Guests needing disability accommodations in order to participate should have their graduating student contact Allison Elsbernd via email (aelsbernd@law.tamu.edu) by March 24.
For additional information, please refer to the Disability Accommodations section of our website.
Yes, commercial photographers will take pictures of all degree candidates as they cross the stage as well as individual photos.
Flash Photography is the official commencement photographer. When graduates check in for commencement, they will be given a card that has their name and pronunciation on one side, and space to submit contact information for Flash Photography. Flash Photography will get the cards after the ceremony and reach out to those who filled out the contact information side to review proofs and order the photos. If you have any questions, please contact the photographer directly via their website at www.FlashPhotography.com.
There will be a live stream on the Commencement webpage for family and friends to view if unable to attend the ceremony.