Graduation & Commencement
Fall 2025 Starkville Campus Commencement Information
(Educational Specialists, Masters, & Bachelors)
You can also download the Mississippi State University TV app (MSTV) in the Apple and Google Play App Stores, or watch the ceremonies on our official Mississippi State University Facebook page (@msstate).
Ceremony Schedule
Mississippi State University holds multiple main campus commencement ceremonies at the end of the fall and spring semesters in the Humphrey Coliseum. We do not hold ceremonies immediately following the summer semesters. Students who graduate at the end of the summer semester are invited to attend the December ceremonies.
FRIDAY, December 12, 2025
Humphrey Coliseum
9:30 a.m. (Doors open at 8 am)
Academic Affairs
College of Architecture, Art & Design
College of Arts & Sciences
College of Education
College of Integrative Studies
College of Professional & Continuing Studies
2:30 p.m. (Doors open at 1 pm) {updated}
Bagley College of Engineering
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
College of Business
College of Forest Resources
College of Veterinary Medicine
Important Ceremony Details
- Graduates are encouraged to begin arriving when doors open but must arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to their ceremony start time in business casual attire with their regalia unzipped and caps off for security screening.
- Graduates will need to bring their MSU ID card for check-in. A driver's license or government ID is acceptable if your MSU ID is not available.
- Security screening will take place upon entry and all bags are subject to search. Cowbells and other artificial noisemakers are not permitted inside of the coliseum.
- Please DO NOT bring personal items into the coliseum. There will not be any storage areas available and anything left in seats will be thrown away.
- Guest attendance is limited to 8 guests per graduate and all guests must have tickets to enter. Ticket information can be found in the section below.
- Guest seating will be general admission. Please refrain from sitting behind the stage if seating is available elsewhere in the Coliseum.
- A graduate processional to the arena floor will start the ceremony and graduates will be seated with their respective academic college and degree level. Graduates will walk across the stage as they are announced and congratulated.
- Only graduates may access the arena floor and cross the stage during the ceremony. Children and other guests are not permitted in the graduate seating/check-in areas nor on the stage.
- Once graduates are recognized by walking across the stage, they will not return to their seats. Instead, they will be guided to the photography area to take a professional photo before exiting the coliseum through the NE rear ground-level of the building close to the SE entrance to Dudy Noble Field.
- Guests are expected to begin leaving the coliseum once their graduate exits the stage. Please do this quietly with respect to other graduates and guests.
- Each ceremony is expected to last between 1.5-2 hours total.
- Limited concessions will be available and guests are welcome to bring their own water bottles.
- Please plan to remove all vehicles from the parking areas following the morning ceremonies to make space for guests attending the afternoon ceremonies.
- Any guests who are unable to attend may view a livestream of the ceremonies online (links can be found above/below).
- All adornments (cords, stoles, pins, etc.) that are worn with graduation regalia come from the individual organizations that the graduates may be involved with.
Graduates can reach out to the MSU-affiliated groups that they are part of to see if they offer any graduation adornments. These items must be approved by the Office of the Registrar in order to distribute them to graduates. MSU-affiliated organizations may contact graduation@registrar.msstate.edu for information regarding graduation adornment approvals.
**GRADUATES MUST APPLY FOR THEIR DEGREE THROUGH BANNER IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMENCEMENT AND RECEIVE THEIR DIPLOMA. IF A STUDENT DOES NOT GRADUATE DURING THE SEMESTER THEY APPLIED, THEY MUST REAPPLY DURING THE SEMESTER THAT ALL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS ARE MET. MSU ACCOUNT BALANCES MUST BE PAID IN FULL PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY. THE DEADLINES TO APPLY CAN BE FOUND ON OUR ACADEMIC CALENDAR HERE. (Diplomas are mailed 4-6 weeks after the ceremonies)**
(Please note that all plans are subject to change.)
Parking & Coliseum Entry
Please check back soon for maps and information regarding parking & entry for the fall 2025 commencement ceremonies in Humphrey Coliseum.
Guest Accommodations
Reserved parking will be available for any guests with an ADA tag or placard on their vehicle (parking map above). Carts will be running through these reserved lots to assist guests from their vehicles to the coliseum sidewalk.
Once inside the coliseum, there will be reserved sections for any guests needing to avoid the stairs. These areas are wheelchair accessible and can be found just inside the arena portal entrances around the coliseum concourse. Staff will be available throughout the coliseum to assist guests as needed.
There is no need to make reservations, but we do recommend arriving close to when the doors open to ensure you may sit in your preferred section. Please remember that guest seating is general admission, but we should have plenty of room for everyone in attendance.
Service and Assistance Animals
MSU will fully comply with applicable laws governing service and assistance animals. It is important to understand the distinction between the two types of animals.
Service animals are trained to perform a specific action to help a person with a disability. A service animal must be a dog or, under certain circumstances, a miniature horse and is permitted to accompany their handler in any area where the handler is permitted to be.
Assistance animals, including Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are not trained to perform disability-related tasks, but instead provide comfort or other assistance solely by their presence. Assistance animals are generally not permitted inside university buildings other than on-campus residences.
Additional information relating to service and assistance animals can be found HERE.
Starkville Guest Ticket Information
The guest ticketing system is now active and each graduate may claim up to 8 tickets for their guests. Graduates may access their tickets until the day of the ceremonies, but please do so sooner to ensure there are no issues. There is no cost for tickets.
All guests must have a ticket to enter the coliseum. Tickets are specific to each ceremony, so please be sure your tickets are for the correct ceremony (day and time).
Please be sure that you are using your MSU student email address containing your Net ID# when accessing your Student DogTag account below. Personal email addresses WILL NOT allow you to access your tickets.
Please note that the tickets are digital and must be downloaded to a digital wallet on a personal device. Once a graduate has claimed their tickets online, they must transfer them to their guests using the instructions below. Guests will be able to easily create an account to accept the ticket transfer and download them to their personal device.
TICKET INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALREADY ACTIVATED STUDENT ACCOUNTS
If you have purchased football season tickets during your time at MSU, you have previously activated your Student DogTag account so please follow the instructions below:
Steps:
- In the Student Login box, enter your net ID email address and the password you created upon activation. (If you have forgotten your password, click “Sign in with Code” and sign in with the 6-digit code sent to your email. - **NOTE: This login is for your student DogTag account, which is separate from your Hail State Rewards account**.
- Under the header “Graduation Ceremony,” click Buy Tickets.
- Enter the quantity, up to 8, then click Add to Cart
- Verify the number of tickets you are getting and click Checkout.
- On the Payment Screen it will have a $0 balance.
- Click “Place Your Order” (you should then be taken to a confirmation screen).
- Tickets will be found under “My Upcoming Events.”
- Select the “Transfer” tab, then select which tickets you would like to transfer.
- On the next page, enter the phone number or email address of the person you would like to transfer tickets to.
- Review the transfer and once ready, select Transfer Tickets at the bottom of the screen.
- For accepting a ticket transfer, please visit the Mobile Ticket Guide: https://hailstate.com/feature/digital-ticketing
TICKET INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW OR NON-ACTIVATED ACCOUNTS
If this is your first time using the athletics website, follow the steps below to activate your student DogTag account prior to claiming tickets:
Steps:
- On the student sign in page, enter your net ID email address. Select sign in and it will prompt you to sign in with a 6-digit code sent to that email.
- On the next page, you should be able to select the student account associated with your net ID.
- Follow steps 2 through 11 above.
PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE TICKET SITE!
If you have any issues claiming your tickets, please contact the Ticket Office at (662) 325-2600.
Regalia Orders (Cap & Gown)
If you are planning to participate in the fall 2025 commencement ceremonies and have not yet ordered your regalia, you must visit Barnes & Noble at MSU starting Wednesday, December 10, 2025, to request a late order. A $20 late fee will be added for any orders placed at this time. Meridian graduates may contact the Bulldog Shop for additional information regarding commencement regalia.
Additional information about regalia and ordering can be found here: gradsupply.com/MSU
- All graduates may keep their entire regalia package!
To view our custom MSU regalia, please click HERE.
Latin Honors Cords are available for eligible undergraduate students who meet the GPA and hours requirements found in the MSU Academic Catalog. These cords are available for purchase at Barnes & Noble at MSU for $20.48 (pre-tax) during the Grad Fair and leading up to the ceremonies. Eligible graduates from the Meridian Campus may purchase their cords at the Bulldog Shop. A photo ID must be shown prior to purchase to confirm eligibility.
Faculty Regalia
MSU faculty members may order rental commencement regalia using this link: www.gradsupply.com/msu-faculty The deadline to order faculty regalia is Monday, November 24, 2025.
All faculty rental regalia may be returned at the Coliseum in the bins near the check-in area, or at Barnes & Noble at MSU following the ceremony.
Faculty interested in purchasing a keeper set of regalia may contact Graduate Supply House HERE.
MSU is proud to offer custom regalia to our graduates. All regalia must be purchased through the Graduate Supply House website, or through Barnes & Noble at MSU.
Commencement Photography
Professional photography, Pro Pics, will be available at the commencement ceremonies to take portraits of graduates. Photos of the graduates on-stage with the President, as well as individual portraits, will be available for purchase from Pro Pics following the ceremonies. There is no cost to have your photo taken and no obligation to purchase.
The MSU Alumni Association has also worked with Pro Pics to offer professional photography at the Bully Statue in The Junction on December 12th from 11am-1pm (weather permitting)! Check out an example photoshoot below for more information. There is no need to make an appointment and walk-ups are welcome! Additional information regarding commencement photography will be emailed to graduates and updated online here.
Questions about these opportunities can be emailed to: info@propicsusa.com
Spring 2025 GradCaps
Graduates can now re-live their ceremony and the moment they crossed the stage with GradCaps! These free clips are personalized for each graduate who attended the ceremonies and can be downloaded and shared online! To access your custom GradCap, click the link below and search for your clip using your last name.
Virtual Backgrounds
Did you miss out on taking graduation photos? You can use the following link to virtually place yourself on campus by uploading a photo and choosing from a selection of MSU backgrounds! There is no cost for this service and photos can easily be saved and shared. Just be sure to tag them on social media with #MSSTATEGRAD
Click here for virtual backgrounds
Fall 2025 Graduation Mosaic
Graduates may submit their personal photos using the link below to be included in the Class of Fall 2025 Graduation Mosaic! Your photo will be displayed in the mosaic on the jumbotron at commencement. All photos will be screened prior to use, so please be sure your photo is appropriate before submitting. Any tasteful photo of a graduate is welcome. The deadline to submit photos for the mosaic is Thursday, December 4, 2025.
Fall 2025 Graduate Name Pronunciation
Any Fall 2025 graduate with a unique name or spelling may record their name pronunciation to help our announcers better prepare for the ceremonies! This is not required for the ceremonies, and we only encourage graduates with unique names or spellings to submit their information using the link below. Please note that this does not guarantee correct pronunciation, and graduates will also be able to write a phonetic spelling of their name on their name card when they check-in at the ceremonies. The deadline to submit name pronunciations is Tuesday, November 25, 2025.
SUBMIT NAME PRONUNCIATIONS HERE
Fall 2025 Senior Celebration
The MSU Alumni Association welcomes all summer & fall 2025 graduates to the Senior Celebration on Monday, December 1, 2025, at 5:30pm at The Mill. Food, drink, activities, and a special gift from your MSU Alumni Association will be provided at the event (while supplies last). Additional information and RSVPs can be found at www.alumni.msstate.edu/senior-celebration
Graduation Products
Commencement Video Archive
Doctoral Graduation and Hooding Ceremony (Ph.D. & Ed.D.)
The fall 2025 Doctoral Graduation and Hooding Ceremony for Ph.D. and Ed.D. graduates will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in the Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall. This event is invitation-only, and is exclusive to Ph.D. and Ed.D. graduates and their guests. Please contact The Graduate School for information regarding this ceremony at (662) 325-7400.
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Commencement Ceremony
The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Commencement will be held Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 11:30am in the Humphrey Coliseum. A reception will take place prior to the ceremony. Please contact the Vet School for information regarding the DVM Ceremony at (662) 325-1078.
Meridian Campus Commencement Ceremonies
The Mississippi State University Meridian Campus (MSU-Meridian) commencement ceremonies are held at the MSU Riley Center in Meridian, MS. The ceremony times are as follows:
Fall 2025: Thursday, December 11, 2025 @ 11:00 a.m.
Spring 2026: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 @ 11:00 a.m.
For additional questions regarding the MSU-Meridian Commencement Ceremonies, please contact Zoe Null at znull@meridian.msstate.edu
Additional Contacts
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES, CONTACT:
Nathan Griffey
Commencement Coordinator
Office of the Registrar
Mississippi State University
(662) 325-4729
ngriffey@registrar.msstate.edu
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT GRADUATION & DEGREE AUDIT, CONTACT:
Office of the University Registrar
P.O. Box 5268
Mississippi State, MS 39762-5268
(662) 325-8204
Office Hours: M-F 8:00-5:00
graduation@registrar.msstate.edu