Graduate Celebrating with DVM balloons
Graduate Celebrating with DVM balloons

RUSVM COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

EXPERIENCE THE EXCITEMENT OF COMMENCEMENT

Celebrate your academic success

RUSVM’s Commencement Ceremony is an affirmation of your past dedication and bright future as a veterinary professional who will help change the world, one animal at a time. It is a momentous occasion—one that deserves to be shared with friends and family. At the Ross Vet Commencement Ceremony, held annually in May, RUSVM administrators, faculty, and staff gather with your friends and family to recognize the current class of vet school graduates. Let’s get ready to celebrate your veterinary school journey!

SAVE THE DATE

Friday, May 19, 2023

We are thrilled to share that your upcoming graduation is scheduled to be an in-person ceremony on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 6:00 pm ET at the Watsco Center (located on the University of Miami campus), 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, Florida. 

REGALIA

All graduates are expected to wear regalia at the ceremony. Be sure to order caps, gowns, and all your graduation essentials.

Be sure to order caps, gowns, and all your graduation essentials.

CELEBRATION TOOLKIT

In honor of your special day, we’ve created some fun digital downloads to help celebrate your achievements and show your Rossie pride. Download celebratory signs, social media graphics, and invitations below:

Invitation

  Ross Vet Commencement 2023 Digital Invitation - PDF

  Ross Vet Commencement 2023 Digital Invitation - JPG

Social Assets

  Ross Vet Commencement 2023 Instagram Story

  Ross Vet Commencement 2023 Zoom Background

Yard Signs

  Ross Vet Commencement 2023 Yard Sign 1

  Ross Vet Commencement 2023 Yard Sign 2

  Ross Vet Commencement 2023 Yard Sign 3

GENERAL COMMENCEMENT FAQs

Where will the in-person ceremony be located?

RUSVM is excited to celebrate our graduates in person on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 6 p.m. ET at the Watsco Center (located on the University of Miami campus), 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, Florida.

Will guests be allowed at commencement?

 Yes! Friends and family are welcome at the ceremony. At the time at which we share registration, there is no limit on the number of guests, however you will be asked to provide a number of guests, for security and planning purposes. 

Please note that the event will also be livestreamed on the RUSVM Facebook and YouTube pages in real-time so family and friends can watch from anywhere across the world if they are unable to attend in person.

Will you also offer a virtual option for graduates?

No, there will not be a virtual component for the 2023 ceremony. RUSVM is excited that we will be able to celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments together in person.

Do I need to participate in a ceremony to graduate?

No. If students choose not to take part in the ceremony and their university academic requirements are met, graduates will receive their diplomas in the mail.

If I don’t want to participate in the ceremony, do I need to apply to confer my degree?

Yes. You must complete a graduation application regardless of ceremony participation so that your degree is officially conferred. The graduation application can be found on the home page of the My Ross Vet Portal under ‘Quick Links’ and ‘Submit Your Application for Graduation.’ For information on degree conferral, special graduation dates, etc. Visit  https://veterinary.rossu.edu/alumni/graduation/graduation-information.

Specific questions can also be sent to Registrar@rossu.edu.

How do I get my honor cords?

RUSVM will provide honor cords to qualified honor students at check-in on the day of the ceremony.  Your honor status, if applicable, will be printed on your DVM diploma. It is important to note the pre-clinical cumulative GPA through 7th semester is used to determine your honor status and ranking – clinical grades are not factored in. For more information visit https://veterinary.rossu.edu/alumni/graduation/graduation-information.

How will I receive my diploma?

If your university academic requirements are met, you will receive your diploma in the mail. Diplomas are mailed to the student's diploma mailing address from their graduation application, which can be viewed and updated in the My Ross Vet student portal.

What if I have a question about graduation announcements?

Please email hjcollegefl@aol.com and a Herff Jones representative will respond directly.

How long do you anticipate the ceremony running?

We anticipate a program time of around 3 ½ hours.  

Is there a limit to the number of guests I can bring?

There is currently not a limit to the number of guests a graduate can bring to commencement. However, the events team asks each graduate kindly provides the most accurate headcount possible for guests when you register to participate in the in-person ceremony. This will allow the events team to plan accordingly for capacity and security purposes.  

How do I order a diploma frame with an international shipping address?

If a student has an international shipping/billing address, and they want to order the diploma frame, they will need to order the cap and gown by itself and then go to framingsuccess.com to order the diploma frame.

DAY-OF COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY FAQs

Are face coverings/masks required for students, staff, and guests at the ceremony?

No. Face coverings/masks are not required at the ceremony. Should circumstances change, we will communicate updated recommendations.

How do I access my guest tickets?

Physical tickets will not be required, however, we kindly ask that you stay as close to your projected guest count as possible since accommodations were made with those RSVP counts and details.

Why doesn’t my name appear in the commencement program?

The entire list of eligible graduates for 2023 will be added to the commencement program and we do our best to ensure that the lists are correct. Should you notice a discrepancy, our team can send a revised digital copy post-ceremony if you email RUSVMGraduation@rossu.edu. Please note that if there is an error, your name will still be announced in person.

I’m a 2023 graduate and haven’t received any emails about commencement. What are my next steps?

RUSVM has started sending out ceremony registration emails. If you have not yet received emails, we ask that you first check your junk folders in your student email address. You can contact rusvmgraduation@rossu.edu for additional information if you are unable to locate the commencement email communications.  

Will the ceremony be photographed and/or videoed?

Yes! By entering the 2023 Commencement event for Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur.

Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising.

By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media.

You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.

What time should graduates arrive for check-in for the 2023 ceremony?

 

Graduates should begin to arrive for check-in and line-up two hours prior to the start of the ceremony. 

For Ross Vet, that will be 4:00PM ET.

When will guests of the graduates be permitted to enter the Watsco Center for the ceremony?

Guests of the graduates will be permitted to enter the Watsco Center an hour and a half prior to the start of the ceremony. This is a half hour after graduates begin checking-in, so please plan accordingly.

PRIOR TO YOUR CEREMONY FAQs

Do I need to register to participate in commencement?

Yes. It is required to register to participate in RUSVM’s in-person commencement ceremony. A link will be made available to you via email. The email sender with be NameCoach, NOT Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.

Please note that registration for commencement will close at midnight eastern standard time on Sunday, April 23, 2023. 

How can I purchase a cap and gown?

After April 17, 2023 all online orders have been closed. In order to purchase a cap and gown, please reach out to Debbie McInerney at hjcollegefl@aol.com for further information about ordering your regalia, and arrange for pickup at the ceremony. The charge for regalia will be $108 USD – only credit and debit will be accepted (no American Express). Please plan to arrive when doors open should you need to collect your regalia onsite.

Is there a hotel room block for RUSVM graduates?

Our commencement planning team is working on securing hotel blocks. Please check back late for more information. 

Is there a dress code and are graduates required to wear regalia?

There is not a specific dress code for graduates; however, all graduates are REQUIRED to wear the designated academic regalia to participate in the ceremony-- a doctoral tam (or graduation cap if you are in a Masters program), gown, hood, and tassel.

Do you have any hotel recommendations?

We have discounted rates at various Miami hotels, you may click HERE. We also recommend the Hyatt Regency Miami due to its proximity to the airport, Miami Beach and Downtown Miami, click HERE.

OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
P.O. Box 334 
Basseterre, St. Kitts
West Indies
Phone: 855-767-7838
rusvmalumni@rossu.edu