The campus-wide commencement ceremony represents the culmination of a student's academic achievement at the University of Maryland. Unlike the individual ceremonies, it is an opportunity for the president to congratulate the graduates as a group. The graduating class is addressed by not only a commencement speaker selected by a committee of graduating students, but also a member of the graduating class who delivers a message of inspiration and well wishes.

Although graduates do not walk across the stage in the campus-wide ceremony, it is in this ceremony that the degrees are officially conferred. Moreover, as a group, the graduates turn their tassels from the right to the left, symbolizing the transition from student to alumnus.

The university encourages graduates, their family and friends to attend this approximately 90-minute morning event as the beginning of the two-day commencement celebration.

Due to the volume of graduates, every graduate will receive up to six tickets for the campus-wide ceremony. Graduates may pick up their tickets at the Customer Service Counter on the first floor of the Mitchell Building beginning on Monday, April 25, 2011.