Guest Information | August Commencement
August Commencement takes place on the East Lawn outside Marsh Hall on Pacific University’s Forest Grove Campus. The 2025 August Commencement Ceremony is Saturday, Aug. 9. Guests are invited to begin arriving at 8 a.m., and the ceremony begins at 9 a.m.
Tickets
Tickets are free but required for all Commencement guests. Graduates who have signed up to walk at Commencement do not need a ticket.
Getting Here
The ceremony location is in the middle of the Forest Grove Campus. Find directions to campus, and navigate campus with this interactive campus map.
All Pacific University parking lots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No parking permits are needed for campus lots during Commencement. Please be courteous when parking on the neighborhood streets around campus and follow all posted city parking regulations.
Follow signage to walk to the ceremony location on the Marsh Hall East Lawn. Golf-cart shuttles will also circulate the campus to transport people to the ceremony site.
Seating
Graduating students and participating faculty members will be seated in designated areas during the Commencement ceremony.
All guest seating is first-come, first-served for ticketed guest. The ceremony takes place in a lawn area under the oak trees, and seating is in folding chairs. Guests also are welcome to stand or sit on the lawn, as long as they are not blocking others’ views or obstructing walking paths.
Indoor seating is available in the Washburne University Center for those who would prefer to watch a livestream of the ceremony in a temperature-controlled setting.
Accessibility
There will be a designated accessible parking area, drop-off area, and golf-cart shuttle stop on College Way for guests in need of mobility assistance. Golf cart shuttles also will run through campus during Commencement. Please wave down a cart driver or speak with an usher if you or a guest need a ride.
The seating area at Commencement is in folding chairs, most on the grass lawns. There will be designated accessible sating areas on lawns and spaces for wheelchairs. Please use caution, as the lawn area can have uneven footing.
An ASL interpreter will be available at Commencement. Please email events@pacificu.edu to make arrangements for seating close to the interpreters, if needed. The ceremony also will be livestreamed with closed captioning. Guests may access the captions from a smartphone or tablet during the ceremony. The live video feed also will play in the Washburne University Center with captions in real-time.
Safety
Campus Public Safety staff will be available on campus all day. Call 503-352-2230 for safety concerns.
A paramedic is on site throughout the ceremony as well. Please hail an usher if you require medical assistance, or call 911 for an acute medical emergency.
In the event of inclement weather or other emergencies that may impact safety at the ceremony location, please follow the directions of university staff who will make announcements from the podium.
Weather
Commencement is held outdoors, rain or shine. Exceptions may be made for extreme weather hazards, such as lightening. In the event of hazardous weather or other emergency situations, information will be sent to students and ticketholders by email and would be posted online at pacificu.edu.
Please dress accordingly for the weather. Sunscreen is recommended, and guests are welcome to bring water bottles to the ceremony. Water fountains and bottle refilling stations are available in the Tran Library, AuCoin Hall, Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center, and Washburne University Center.
Photography
Guests may take photos from their seats or with their graduates following the ceremony. Guests are not permitted to approach the stage or block aisles at any time.
University photographers will be taking candid photos throughout the day, as well as a portrait of each graduate on stage. These photos will be available to graduates and their guests to download, free, for personal use, about two weeks after the ceremony. The photo download link will be sent to graduates by email and will be made available on this website when ready.
Attendees at the Commencement ceremony may be photographed as participants, and those photos may be used in university marketing and communications materials. If you do not wish to be photographed, please tell the photographer or step out of the photo. If an image of you appears in the photo library and you would like the image removed, email marcom@groups.pacificu.edu.
Additional Amenities
Restrooms are available in Tran Library, AuCoin Hall, Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center, Washburne University Center and Marsh Hall. Restrooms on the main level of the University Center, the first floor of AuCoin Hall and the third floor of Marsh Hall are all-gender, family-friendly, accessible facilities.
Nursing parents are welcome to feed their children wherever they are comfortable. If you would like additional privacy, a designated family room is available in the Tran Library. Request the key at the front desk.
Flowers will be available for purchase at a stand on the south side of the Tran Library from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The university bookstore is located in the Washburne University Center and will be open from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
** Pacific University is a complete smoke-free campus. Smoking and vaping of any kind is prohibited on all campus property, including parking lots. **