COMMENCEMENT
Commencement 2024
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 10:00 am
Welcome graduates and families! Commencement is a great milestone in one’s life. It is a time where graduates, family members, and friends come together to celebrate the students of CT State Three Rivers, their dedication, and their successes.
Congratulations to the graduates in the Class of 2024!
Commencement Central
This webpage will serve as the hub for all things Commencement: the ceremony, graduate profiles, a video recording of the ceremony, Nursing Pinning information, as well as a collection of media coverage, speeches and all the relevant information pertaining to the 2024 Commencement Ceremony.
Date and Location
Commencement 2024 will take place on Tuesday, May 28 at 10:00 am at Mohegan Sun. The event will take place rain or shine.
Participation in the ceremony
The annual May ceremony allows the campus to recognize students that completed their degree at the end of the Fall or Winter Terms plus those that will be finishing their degree requirements in May or August. Students must have filed a graduation application in their myCTState portal before April 15 and must be successfully completing (or registered in for Summer) their final classes prior to the Graduation “Palooza” event. All participating graduates must have ordered their cap/gown via Josten’s as coordinated by the Student Programming Office (SPO).
Commencement Ceremony
Those graduates and degree candidates participating in the ceremony are expected to arrive at Mohegan Sun Uncas Ballroom by 8:30 am on May 28. Students are asked to report to the Uncas Ballroom where directions will be provided for check-in and the processional line up will begin to form by 9:00 am.
Diplomas
Diplomas will be available at a later date, and students that have met all degree requirements will be notified via email when their diploma is ready for pickup
Cap and Gown Pick-up
Caps and gowns must be ordered by April 15 via the Cap and Gown Ordering form. Caps and gowns can be picked up on May 15 from 9 am to 7 pm at the Grad-a-Palooza in the multi-purpose room.
Grad Party
Graduates should attend the festive grad party on May 21 from 4 pm to 7 pm. The party will double as the rehearsal with free food, great music and giveaways!
Nursing Pinning
The 63rd Nursing Pinning Ceremony will take place Tuesday, May 28, at 1:00 p.m. at Mohegan Sun.
Day of Commencement
Seating
There is no assigned seating, however the best seats will normally be taken first and quickly. Each participating graduate will be allocated a limited number of tickets, depending on size of graduating class. Watch for specific information that will be available closer to Commencement.
Directions and Parking
- Directions to Mohegan Sun
- Parking is free. The closest parking garage to the venue is Riverview Garage.
Photography
Professional photos of the graduates will be taken by GradImages™ as students receive their diploma case and again after they exit the stage. Students will receive proofs from GradImages™ via email and these can also be viewed online at www.gradimages.com, however there is no obligation to purchase.
Personal photographs and videos may be taken only from seats or in the designated photo area to the left of the stage.
View photos from commencement.
Video
The entire commencement will be filmed by Three Rivers and live streamed on the Three Rivers YouTube page. A link to the live stream will also be available on the CT State Three Rivers Facebook page. The video will be available on the Three Rivers YouTube Channel.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Photographs and videos may be taken only from seats or in the designated photo area.
- Cell phones should be set to silent during the ceremony.
- Please remain in your seat until the end of the ceremony.
- No balloons or confetti will be permitted inside the ballroom.
- No liquor or smoking is permitted.
Disruptive Behavior Notice
Commencement is a celebratory occasion and we should respect the hard work of our graduates, as well as their families and friends in attendance. Any individual or group engaging in activity that interrupts or disrupts the normal progression of the ceremonies is not permitted and anyone engaging in that behavior will be asked to leave the event. Failure to leave may result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the college. Disruptive behaviors and/or refusing to leave when ordered may result in police action and subsequent criminal charges
Congratulation Videos
Congratulations to this Year’s Graduates!
Congratulations Class of 2024!
CT State Inaugural Commencement Exercises 2024
Video Transcript
| Time Code | Audio | Visuals |
| 00:00-00:03 | [BAGPIPE MUSIC – The Brave] | Blue screen with CT State seal
Words on the screen read “Inaugural Commencement Exercises 2024-Connecticut State Community College” |
| 00:03-00:06 | [BAGPIPE MUSIC – The Brave] | Musicians march while playing the bagpipes and drums |
| 00:12-00:16 | Male Voice 1: “In May, Connecticut State Community College celebrated its inaugural commencement. | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassel, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 00:16-00:31 | The product of the consolidation of Connecticut’s twelve community colleges, CT State is Connecticut’s largest college and recognized its first graduates with ceremonies across the state.”
[Music and Students Cheering] |
Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies, including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassels, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 00:32-00:51 | Male Voice 2: “Whether a student started at one of the legacy colleges, or completed their credentials completely under the auspices of CT State, one thing was clear – their commencement was the highlight of their academic career and an opportunity to celebrate their hard work and thank the family and friends who supported their success.”
[Music and Students Cheering] |
Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassel, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 00:52-00:57 | Male Voice 3: “More than five thousand degrees and certificates were awarded during the twelve ceremonies.” | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies, including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassels, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 00:57-01:04 | Female Voice 1: “CT State President Dr. John Maduko offered words of congratulations and encouragement at six of the campuses.” | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassel, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 01:04-01:28 | Voice of Dr. John Maduko: “We are thankful to your families and faculty and staff and mentors in your lives, who have been with you for every step of your journey. These relationships have been fundamental to your success, providing a foundation of support that has brought us to this joyous celebration.”
[MUSIC] |
The video of Dr. Maduko’s speech overlaps with clips from each of the campus ceremonies, including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping a tassel, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 01:29-01:35 | Female Voice 1: “Special guest speakers and student award winners inspired graduates at all twelve.” | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassel, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 01:35-01:44 | Dr. Richard Blumenthol: “Congratulations! You did it. You made it, and you deserve a great round of applause from all of us!” | Richard Blumenthol speaks at the podium |
| 01:44-01:46 | [APPLAUSE] | Students in audience clap |
| 01:46-02:07 | Student speaker: “No matter how low you’ve been, you’ve made it to where you are now. And if you’ve done this, you already have the tools to accomplish whatever you want to in life. Keep taking those steps little by little, one by one, day after day, and don’t let your challenges or your past define you.”
[MUSIC] |
Student Speaker at the podium and students in the audience listening intently to her speech. |
| 02:07-02:16 | CEO Kim Hogan: “Campus CEOs and Presidents lead the proceedings, and were joined on the platform by campus leaders, dignitaries, and students with exceptional academic records.” | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassel, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 02:16-02:22 | Male Voice 4: “Faculty ushered their students through the commencement procession while staff encouraged them.” | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies, including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassels, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 02:22-02:31 | Male Voice 5: “Families and friends cheered as diplomas were handed out, and tears of pride were shed both on the stage, and in the audience.” [MUSIC] | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassel, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 02:32-02:41 | Male Voice 6: “After every ceremony, students and their guests posed for photos. Prominent in each was a proud graduate holding a diploma.” | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies, including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassels, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 02:41-02:58 | CEO Kim Hogan: “CT State’s inaugural commencement ceremonies celebrated the very best that each campus had to offer – their outstanding students, the support of faculty and staff who saw them through their journey, and the love and pride of their family and friends as they saw the tangible reward of their student’s commitment and dedication to improving their lives and that of their families.” | Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassel, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
| 02:58-03:05 | Overlapping voices: “Congratulations to all of the Class of 2024!”
[MUSIC] |
Montage of video clips from each of the campus ceremonies, including students marching, receiving degrees, crossing stages, waving at the camera, flipping tassels, speakers at podiums, shaking hands, clapping, etc. |
Press
Press coverage will be posted here.
Social Media
Please feel free to share your own photos and videos with us on social media. Be sure to use #CTSTATE2024.
QUESTIONS?
Please email to: TR-Commencement@trcc.comment.edu with any questions you may have related to the Commencement event.