Commencement
Congratulations to the Guilford College Class of 2023!
The Guilford community warmly invites you to join the celebration of Commencement in the College's 186th year Saturday, May 13, at 9 am on the quadrangle lawn. Guilford will honor more than 250 students who have earned bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Invited speaker Mandy Cohen (pictured), former Secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, will offer remarks. She will receive an honorary doctorate, and Ahmad Brewington ’23, who passed away tragically in April 2022, will be recognized with the presentation of an honorary bachelor’s degree to his family. Larry McMillian ’23 will speak for the class, and Mark Edwards '90, Chief Deputy Secretary of the N.C. Department of Administration, will welcome graduates into the ranks of Guilford alumni..
Read more: Commencement is May 13 with More Than 250 Students Receiving Degrees
View the current listing of Candidates for Commencement 2023
Commencement Schedule
- 12-2 pm - Senior Cap Decorating, Founders Lobby
- 6 pm - Lavender Graduation, Joseph M. Bryan Jr. Auditorium, Frank Family Science Center
7 pm - Latinx Graduation Celebration in the Tent on the Academic Quad
7 pm - Quakies - Guilford's Athletics Awards Ceremony, Dana Auditorium
6:30 pm - Sankofa Pinning for African American Students, Carnegie Room, Hege Academic Commons
- 5 pm - Senior Cookout with President Kyle Farmbry - Tent of Founders Lawn
- Sunset - Toast to the Light - Founders Patio (this event is open to families)
- 8 am - Community Quad setup
- 11 am - Baccalaureate in Dana Auditorium (families are welcome and encouraged to attend)
- 12 pm - Community Picnic (families are welcome and encouraged to attend)
- 1:30 pm - Graduation Rehearsal
- 4:30 pm - Senior Happy Hour at Ragsdale House (families are welcome and encouraged to attend)
To Family Members and Guests
Congratulations on the momentous and significant achievement of your student in becoming a Guilford College graduate! The Guilford community and extended family of alumni are eager to celebrate with you on Commencement day.
For those of us who work with your student, these four years went by far too quickly. It seems only a short time ago that we welcomed them as first-years on move-in day. We're proud of all of their achievements and look forward to seeing the bright future that awaits them.
Note that caps and gowns can be ordered through the bookstore through the end of April.
Please refer to the following information as you make plans for the big day.
Information for Families and Guests
In addition to regularly marked spaces, the entire section of parking on George Fox Drive between New Garden Road and Levi Coffin Drive will be reserved for persons with disabilities during Commencement.
The College will engage the services of a photographer, who will photograph each graduating senior individually as his or her diploma is presented. We provide this service to ensure this moment is captured, thus relieving parents and friends of any need for photographing. An email will be sent to the graduating senior the week after Commencement with proofs and information on how to order. You can also search the photo proofs at gradimages.com.
The College encourages all graduating students to share news of this milestone with their hometown newspaper(s) and websites. To make this easy for you, we've prepared a template that you may customize with details about your personal Guilford experience.
How to Write and Send Your News Release
- Save this news release template (.docx) to your computer.
- Personalize the release by replacing the bracketed information with details about your experience at Guilford.
- Identify the contact information for your local newspaper(s) and/or websites. Graduation announcements are usually directed to a general newsroom email address and not to specific reporters. To find that address, visit the paper's website, and look for a "Contact Us" page. The newsroom email address should be on that page. If not, search for the editor of the regional edition of the paper and send the release to them.
- Copy your news release directly into the body of an email (do not send your announcement as an attachment). Use the subject line Local Resident Graduates from Guilford College.
Note: Newsrooms are often inundated with emails, so we recommend that you keep your release short and to the point.
Hotel accommodations for this event are available at the following properties. Please click the link for your hotel of choice to book directly. For additional hotel options, kindly email commencement@guilford.edu.
Holiday Inn Greensboro Airport: 6426 Burnt Poplar Road, Greensboro, NC 27409
Click here to book via email or call 336.688.0421 and reference Guilford College to book our special rate ($109/night) via phone.
Wyndham Garden Inn: 415 S Swing Road, Greensboro, North Carolina 27409 - click here to book the Guilford Rate: $119/night
Holiday Inn Express & Suites: 4305 Big Tree Way, Greensboro, NC 27409 - click here to book the Guilford Rate: $165/night
Proximity Hotel: 704 Green Valley Rd, Greensboro, NC 27408 - click here to book the Guilford Rate: Call for rate
O.Henry Hotel: 624 Green Valley Road, Greensboro, NC 27408 - click here to book the Guilford Rate: Call for rate
Should the weather forecast be such that holding Commencement outside is not possible, communication to the community will happen on the Thursday immediately prior to Saturday's ceremony. The rain location for Commencement is in Ragan Brown Field House. Each graduate will be given three tickets with the possibility for additional tickets pending the number distributed.