Commencement

The Commencement Planning Team will be sending periodic updates to ALL prospective graduates.  Please note these emails will list tasks and actions the graduate MUST complete in order to walk at Commencement–stay tuned and check back often.

The below dates are the proposed dates graduates should expect to receive an email at their Albright email account:

Commencement and Graduation Update #1 – 1.30.2026

Commencement and Graduation Update #2 – 3.12.2026

Commencement and Graduation FINAL Update – 4.30.2026

• Registering for Commencement:   The time to register to walk at Commencement is NOW — all graduates from Summer and Fall of 2025 and prospective graduates for Spring 2026 MUST register to walk at Commencement.  If you have not yet registered, please do so ASAP.  If you have not received the link from the Registrar’s Office, please email registrar@albright.edu.

• Caps and Gowns:  If you are planning on participating in the Commencement ceremony, you MUST order your ACADEMIC REGALIA (cap, gown, hood, and tassel). ORDER TO SCHOOL IS NOW CLOSED YOU MUST ORDER TO HOME NO LATER THAN MONDAY APRIL 6. Please click HERE to order directly from the Oak Hall website.  Here are the approximate costs:

  • Undergraduate Degree cap, gown, tassel & hood is approximately $95.

  • Masters Degree cap, gown, tassel & hood is approximately $105.

• Commencement Announcements & Class Rings:  You may order formal Commencement announcements and class commemorative rings and jewelry through the Albright College page of Balfour’s website.

• Accommodated Seating: Santander Arena’s main entrance is ADA accessible, with ramp and elevator access. If your family members and/or guests need accommodated seating and/or assistance with accessibility issues, they should alert the Santander staff upon their arrival on Commencement Day.  The Santander staff will then escort your guests to the appropriate seating area.  Should you have any questions regarding accommodated seating, please email Dr. Crance in the Student Accessibility Office at SAA@albright.edu.

• Santander Arena has information about planning your visit with information about accessibility, hotels and restaurants nearby.

• Local Hotels: Some hotels are offering special pricing for Commencement. Hilton DoubleTree, Marriott, and Holiday Inn Express.

• Are you an Albright Legacy?:  All 2026 graduates with legacy alumni relatives (parent, step-parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or sibling) will be invited to participate in the Legacy Alumni Greeting at Commencement. Please visit our Legacy Greeting page for more information.  You must register to participate in the Legacy Greeting no later than Friday, April 17, 2026.

The Baccalaureate ceremony is held on campus in Merner-Pfeiffer-Klein (MPK) Chapel to kick-off Commencement weekend.  Baccalaureate at Albright has traditionally been a smaller, reflective event to honor a student’s time and experiences in college.  It typically includes music, readings (some spiritual, some secular), and a speaker.  This year, the ceremony will feature student artwork, our amazing choir, and many students reading selected passages from a variety of texts.  Faculty, staff, students, families, and guests will share this special time together before Commencement the following day.  This year we are delighted to share that our 2026 Baccalaureate Speaker is Magisterial District Judge Tonya A. Butler, Albright Graduate Class of 1993.

Here are a few important FAQ’s about Baccalaureate:

• Is attendance at Baccalaureate mandatory: Attendance at Baccalaureate and/or Commencement are NOT mandatory, but we do encourage you to attend and invite family and friends to join in the celebration of this significant milestone in your life.

• Must I register for Baccalaureate:  YES!  We are asking all graduates to complete the Baccalaureate form to not only let us know if you plan on attending, but also to designate who will hood you during the Baccalaureate service.  Even if you are not planning on attending Baccalaureate, we ask that you complete the form and respond as such.  

• How long is Baccalaureate Service: The ceremony should last approximately one hour.

• Tickets:  Tickets are not required.

• What time should I arrive:  Baccalaureate begins promptly at 5:30pm and the doors open at 4:30pm.  Arrive early to get the best seating.

• What is Hooding?  One of the new features of this year’s Baccalaureate is the Hooding ceremony, which will now take place during the event.  At Albright, it is a tradition for students to receive a hood as a symbol of their achievements.  In previous years, only faculty presented the hoods to students.  This year, however, students will have the opportunity to choose someone special to bestow the hood upon them.  You can select a family member, significant other, close friend, professor, or staff member–whoever holds a special connection to you.

• How do I submit the name of the person I select to Hood me?  Complete the Baccalaureate form above to submit both your name and the name of your chosen Hooder.

• Can I select more than one person?  Unfortunately, only one person will be allowed to bestow your hood.  We encourage you to choose the individual who means the most to you and with whom you’d like to share this moment.

GRADUATE ARRIVAL TIME

All graduates should arrive at the Santander Arena NO LATER than 8:30 a.m. with cap, gown, and hood in hand.  You will begin line-up at this time and receive further instructions.

Parking

The following is the Reading Parking Authority’s rate schedule for graduation ceremonies at the Santander Arena.

State Lot – $10 (across the railroad tracks – State Office Building)

Convention Center Garage – $10 (beside Double Tree Hotel) (Gateless Garage)

South Penn Garage – $5 (enter on 600 block of Cherry or Franklin St) (Gateless Garage)

4th & Cherry St Garage – $5 (Gateless Garage)

Reed & Court St Garage – $5 (Gateless Garage)

5th & Cherry St Lot – $5

Poplar & Walnut Garage – $5 (Gateless Garage)

 

GATELESS PARKING HOW TO…

1. Welcome! No gate. No ticket. No need to stop.

2. License plate is recorded.

3. Park as usual. Find you spot and pull right in.

4. Payment required within 15 minutes of entering garage. (Failure to pay will result in a violation being mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.)

5. Have your license plate number ready – you will need it to pay. The license plate number must be exact. Do not add PA, a hyphen or spaces. But add leading letters for specialty license plates.

6. You have payment choices… Walkup pay station. ParkMobile. Text2Park. It’s up to you.

7. You’re on your way!

8. Ready to leave? No gate, no payment, nothing to slow you down. You’re on the road!

 

Ways to Pay

1. Walk-Up Pay Station Cash and credit card payments are accepted at walk-up pay stations located on the first floor of every garage near the elevator. Note: If paying with cash, please make exact payment. Pay station does not issue change.

2. Download the ParkMobile app via the AppStore or Google Play It is strongly recommended that you download the app and review the instructions prior to commencement to avoid last minute parking issues.

3. Text2Park and pay with MobilePay Scan the QR code or text the code listed on the signage to the five-digit number listed on the signage in the parking garage. (For South Penn Garage, text Southpenn to 25023) Most signage is located near the elevators. You will then receive a link to register your vehicle license plate.

Additional information is available at www.ReadingParking.com/gateless

 

Keep your receipts in case any problems arise. Remember to pay before you walk away!

 

Reading Parking Authority 24/7 Live Call Center (484) 339-4979

All other guests as well as those with Accessibility/ADA seating should enter at the main entrance by the box office. Doors open at 8:30 a.m.

Pre-ordering

You can order formal Commencement Announcements.
Santander Arena has information about planning your visit with information about accessibility, hotels, and restaurants nearby.  Berks County/Reading tourism information

Parking

The following is the Reading Parking Authority’s rate schedule for graduation ceremonies at the Santander Arena.

State Lot – $10 (across the railroad tracks – State Office Building)

Convention Center Garage – $10 (beside Double Tree Hotel) (Gateless Garage)

South Penn Garage – $5 (enter on 600 block of Cherry or Franklin St) (Gateless Garage)

4th & Cherry St Garage – $5 (Gateless Garage)

Reed & Court St Garage – $5 (Gateless Garage)

5th & Cherry St Lot – $5

Poplar & Walnut Garage – $5 (Gateless Garage)

 

GATELESS PARKING HOW TO…

1. Welcome! No gate. No ticket. No need to stop.

2. License plate is recorded.

3. Park as usual. Find you spot and pull right in.

4. Payment required within 15 minutes of entering garage. (Failure to pay will result in a violation being mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.)

5. Have your license plate number ready – you will need it to pay. The license plate number must be exact. Do not add PA, a hyphen or spaces. But add leading letters for specialty license plates.

6. You have payment choices… Walkup pay station. ParkMobile. Text2Park. It’s up to you.

7. You’re on your way!

8. Ready to leave? No gate, no payment, nothing to slow you down. You’re on the road!

 

Ways to Pay

1. Walk-Up Pay Station Cash and credit card payments are accepted at walk-up pay stations located on the first floor of every garage near the elevator. Note: If paying with cash, please make exact payment. Pay station does not issue change.

2. Download the ParkMobile app via the AppStore or Google Play It is strongly recommended that you download the app and review the instructions prior to commencement to avoid last minute parking issues.

3. Text2Park and pay with MobilePay Scan the QR code or text the code listed on the signage to the five-digit number listed on the signage in the parking garage. (For South Penn Garage, text Southpenn to 25023) Most signage is located near the elevators. You will then receive a link to register your vehicle license plate.

Additional information is available at www.ReadingParking.com/gateless

 

Keep your receipts in case any problems arise. Remember to pay before you walk away!

 

Reading Parking Authority 24/7 Live Call Center (484) 339-4979

Additional information

Photography and Videography

A collegiate photography company will take photographs on Commencement day of all our graduates (during the diploma presentation on stage) and as the (graduate steps off the stage holding his or her diploma). Shortly after graduation, the photography company will send you several color proofs for your review and instructions for ordering prints. These will come directly from the studio, not from Albright College.

Albright College live streams the Commencement ceremony.

Due to security and safety reasons, parents and families are not allowed to enter the arena floor to take pictures during the ceremony.

Ceremony

(Tickets are NOT required!)

Commencement begins at 10 a.m. promptly and should last approximately two hours. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. All guests should enter through the main ticket box entrance on Penn Street (next to the train tracks and across the street from the DoubleTree Hotel front entrance).

 

Diplomas will be sent by mail to everyone who qualifies.

Commencement Program