Lavender Graduation

The 12th annual Lavender Graduation is a pre-commencement event hosted by FreeZone, Tri Iota, WGSS, and the Office of Social Justice and Activism. Lavender Graduation affirms the achievements of LBGTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, nonbinary) graduates and their allies.

At the Lavender Graduation celebration, each student receives lavender cords to wear at their commencement ceremony and has a chance to share something about their experience and thank their support circle. The cords and the event validate a student’s strength and resilience — their commitment to their education, ambitions, and personhood.

Lavender Graduation will be held Monday, April 28, from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Philomeathean Room in Towers Hall.  Friends and family are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

You can request and wear the cords even if you do not attend the ceremony.

Noble Transitions

The Office of Social Justice and Activism (OSJA) hosts a multicultural pre-graduation ceremony, Noble Transitions, to celebrate graduating students of color, international, and first-generation students. It is a time to officially celebrate their accomplishments as well as those of their friends and peers who are graduating.

During the ceremony, students will receive a kente stole, share a senior reflection, and thank those who have been influential in their success. Students often invite family, friends, faculty, and staff who have been instrumental in their Otterbein journey. All are welcome to attend. This year’s event will be held Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Fritsche Theatre in Cowan Hall. For more information, please contact the OSJA at 614-823-1312.

This toast is a time of reflection, connection, and celebration. We will share stories of the Class of 2025, as seen through the eyes of their peers, faculty, and administrators. All graduates and their families are welcome to join us for this celebration to be held at The Point at Otterbein, 60 Collegeview Road on Saturday, May 3​, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments in addition to the toast will be provided. Don’t miss President Comerford’s toast to the Class of 2025 at 8:00 p.m..

Undergraduate and graduate school ceremonies require pre-registration. A link to request tickets will be available closer to. It will be shared through email with those that have applied to graduate.

Undergraduates Commencement
Each undergraduate is eligible to receive up to six tickets for commencement. Please note that tickets are free of charge, and the selling of tickets is considered inappropriate activity and may result in disciplinary action. Tickets for ceremony selection is on a first come first served basis. Please make sure to check with your friends, prior to registering, what ceremony you would all like to be at. Tickets will be distributed via email the later part of the week of the event. Extra tickets will NOT be available due to the capacity. Please do not call to see if the situation has changed.

Graduate School Commencement
All graduates will take part in the 3:00 p.m. ceremony. Please register for your guest tickets via a Grad Link email you will receive closer to the event so we have an understanding of how many guests to expect. Please note that tickets are free of charge, and the selling of tickets is considered inappropriate activity and may result in disciplinary action. Tickets will be distributed via email the later part of the week of the event.

Live Streaming
Commencement will be streamed live for virtual access to the ceremony as well. If your guests are not able to attend the ceremony in person, it will be streamed live. A link will be posted on this page close to the event date. We will also have an onsite streaming location located at our Campus Center Main Lounge, 100 W Home St, Westerville, OH 43081, during each ceremony.

Doors to Fritsche Theatre will open at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Guests must be seated by 2:30 p.m.

Seating for Special Needs Guests
Special needs guests with wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, walker, hearing impairments, etc., will be assigned to the limited accessible seating section along with a companion.

Guest Seating Expectations
Please note the following:

• Placing chairs in any location, standing in any location, sitting in aisles, etc. are fire code violations and will not be permitted.

What happens if someone in my group loses their tickets or if one of my guests doesn’t have access to my tickets?
Tickets will be emailed to the graduating students. Graduates will need to forward their electronic tickets to their guests. Guests will also be permitted to display the ticket QR code to enter the ceremony.

An event box office at the Clements Recreation Center will be open one hour prior to each ceremony to assist guests with lost tickets.

Where can I get my honor cords?
Honor cords are distributed by different departments on campus. Not all departments have honor cords or stoles. If you have questions about where to get a departmental cord, please contact your department administrator. Students eligible for the Five Cardinal Experiences cords can pick up their items at the Grad Fair on Wednesday, April 9.

Is Otterbein selling flowers for the event?
Families can pre-order flowers to pick up on their way into the The Clements Recreation Center. Please stay tuned for an updated link to pre-order flowers. Flowers can be picked up at the ceremony location 1 hour before the ceremony begins.

What commemorative items are available to celebrate and mark this occasion?
Jostens has a variety of special items to commemorate your college achievements and commencement day memories. To learn more about those items, you can visit their website for details about how to order announcements, rings and more.

The Renaissance Westerville-Polaris (1.5 miles)
Otterbein Commencement “Neighborhood” Reservations >

Contact Information:
Address: 409 Altair Parkway, Westerville, OH 43082
Phone: 614-882-6800
Hotel Website >

We are excited to welcome you to Otterbein’s campus. If you need overnight accommodations for your visit to Otterbein, you’ll find a variety of hotels conveniently located near campus.

Westerville Hotels

Nearby Hotels

Note: Otterbein does not in any way endorse these businesses, products, or services. This listing is provided as a resource only and are subject to change.

Part of an enjoyable visit to Otterbein’s campus means ensuring you understand your parking options and that you have the opportunity to plan for your family’s unique circumstances.

To allow all of our guests to have a pleasant arrival and departure, we ask guests to honor the following:

• If possible, we ask that you consider traveling with your family or guests. Doing so ensures that the majority of guests will be able to park within a short distance of the venue.
• As we will be welcoming many guests to campus throughout the weekend, we ask that you please arrive no earlier than one hour of your scheduled ceremony and that you plan to depart no later than one hour after your ceremony’s conclusion.

Special Needs Drop-Off:
Guests who would have difficulty walking from the parking lot to the Clements Recreation Center (Undergraduate Ceremony), or Cowan Hall (Graduate Ceremony) can be dropped off closer to the building entrance.

Reserved handicapped parking is available. Guests will only need to show their accessible seating section tickets to be granted access to this reserved parking.

Grad Images will take each graduate’s picture as they cross the stage. A proof and order form will be mailed by the latter part of May.

According to Grad Images, all orders received by June 1 will be fulfilled and delivered by July 1. Late orders will be accepted until Dec. 31. You are under no obligation to purchase the pictures or respond to the Grad Images correspondence. Grad Images may be contacted via their website or at 1-800-261-2576.

Please be aware that guests are subject to visual inspection of person, bags, and clothing capable of concealing prohibited items.

The following items are prohibited:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Coolers
• Backpacks
• Large handbags
• Metal folding seat cushions
• Seats that clamp to bleachers
• Noise making devices
• Mace or similar substances
• Signs
• Sticks
• Poles
• Weapons of any kind
• Balloons and other items that would obstruct the sightline of any guests