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Opening Convocation Ceremony

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134th Opening Convocation Ceremony

Tuesday, September 17, 2024
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. PDT
Frost Amphitheater | Livestream
 

President Jonathan Levin will welcome new undergraduate first-year and transfer students and their families to Stanford at the 134th Opening Convocation Ceremony, the formal inauguration of the academic year. Together with their new classmates, students will participate in celebrating the beginning of Stanford's New Student Orientation at this time-honored tradition, held in Frost Amphitheater. Tickets are required to attend this event. Family members of new students should order their free tickets by September 3.

2024 Convocation Ceremony Program 

Processional
Student Representatives
The Board of Trustees
University Officials

Welcome & Invocation
The Rev. Dr. Tiffany Steinwert, Dean for Religious & Spiritual Life

Land Acknowledgment 
Micah Tsosie ’25, Diné (Navajo)

Remarks
Richard H. Shaw, Dean of Undergraduate Admission & Financial Aid
R. Lanier Anderson, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education

Student Address
Diego Kagurabadza ’25

Presidential Address
Jonathan D. Levin, President, Stanford University

Hail, Stanford, Hail!
Minseung Choi ’25 and Katrina Franco ’27

Benediction
The Rev. Dr. Colleen Hallagan Preuninger, Associate Dean for Religious & Spiritual Life

Guest Tickets - Order by September 3

Tickets are required for this event. Family members of new students are invited to attend Convocation and should order their free tickets by Tuesday, September 3. Each new student may invite up to four guests. (Children aged 2 and under attending with a parent do not need a ticket.)

Guest Ticket Information and Ordering

General Event Information

For the comfort of families and guests, the following suggestions may make Convocation more enjoyable:

Frost Amphitheater is located at 351 Lasuen Street, Stanford, CA 94305. Directions to Frost.

Complimentary nearby parking is available in the Galvez Parking Lot on this day.

The general Guest Entrance is at the Galvez Gate where tickets and photo IDs will be checked. For an accessible entrance (step-free route to seating area), please use the Lasuen Gate, as the Galvez Gate is not an accessible entrace for those using wheelchairs/mobility devices and/or have limited mobility.

The Student Entrance is at the Lasuen Gate where student NSO nametags will serve as their tickets. Students should walk to the event with their residence student leaders and dormmates.

Seating inside Frost is open within the Student Section and Guest Section. Most students will sit with the dorms in the Student Section. If you would like to sit with your student, please enter via your respective gates and have your student meet you and sit with you in the Guest Seating Section inside Frost. 

Frost Amphitheater has a clear bag policy. Small personal items such as purses and handbags are allowed. Backpacks, large bags, and suitcases are not allowed - we will not have a bag check on site, so please do not bring these items with you.

Dress for the heat; light clothing is advisable. Hats, visors, and sun block are highly recommended.

Water filling stations will be provided. Guests may bring their own reusable water bottle, if desired.

Umbrellas will not be permitted, as they block the view of other guests.

Smoking is prohibited in outdoor spaces holding events during the weekend.

Accessibility Information

Accessible Entrance

The accessible entrance (step-free route to seating area) to Frost is via the Lasuen Gate near the corner of Lasuen Street and Roth Way. Once inside the gate, proceed through the tunnel to enter Frost. Review Frost's Accessibility & Services informationNOTE: The Galvez Gate is not on an accessible route to enter Frost for those using wheelchairs/mobility devices and/or have limited mobility.

Seating

Wheelchair seating and a limited mobility seating area is available and staff will assist guests as needed once inside the Lasuen Gate. Seating is outside - some seating will be in direct sunlight and some will be shaded. All seating is first come, first served.

Live Captioning & Assistive Listening Devices

Live captioning and assistive listening devices will be provided at the venue.

Accessibility Questions

For additional disability access information or if you or anyone in your party require wheelchair seeting, limited mobility seating, and/or other disability-related accommodations (sign language interpreter, large-print/Braille materials, etc.), please contact the Diversity and Access Office at disability.access@stanford.edu or call (650) 725-0326.


Health & Safety

Please review Stanford's COVID-19 Guidelines.  If you are feeling ill on this day, please stay home and do not attend.


Questions

If you have questions about NSO or Convocation, please contact Approaching Stanford, approaching@stanford.edu. A detailed schedule for NSO events on Tuesday, September 17, will be posted on/around September 1.

NSO Convocation at Frost Amphitheater (Credit: Andrew Brodhead, Stanford News Service)