Tifton Ceremonies
Thursday, December 3, 2020
10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Gressette Gymnasium

10 a.m. Ceremony

Check-in begins at 9 a.m. as follows:

• School of Nursing and Health Sciences (Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degrees) – Howard Auditorium
• Associate of Arts and Associate of Sciences – Thrash Gym

2 p.m. Ceremony

Check-in begins at 1 p.m. as follows:

• School of Agriculture and Natural Resources – Howard Auditorium
• School of Arts and Sciences (Bachelor’s Degrees and Associates of Fine Arts in Music) – Thrash Gym
• Stafford School of Business – Thrash Gym

Ceremony Details

• Graduates who wish to participate in the ceremony will be required to RSVP.
  • RSVP Here
• The abbreviated ceremony should be complete in less than an hour.
  • The ceremony will include: Processional, Solo National Anthem, Invocation, Opening remarks by President, Presentation of candidates by Provost, Conferring of degrees, Calling of names with stage presence and photo, Announcement of Alumni Awards, where appropriate, and Recessional.
• All graduates will be required to wear regalia during the commencement ceremony.
• Tickets
  • Each graduate will receive five tickets for guests.
  • All ceremonies will be live-streamed to allow guests without a ticket to watch.
• Limited seating
  • Distanced seating will be provided on the floor for graduates.
  • Families will be allowed to sit as a family unit; otherwise, social distancing will be required.
  • Distanced, but limited, seating will be provided for department heads and representatives from each school.  Total number not to exceed 10.  Deans will make decisions about who attends.
• Masks
  • Mask will be strongly recommended.
  • Students will wear a mask during the processional but will be allowed to remove once seated.
• No Handshakes
  • Students will retrieve their diploma cover when their name is called and will have their graduation picture made with the banner of their school.
  • The stage party will remain on stage during the calling of names to pay respect and congratulate graduates, but will not participate in individual pictures or shake hands.

Bainbridge will host one ceremony at 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 3, 2020.

The ceremony will take place at the Kirbo Center.

More information to come.

Based on feedback from students, parents, faculty, and administration, we believe the decision to host face to face events is in the best interest of all stakeholders and that we conduct the ceremony safely.

While we can safely accommodate 250+ in three ceremonies, i.e. two in Tifton and one in Bainbridge, we cannot safely accommodate significantly more in Tifton.

1. Accommodating up to 225 in Tifton in two ceremonies is the absolute limit for safely spacing graduates, guests, and faculty.  This is based on family unit seating and social distancing requirements.
   • Therefore, we will not invite or permit students who graduated in previous semesters to participate.  
   • The number of additional graduates that could be accommodated is small, would vary by ceremony, and therefore, we cannot make an offering that would put us in the position of saying “yes” to some prior graduates and “no” to others.  While regrettable, this is the way it must be done.
2. The decision to hold a face to face commencement for fall does not set precedence for spring 2021. If the spring class is as large as the class last spring, we may not be able to safely accommodate. Furthermore, there is no way of knowing what the public health situation will be in the spring.

Graduate Safety

• Will be socially distanced during lineup/check-in and commencement.
• Will wear masks during processional and recessional.

Guest Safety

• Signage will be posted advising that those with symptoms or fever shall not enter.
• Guests will be escorted to their seats.
• Family units may sit together; otherwise, guests will be socially distanced.
• Guests will be required to wear a mask while entering and leaving the venue.
• Hand sanitizer will be available.

Stage Party Safety

• The stage party will be limited to the President, the Provost, and the deans of the schools participating in the ceremony.
• Will be distanced while on stage.

Staff Safety

• Will wear masks and limit physical contact with graduates and guests.

Professional pictures of the ceremony will be provided by Wes Sewell Photography. To view your photos, visit www.wessewellphotography.com.

If you are interested in purchasing a video of the ceremony, contact Tom Grant at tgrant@abac.edu for more information.

You do not receive your diploma at commencement. Diplomas will be mailed approximately three to four weeks after the ceremony to your permanent address as noted in Banner Web. To ensure your diploma is directed to the correct address, make sure this address is correct in Banner Web.  If you have any outstanding obligations to the college, these obligations and holds MUST be cleared before your diploma and/or transcript is mailed. You may check your account for holds and obligations by:

• Visit http://www.abac.edu/MyABAC
• Click on Login to MyABAC
• Click on ABAC – Banner
• Provide your credentials to login
• Click on Stallion Status

If you need proof of graduation before your diploma is available, please request an official transcript. When submitting your request, select the “Hold for Degree” option.

Participation in commencement does not denote official certification of a degree or certificate. Official certification is only made when all curriculum requirements have been satisfactorily addressed and recorded in the Registrar’s Office.

If you are completing graduation requirements at another institution – to participate in ABAC’s graduation ceremony, the ABAC Registrar’s Office must receive the graduation application one week prior to the graduation ceremony. You must also have the other institution send an official copy of the transcript to ABAC at registrar@abac.edu by the following dates.

Fall graduation: January 15
Spring graduation: May 30
Summer graduation: August 15