Diploma and Awards Ceremony
[IMPORTANT NOTE] 2026 FIFA World Cup Matches Begin June 13
One of the World Cup matches will coincide with Commencement Weekend. For families visiting from outside the Bay Area, please consider booking your hotel accommodations ASAP
This year, the graduates of the medical humanities minor will participate in Department of Anthropology's Diploma and Awards Ceremony
General Information
LOCATION – New Guinea Sculpture Gardens, located between Roble Drive and Lomita Drive at Santa Teresa Street.
TIME – Graduates and guests begin to arrive to the main ceremony venue from 11:45am. The ceremony will begin at 12:30pm and will last until approximately 1:30pm.
GENERAL SEATING/TICKETS – Tickets are not required and there is no reserved seating. The Department and Diploma and Awards Ceremony is open, festival-style seating
FOOD – The department provides catered food and refreshments after the diploma and awards ceremony beginning at 1:30 pm, directly following the ceremony
PROCESSION – There is no procession at the beginning of the department ceremony.
PARKING - General Commencement Parking information (Closest Parking Locations to New Guinea Sculpture Gardens - Santa Teresa, Tressidder and Roble Field Garage.) Parking is free, but is available on a first come first served basis on weekends in visitor and commuter spaces. Be prepared for possible payment.
PHOTOGRAPHY – There will be no professional photography at the event, but photography during the ceremony is allowed.
DISABILITY-RELATED ACCOMMODATIONS- If disability-related accommodation or access information is needed, please review the information located at Stanford Commencement's Accessibility page.
RESTROOMS AND ACCESSIBILITY – The Thornton Center (Terman Annex) is located at 379 Santa Teresa Street. Accessible restrooms are centrally located (by the elevator). Stanford Campus Access Guide.
For Graduating Students
Please complete the following:
- Review Stanford Graduation Resources
- Check in with Student Services Manager/Officer
- Apply to graduate on Axess by April 10, 2026
- Late application to graduate May 29, 2026 ($50 Fee)
WALKTHROUGH PETITION - For students who have a delayed conferral of degree but wish to walkthrough in the Spring Diploma and Awards Ceremony, the deadline to submit the Commencement Walkthrough Petition form is May 14, 2026. Fill out and send via email to the Student Services Officer (Undergraduate Students) or Student Services Manager (Graduate Students).
The Medical Humanities’s minimum requirements for approval of a student’s Commencement Walkthrough Petition form are as follows:
- completed at least 25 units of approved course work;
- completed Anthro 120H and Anthro 443
*Please note that the Walkthrough Petition is NOT a Stanford University Registrar application to graduate nor is it a petition to withdraw an application to graduate.
Prep For Diploma and Awards Ceremony
Cap, Gown, and Regalia – Please order your cap and gown from Stanford Bookstore, or other entity by the published deadline. Regarding Regalia, the Social Sciences is represented by a White Hood. Click here to view the Graduation Gear Page from the Stanford Bookstore
Name Pronunciation – If a student is interested in providing information regarding their name and correct pronunciation, please use the NameCoach function associated with AXESS. Click here to visit the NameCoach Website
Graduates Seating – All graduates will be seated directly in front of the lectern/podium. Graduates are seated in alphabetical order according to degree (Anthropology and Medical Humanities). Upon arrival to the garden, please look for the chair with your name card on it. If you cannot find a chair with your name, find a staff member immediately.
*Optional Additional Support - The last day to apply to the Opportunity Fund for funding is Sunday, March 29th, 2026. Please visit the FLISSC Website for more information.