Durham College Convocation Ceremonies
Thursday, June 21 and Friday, June 22
General Motors Centre, (GM Centre) Oshawa
General graduation information
Please note: in order for your diploma or certificate to be created, you must apply to graduate whether you choose to attend convocation or not.
Full-time students
If you are a full-time post-secondary student who expects to fulfill all of your graduation requirements, you are required to apply to graduate online via MyCampus, even if you do not plan on attending convocation. Please ensure that you apply to graduate before the deadline of Tuesday, April 10.
After submitting your application, your status will read Applied - Under Review. You are encouraged to return to your online graduation application to monitor your graduation status as it will change from Applied - Under Review to Approved - Not Yet Awarded (which means you are graduating) or Not Eligible (which means that you did not meet all of the requirements to graduate) in early June.
If our records show that you are not eligible to graduate at this time, you will receive a letter from the Office of the Registrar advising you of this. If you receive notification that you are not eligible to graduate, we strongly encourage you to contact the administrative co-ordinator or student liaison in your school office (see below) immediately.
School of Business, IT & Management:
Lisa Burt
Administrative co-ordinator
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 3065
E: lisa.burt@durhamcollege.ca
Business programs
Corinne McCormick-Brighton
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2268
E: corinne.brighton@durhamcollege.ca.
Management and IT programs
Heather Dunlop
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000, ext. 2151
E: heather.dunlop@durhamcollege.ca
School of Health & Community Services:
Carol Connor
Administrative co-ordinator
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2375
E: carol.connor@durhamcollege.ca
Nancy McGuire
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 3066
E: nancy.mcguire@durhamcollege.ca.
Cheryl Lovisa
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000, ext. 6586
E: cheryl.lovisa@durhamcollege.ca
School of Interdisciplinary Studies & Employment Services:
Ann Conroy
Administrative co-ordinator
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2152
E: ann.conroy@durhamcollege.ca
Rhonda Christian
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2501
E: rhonda.christian@durhamcollege.ca
School of Justice & Emergency Services:
Mary Bartosik
Administrative Co-ordinator
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 3072
E: mary.bartosik@durhamcollege.ca
Pina Craven
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2432
E: pina.craven@durhamcollege.ca.
School of Media, Art & Design:
Alanna Desaillier
Administrative co-ordinator
T:
905.721.2000 ext. 3148
E: alanna.desaillier@durhamcollege.ca
Kerry Doyle-Brownell
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2474
E: kerry.doyle-brownell@durhamcollege.ca.
School of Science & Engineering Technology:
Linda Dillon
Administrative co-ordinator
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2545
E: linda.dillon@durhamcollege.ca
Maureen Green
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2383
E: maureen.green@durhamcollege.ca.
School of Skilled Trades, Apprenticeship & Renewable Technology:
Mary Pearce
Administrative co-ordinator
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 4025
E: mary.pearce@durhamcollege.ca
Shelley Chard
Student liaison
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 4087
E: shelley.chard@durhamcollege.ca.
Continuing Education students
If you are applying to graduate from a Continuing Education certificate or diploma program, please complete a paper Application to Graduate form [PDF - 29 KB] and submit it in person or by mail to the Office of the Registrar at the Oshawa campus before Tuesday, April 10.
Office of the Registrar
Durham College
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4
Fax: 905.721.3113
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Apprenticeship students
You will be mailed an invitation to convocation. For more information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at the Whitby campus in person in Room 103 or call 905.721.3300.
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If you are unable to attend convocation
If you are not planning to attend convocation, your diploma or certificate can be mailed to your home address. If you are interested in this option, please ensure that we have your most recent mailing address on file and submit a Request to Mail Certificate/Diploma form [PDF - 24 KB] to the Office of the Registrar. Please note that there is a small fee to cover postage charges for this service.
You may also obtain your diploma or certificate in person from the Office of the Registrar at the college's Oshawa campus beginning Tuesday, June 26 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Please bring valid photo identification with you when picking up your credential.
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Graduates with disabilities
Graduates will be seated on the ice level of the GM Centre and guests will be seated in the public seating level. The GM Centre is wheelchair accessible.
If you are a student - not a guest - who requires any accommodations (i.e. sign language, wheelchair access, special fit gown), please contact the Office of the Registrar by Friday, June 1.
Office of the Registrar
905.721.2000 ext. 2665
registrarsoffice@durhamcollege.ca
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Guests
There is no limit to the number of guests you may bring. Invitations are not required for admission.
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Attire
Convocation is a formal event and students are asked to dress accordingly. The GM Centre is an air conditioned facility.
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Arrival procedures
Graduates are asked to arrive one hour before their scheduled ceremony time. Upon your arrival at the GM Centre, signs and staff will direct you to the registration area. You will be required to show photo identification. You will then receive your gown and line up for the procession into the graduate seating area. The gowning area will not be secured and we cannot guarantee the safety of your personal possessions. We strongly advise that you do not bring large purses or valuables with you to the gowning area. Instead, please leave these articles with your guests for the duration of the ceremony.
Please note: Guests and family (including children) are not allowed to accompany graduates into the gowning or graduate seating areas. Your family and guests will be directed to the public seating area and you may reconnect with them at the completion of the ceremony.
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After the ceremony
Your ceremony is expected to last approximately 90 minutes. Should the ceremony last a little longer, we ask students to be considerate and not leave the ceremony early.
Please ensure that your gown and collar are returned promptly to the gowning area after you have taken photos with your friends and family. You will then be directed to the location where you will receive your diploma or certificate.
Please note: If you have previously received your diploma or certificate (i.e. at the time you originally completed your program), you will not receive another one at this time.
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FAQs
What information will I receive in the mail?
In early April you will receive an invitation and Dear potential graduate letter that provides details about convocation. This letter is not confirmation that you are graduating – it is a letter that is sent out to all students in the final semester of their program who may be eligible to graduate. You must apply to graduate using the online application on MyCampus. This is the only mailing you will receive about convocation.
How do I know if I am graduating?
Students who expect to graduate in June should perform a graduation self-audit through their MyCampus account.
- Log in to your MyCampus account at www.durhamcollege.ca/mycampus.
- Select the blue Administrative Service link.
- Select Student Information.
- Select Student Records.
- Select degree evaluation.
Post-secondary students who use the online application to graduate should check their graduation status in late May or early June. At this time, the status will change from Applied – Under Review to Approved – Not Yet Awarded (which means you are graduating), or to Not Eligible (which means that according to our records, you are not eligible to graduate). If you feel an error has been made, you should contact the student liaison in your school office immediately.
What is the deadline to apply to graduate for June convocation?
The deadline to apply to graduate is Tuesday April 10. This deadline is in place to allow the Office of the Registrar sufficient time to conduct graduation audits, prepare the convocation program and to have credentials printed.
What time should I arrive at the GM Centre and where should I go?
Graduates are asked to arrive at the GM Centre one hour before their ceremony time to be gowned and placed in special order for the procession into the seating area. The gowning area is located on the lower level when entering through the main doors. Staff will be on hand and signs will direct students to the gowning area. The ceremony will begin promptly at either 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.
How long will the ceremony be?
The ceremony will last approximately 90 minutes. Should the ceremony last a little longer, we ask students to be considerate and not leave the ceremony early.
What should I wear?
Convocation is a formal event and as such, students are asked to dress accordingly. The GM Centre is an air-conditioned facility.
Please note: The gowning area will not be secured and we cannot guarantee the safety of your personal possessions. We strongly advise that you do NOT bring purses or valuables with you to the gowning area. Please make alternate arrangements for your articles to be left with your guests for the duration of the ceremony.
How many people can I bring?
You may bring an unlimited number of guests to your graduation. This is a very important day for you and your loved ones to celebrate your accomplishment. Please note that graduates are not allowed to bring children into the gowning or graduate seating areas, or have them walk across the stage with them.
Do my guests need an invitation?
No. The invitation is a keepsake and does not have to be presented for entrance to the ceremony.
What happens after the ceremony?
After the ceremony you will have approximately 20 minutes to have photos taken with your classmates and family. Please ensure that your gown is returned promptly to the gowning area after you have taken photos with your friends and family. Once this has been done, you will be directed to the location where you will receive your diploma or certificate.
Please note: If you have previously received your diploma or certificate (i.e. at the time you originally completed your program), you will not receive another one at this time.
Are flowers available at graduation?
Yes. Flowers are available for purchase before and after the ceremony.
You can also purchase photo frames, diploma/certificate frames, graduation photos and DVDs of the convocation ceremony.
Members of my family are arriving separately. How can I make sure they sit together?
Family members should try to arrive 30 to 45 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony and arrange a meeting point. There is ample seating for all guests and parking is available at various public lots around the GM Centre.
One of my guests uses a wheelchair. Is the GM Centre wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the GM Centre is wheelchair accessible. There is wheelchair parking on the west side of the facility and there is an elevator to take guests to the second floor seating area. Elderly or disabled guests can also be dropped off at the front of the building with easy access to the elevator at the front doors.
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