Information for Guests

Tickets are not required if the ceremony is held outside. If the Commencement ceremony must be held indoors, tickets will be required to sit inside Orr Auditorium. Guests without tickets will be able to view a livestream feed of the ceremony from rooms on campus or from home through the College’s website.

Each graduate will receive a to-be-determined number of tickets for their commencement guests. The number of tickets each student receives will be announced in late March. Tickets will be mailed in mid-April to the address in the student’s record. Replacement or additional tickets will not be available, and guests without tickets will not be allowed to stand/sit in Orr.

The baccalaureate service will take place in Will W. Orr Auditorium.

The Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023 will be held on the south lawn of Old Main and Weisel Senior Terrace. Our intention is to hold Commencement on the south lawn, unless there are extreme temperatures or thunder and lightning. Guests are encouraged to bring an umbrella and light jacket in case of light drizzle or chilly temperatures.

If dangerous weather is forecast, the ceremony will be held in Orr Auditorium. A final call about any anticipated need to move the ceremony indoors will be made by Thursday, May 11 at 4:30pm. Please check the Commencement website for current information, as changing weather conditions may force us indoors at the last minute.

Map Key

1 - Will W. Orr Auditorium (Baccalaureate Service location; inclement weather location for Commencement Ceremony)
2 - Weisel Senior Terrace (Commencement Ceremony location)

Graduates and their guests should park in the lots for Admissions, Shaw/McKelvey, and Patterson. If these lots are full, guests may park in any other lot on campus. Accessible parking will be available in the Old Main lot if ceremony is outdoors, and the Shaw/McKelvey lot if we are in Orr Auditorium. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and clothing that enable the short walk.

Map Key

1 - Will W. Orr Auditorium (Baccalaureate Service location; inclement weather location for Commencement Ceremony)
2 - Weisel Senior Terrace (Commencement Ceremony location)
P - Parking
 - Accessible Parking

A designated area for accessible seating will be available both outside and inside. One companion seat per accessible seat will be in the designated area. Accessible parking will be available in the Old Main lot if ceremonies are outdoors, and the Shaw/McKelvey lot if we are in Orr Auditorium.

Guests requiring special arrangements or with accessibility questions should contact winfieka@westminster.edu.

The College will follow all CDC and/or Pennsylvania guidelines related to COVID mitigation that are in place at the time of the Baccalaureate and Commencement ceremonies.

For family and friends unable to attend in person, the Westminster Cable Network (WCN) will telecast the ceremony live over Armstrong (Channel 72, New Wilmington; Channel 204, Grove City) and on Comcast (Channel 183, New Castle) Cable systems. The ceremony will also be streamed live online at WCNLive.com and will be archived for on-demand viewing.

Guests without a ticket will be able to view the ceremony via live stream from Wallace Memorial Chapel, Mueller Theater (located in McKelvey Campus Center), and in Patterson Hall 105.

The baccalaureate service and Commencement ceremony will also be live steamed on the chapel livestream page.

From 11:00 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., a family-style picnic lunch will be available on the Quad. In case of rain, the lunch will be held in the McKelvey Campus Center. Each graduate will receive a complimentary lunch ticket, and family and friends can purchase lunch at a cost of $13 for adults and $6 for children (ages 4-11).

The menu includes: roasted veggie (vegan) on focaccia, roast turkey and cheddar on ciabatta, Italian sub on French baguette, pesto pasta salad, fresh fruit salad, chipotle roasted sweet potato salad, tortilla chips with fresh pico de gallo, and cookies. Additionally, a gluten-free option will be available.

 Pre-Purchase Lunch Tickets
Only cash will be accepted the day of the event.

Food options in New Wilmington are very limited, so we encourage graduates and guests to join us in this celebratory picnic lunch.

For a list of local resources, including area accommodations, please visit our local resources page.

 Local Resources