Each May, Yale’s campus is filled with celebration as graduates, families, and faculty gather for Commencement Weekend, a series of beloved traditions that mark the culmination of students’ academic journeys. This year, Yale Conferences & Events was proud to support three major events on Old Campus: Baccalaureate, Class Day, and the University Commencement Ceremony.
Held on the morning of Sunday, May 18, Baccalaureate featured remarks from President Maurie McInnis and Dean Pericles Lewis, offering reflection and celebration for Yale College seniors. Later that afternoon, the community gathered once again for Class Day, a tradition celebrating student achievement across academics, the arts, and athletics. Students wore their gowns and favorite headgear, and the program featured the presentation of awards and a keynote address from Right Honorable Dame Jacinda Ardern.
The weekend concluded on Monday, May 19 with the University Commencement Ceremony, where degrees were formally conferred to candidates across Yale College, the Graduate School, and the professional schools.
YC&E’s role behind the scenes
For both Baccalaureate and Commencement, YC&E managed:
- Event production support and staffing
- Coordination with Yale Police for daily security sweeps
- All event signage, including A-frames, welcome flags, and hydration station signage
- Reserved seating and stage setup
- Hospitality tables and on-site staffing, including support for accessibility, ASL interpreters, and student processions
- Ticketed entrances, pre-show logistics, and back-of-house coordination
For Class Day, YC&E provided full event production, including:
- Writing the minute-by-minute run of show
- Calling all cues in partnership with Broadcast and HB Live
- Coordinating travel for the keynote speaker
- Managing gifts for ~1,800 graduates and the speaker
- Overseeing all print materials and food & beverage services
Commencement Weekend is a momentous occasion for the Yale community, and we were honored to be part of the team that made these events meaningful, seamless, and memorable for all in attendance!
For complete coverage, visit the YaleNews Commencement page: https://news.yale.edu/celebrating-yale-2025.
