Commencement 2024 (In-Person & Live Stream)
Schedule of Events for Commencement Day
This year, we are excited to be honoring the graduates of Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 at one ceremony held off-campus at Ozinga Field at 14011 Kenton Ave. Crestwood, IL 60445.
Friday, May 3
- 6:00 p.m. Graduates Arrive to Ozinga Field & Gates Open
Traditional Undergraduates, Adult Undergraduates, and Graduate Programs, arrive at Ozinga Field for robing, instructions, and to line up for the processional. Please bring your cap, gown, medallion, and honors cord (if applicable). If you have not yet received a medallion or honors cord, one will be available for you (if applicable). - 7:00 p.m. Commencement Ceremony, Ozinga Field. (Livestream)
The ceremony will take place at Ozinga Field at 14011 Kenton Ave. Crestwood, IL 60445. At the conclusion of the ceremony, we will celebrate our graduates with a fireworks display. The Commencement Program will be available for online viewing.
- 8:45 p.m. Majors Farewell
Following the ceremony, Trinity faculty and graduates will process out of the ballpark into the parking lot to bid each other farewell. We invite our guests to meet up with their graduates in the parking lot to extend congratulations as well.
If you are unable to attend the ceremony in-person, but would like to celebrate with your graduate from afar, you may view the ceremony online via the Commencement Livestream.
In case of inclement weather on Friday, May 3, we will hold the ceremony at Ozinga Field on Saturday, May 4 at 10 a.m. Gates open at 9 a.m.
Commencement Program
Schedule of Events for Commencement Week
Commencement week is full of celebratory events for you, your family, and friends. We hope you can take advantage of these wonderful opportunities!
Check back for more events as this page will be updated throughout the semester.
Thursday, April 25
- 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Honors Program Graduate Celebration “Righteous Oaks.” Hospitality Room in the President’s House
Monday, April 29
- 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Education Commissioning & Celebration, Ozinga Chapel Auditorium
Wednesday, May 1
- 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. The Back and A Head – Theatre Program Season Celebration, Ozinga Chapel Grand Lobby
Thursday, May 2
- 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Social Work Senior Celebration, Fireside Room
- 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. New Alumni Welcome, Franklins Public House 12306 S Harlem Ave, Palos Heights, IL 60463
Graduates are invited to join Trinity’s alumni board along with some faculty and staff at Franklin’s Public House in Palos Heights to welcome them as the newest alumni of the College. Celebrate your accomplishment alongside classmates in a relaxed atmosphere without any speeches or programming. Complimentary appetizers and soda are included along with a cash bar.
Registration is needed for participation. Please RSVP by May 1.
Friday, May 3
- 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Baccalaureate Worship Service, Ozinga Chapel Auditorium
Graduates and faculty/staff should arrive in their cap and gown. Please arrive to the Grand Lobby by 10:15 AM for lineup. Commencement Day opens with Baccalaureate, a service of worship and celebration led by members of the graduating class. Contrasting the formalities of Commencement, the Baccalaureate service will be a time to slow down and give thanks for God’s faithfulness with your community. The service will include graduate testimonies and a brief message. All faculty, staff, students, graduates, and their families are warmly invited to attend. The Baccalaureate lunch will follow immediately afterward.
Photo Reception, The Quad
After Baccalaureate, we encourage you to take photos on campus with your guests, fellow classmates, and professors in your regalia. - 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Baccalaureate Lunch, Dining Hall
We want your last afternoon on Trinity’s campus to be a memorable experience! Graduates, their guests, and Trinity staff/faculty members are invited to gather for a complimentary lunch hosted by the Student Life Division. No need to make lunch plans elsewhere! Enjoy a fun and relaxed time to hang out with your classmates, friends, and family—and the Troll will be around to take photos with you!
Free meal tickets will be distributed at the Baccalaureate Worship Service. - 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Nursing Pinning Ceremony & Reception, Ozinga Chapel Auditorium and Grand Lobby [LIVESTREAM]
- 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Humanities Awards Ceremony, Fireside Room
The departments of Criminal Justice, History, Literature and Languages, Philosophy, and Theology will award departmental awards to graduating seniors. - 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. BA/BFA Senior Thesis Exhibition Reception, Art & Communication Center lobbies and Seerveld Gallery
- 6:00 p.m. Graduates Arrive to Ozinga Field & Gates Open
Traditional Undergraduates, Adult Undergraduates, and Graduate Programs, arrive at Ozinga Field for robing, instructions, and to line up for the processional. Please bring your cap, gown, medallion, and honors cord (if applicable). If you have not yet received a medallion or honors cord, one will be available for you (if applicable). - 7:00 p.m. Commencement Ceremony, Ozinga Field. [LIVESTREAM]
The ceremony will take place at Ozinga Field at 14011 Kenton Ave. Crestwood, IL 60445. At the conclusion of the ceremony, we will celebrate our graduates with a fireworks display. If you are unable to attend the event, please celebrate our graduates by viewing the Commencement Livestream. Commencement Program is available for online viewing. - 8:45 p.m. Majors Farewell
Following the ceremony, Trinity faculty and graduates will process out of the ballpark into the parking lot to bid each other farewell. We invite our guests to meet up with their graduates in the parking lot to extend congratulations as well.
Ticketing and Viewing Information
There is no ticket limit for the 2024 commencement ceremony. All guests who require wheelchair-accessible seating will be accommodated as they arrive to the field. Planning for an early arrival for these guests will allow for more time to provide appropriate accommodations.
The event will also be live streamed, so family and friends from afar can watch you graduate as well.
Information on Official Photography
As a service to families of graduates, Tom Killoran Photography will take photographs of all graduates during the ceremony. Trinity is providing two complimentary digital images to each of our graduates–one as they cross the stage, and one posed image with their diploma in front of the Trinity backdrop.
Images from the May 3 ceremony can be accessed here. Two (2) complimentary downloads can be accessed with the code trinity24
Social Media for Commencement
Whether you are a #TrinityGrad2024 or celebrating a graduate, we invite you to join the commencement conversation on social media. Throughout the day, be sure to tag Trinity Christian College and use the hashtag #TrinityGrad2024 in your social media post.
Frequently Asked Questions
August 2023, December 2023, and May 2024 Graduates:
Your cap and gown will be available for pick-up on:
- Thursday, April 25 – 3pm-6pm – Jennie Huizenga Library entrance
- Tuesday, April 30 – 3pm-6pm – Jennie Huizenga Library entrance
- Wednesday, May 1 – 3pm-6pm – Jennie Huizenga Library entrance
- *for those traveling from out of state/final opportunity: Friday, May 3 – 10am-11am – Ozinga Grand Lobby
Please make sure your student account is paid in full prior to coming to pick up your cap and gown.
If you are unable to be on campus during these times, please arrange for a friend or family member to pick up the cap and gown for you. We will distribute your cap and gown to that individual only if he/she can provide documentation (a text or an email) that shows you have given him/her your permission to do so AND after you have completed the Handshake survey (see below).
We recommend hanging up your gown at least several days in advance of the ceremony and possibly using a steamer to release wrinkles.
Prior to receiving your cap and gown, you are required to complete the First Destination Survey to fulfill Trinity’s obligations on career outcome reporting. It is preferred that you fill out the survey starting April 1, 2024 to help expedite the pick-up process. However, computers will be available on site. This survey must be completed by all graduates, irrespective of whether you participate in the graduation ceremony or not and regardless of the type of degree earned.
To access the survey, please go to www.trnty.edu/handshake. Access your account using your Trinity email and password (you should not have to ,create a new account), open the dropdown menu labeled “Career Center.” There, click on “First Destinations” and complete the survey. *Note that if you are logging in for the first time, the initial information that is asked of you is not the required survey – skip this section and proceed to the “First Destinations” survey. (You will also receive a series of emails leading up to graduation with a link to the survey as well.) Your thorough answers are appreciated, and all specific personal information remains confidential inside the College.
If you have additional questions, please contact the Cooper Center for Vocation & Career Development (vocationandcareer@trnty.edu).
If your GPA is 3.500 or higher and have earned a minimum of 60 credits from Trinity as of Fall 2022, you will receive an Honors cord for the Ceremony.
Please note that grades from the current Spring semester are not included in the GPA used to determine those graduating with Honors. If you have questions about your Honors status, email registrar@trnty.edu
MA students must have all of their requirements fulfilled prior to participating in commencement, so anyone whose MA degree was conferred SU-23, FA-23, or will be conferred in SP-24 is welcome to participate in the SP-24 commencement.
Undergraduate degree candidates should wear tassels on the right side of their cap for the academic procession. When their degree is conferred during Commencement, tassels are moved to the left side of their cap. Because graduate and professional degree candidates already have received a bachelor’s degree, they should wear tassels on the left side of their cap throughout commencement ceremonies. Faculty members and administrators should also wear tassels on the left side of their cap throughout commencement ceremonies.
Diplomas are sent out by mail 6-8 weeks after the Graduation Date.
If your mailing address is outside the USA, please contact the Registrar’s office at registrar@trnty.edu to make arrangements for in-person pick up.
The Main Gate will open at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 5. Guests may arrive anytime between 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., but we recommend arriving at least 10 minutes before the ceremony so you can find seats before the ceremony begins. The park will be open seating, first come first served. If you have accessibility needs, we advise you arrive early so we can accommodate you well.
Graduating students should arrive by 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. ceremony. You will check in and then proceed to the lineup area to receive further instructions.
You can check to see if you are registered to participate in the ceremony here.
If inclement weather prevents us from gathering on Friday, May 5, our rain plan is to hold the ceremony at Ozinga Field at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 6. For more details, visit https://www.trnty.edu/event/graduation-raindate/
Professional photos will be taken of each graduate during the ceremony as they receive their diplomas, and in front of a Trinity backdrop after they leave the stage. Trinity has purchased digital rights to two (2) images for our graduates to download and print at your discretion. Families and friends are permitted to take photos during the ceremony from their seats. Professional photos can be accessed at www.killoranphotography.smugmug.com, click Trinity Christian College. If you have questions, contact Tom Killoran Photography directly at 708-361-0025.
The discount code for 2 free digital downloads is: trinity24
Drones and aerial videography/photography are NOT allowed in the stadium before, during, or after the ceremony.
All graduating, residential students must complete an official checkout with a Residence Life staff member by 12 pm on Saturday, May 4. Check-outs involve demonstrating all personal belongings have been removed, the space is cleaned, and room key is returned. Students have the option to select from a list of available options the precise day and time they wish to check-out. More information will be released by Residence Life regarding check-out procedures at the March 25th mandatory meeting.
Graduates should be sure to arrive at the Southeast parking lot at Ozinga Field by 6 p.m. to receive instructions regarding their participation in the ceremony. Several staff members will be present to assist graduates and respond to last-minute concerns.
You will also receive important communication about additional instructions to your Trinity email if you are a current student, or your personal email if you already graduated.
Since there will not be a locked room available for you to leave your things, we recommend leaving valuables at home, or in the care of one of your attending guests. If necessary, leave your belongings in a locked vehicle.
Yes, ample free parking is available surrounding Ozinga Field. Shuttle service by golf-cart will be available for handicapped guests to the main gate. Participating students should plan to park at the south end of the west parking lot.
The ceremony will be handicap accessible, but please arrive early if your guests require handicap accessibility accommodations. For wheelchair access, we encourage you to park near the wheelchair ramp on the North side of the stadium. If you have accessibility needs, we advise you arrive as close to 1 hour before your ceremony as possible. Ushers will be there to direct you to the handicap accessible seating area.
Guests using wheelchairs may have 1 guest seated next to them. The rest of the party may sit elsewhere in the stadium.
Please visit our Local Hotels page to book with partnering local hotels.
A list of additional local hotels is available at the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau Accommodation website.
For information on hotels and room availability, contact the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association at 312.346.3135.
A list of restaurants is available at the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau Dining website.
For information on dining and restaurants in the area, contact the Illinois Restaurant Association at 312.787.4000.
Announcements can be ordered through the Trinity Bookstore by clicking here or stop by the store inside the Bootsma Bookstore Café.
Please email registrar@trnty.edu to see if you qualify to participate.