Ceremony Details
- Day and Time: Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 2 p.m.
- Doors open at 1 p.m. Students must be lined up by 1:45 p.m.
- Location: Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum | 4141 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- The ceremony will last approximately 2 hours.
- Tickets are not required for admission. (maximum of 5 guests per graduate)
- We will be livestreaming the event and a link to the live stream will be shared on our SHRS Facebook/Instagram pages.
- This ceremony will include students from the:
- Undergraduate Emergency Medicine program
- Undergraduate Rehabilitation Science program
- Graduate Program Departments:
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Physician Assistant Studies
- Rehabilitation Technology
- Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Counseling
- Rehabilitation Science PhD’s within these departments
Venue Details, Parking and Guest Accessibility
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall
- Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum is a National Register of Historic Places landmark in Pittsburgh. It is the largest memorial in the United States dedicated to honoring all branches of military veterans and service personnel.
- You can visit their website for more information: http://soldiersandsailorshall.org/.
Parking and Guest Accessibility
Paid parking is available on the street or in the parking garage located under Soldiers and Sailors on Bigelow Boulevard.
- There is no physical connection or elevator from or between the garage and the Hall.
- You must walk outside the garage to enter the Hall.
- Guests using a wheelchair or who prefer limited walking may park on the top (first floor) of the garage. Please specify this to the attendant when entering.
- Guests who prefer a ramped entrance may also be dropped off at the Soldiers and Sailors outdoor parking lot located at the corner of O’Hara Street and University Drive. There is a wheelchair ramp in the lot that enters directly into the building. This lot is only for dropping off. No parking is permitted in this outdoor Soldiers and Sailors parking lot.
For other parking garages click here to view Visitor Parking Brochure from University of Pittsburgh)
Accessibility inside the Auditorium
Inside the Auditorium, behind the back row, there is a designated area for those using personal wheelchairs. The last row of seats (just in front of this space) is reserved for the family of our guests using wheelchairs.
Please note in your RSVP if your guests will be using this space.
Accessible restrooms are located on the third level, accessible via two elevators.
How to RSVP
To officially submit your RSVP to attend or NOT to attend, click on the link in your email invitation by March 25.
If you RSVP to attend, your name will be added to the student lineup procession, and a seat will be reserved for you.
VERY IMPORTANT: If you can no longer attend after you have RSVPed, inform Kellie Beach as soon as possible at kbeach@pitt.edu so that the lineup and seating can be adjusted.
Guest Information
Each participating student may bring a MAXIMUM of five (5) guests. We will not be requiring tickets.
- In your RSVP, please indicate the number of guests you plan on having in attendance. Do not count yourself or any children who are under the age of 2.
- Seating for guests is on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Seating and parking accessibility information is listed below under Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall.
- Please note any seating accessibility needs in your RSVP.
- Standing in the aisles is not permitted due to the building fire codes.
- Guests are NOT permitted to bring balloons into the auditorium due to the high ceilings.
- Click here for the Office of International Services (OIS) Fact Sheet about inviting friends / relatives to the U.S.:
- If you have any additional questions, you can reach out directly to OIS:
- Email:OIS@pitt.edu
- Phone: +1-412-624-7120
- If you have any additional questions, you can reach out directly to OIS:
Regalia
All participating students are required to purchase and wear regalia for the SHRS ceremony (May 2) and the Undergraduate Commencement (May 3).
Regalia Details
You can order your regalia from the University Store before or during Graduation Central. Graduation Central will kick off on April 7 and run through May 1. More information can be found here.
- You will be able to pre-order your regalia starting on March 2. If you want to be able to pick up your regalia at Graduation Central, you will need to place your pre-order by Friday, April 3.
- April 7 will be the first day you can come to the University Bookstore to pick up your pre-orders or purchase.
- You can also purchase your regalia at Graduation Central.
Ordering Regalia
- Customer information needed: you will be asked for your height, weight and degree selection once you add your item to your cart.
- Shipping: If you choose to have your regalia shipped, you will pay an additional shipping cost of $17.95.
- The regalia sets include cap, gown, hood and tassel
- Bachelor Regalia Set – All Bachelor of Arts and Science degrees, choose For Degree Specialization – Health and Rehabilitation Science – Science Yellow
- Masters Regalia Set – Degree specialization choose Master of Arts –White (Speech Language Degree Only) or Master of Science – Science
Yellow - Doctoral Regalia Set
- For Clinical Doctorate in OT and Doctor of Medical Science – choose For Degree Specialization Clinical Science – Science Yellow
- For Doctor of Audiology, choose for Degree Specialization – Spruce (Dark Green)
- For Doctor of OT & PT, choose for Degree Specialization – Teal
- For PhD choose for Degree Specialization – Philosophy (PhD – All Areas Royal
Honor Cords for Undergraduates
To qualify for Honors, one must have completed 60 letter graded credits of coursework from Pitt and have a 3.250 Cumulative GPA.
- 2026 graduates, this will be based on your December 2025 cumulative GPA, as your grades are not final for spring term until after the ceremony.
- Pitt honor cords are blue and gold and are the same for all honor designations. Final honor designations for the following are determined after your degree is certified.
- Cum Laude 3.250-3.499
- Magna Cum 3.500-3.749
- Summa Cum Laude 3.750-4.000
- Picking up your Honor Cords
- Dates: April 7 – April 21
- Location: New SHRS Building at 3396 Fifth Avenue – Fifth and Halket Floor 8, Administrative Suite
- Available: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- If a student cannot pick up their honors cords in person, they will have to send an email to SHRS Advising: advising@shrs.pitt.edu and indicate which student will pick up their honors cords on their
behalf.
- If a student cannot pick up their honors cords in person, they will have to send an email to SHRS Advising: advising@shrs.pitt.edu and indicate which student will pick up their honors cords on their
- All cords not picked up by April 21 will be given out to students, by the student lineup marshal at your SHRS Graduation ceremony.
Hooding for Graduate Students
Students should carry the hood on their left arm as they approach the stage for hooding.
- Doctoral degrees in PT, OT, Audiology, Doctor of Medical Science and Chiropractic will be hooded on stage by their department.
- PhD recipients will be hooded on stage by their committee chair and the title of their dissertation will be read.
Other Regalia Information
- ONLY doctoral students (including PhDs) will be hooded on stage.
- All students should wear their tassels on the right side of their mortarboard.
- We will not have extra regalia or components of regalia for you at the ceremony. Please come prepared!
- Please wear sensible shoes as you must go up and down steps to the stage.
More information regarding regalia (including pricing, recycling, and a video on how to properly wear your regalia) can be found at this link for the University Store: Grad Central & Graduation Information.
Click on this link to place your order: Shop Regalia | The University Store on Fifth.
If you have any questions regarding regalia, please visit or contact the University Store.
NameCoach – Name Pronunciation
Before April 11, 2026, please record your name for the Name Announcer in NameCoach. To ensure all graduates’ names are correctly pronounced as you cross the stage, students will be asked to record their spoken name on NameCoach.
Click here to access the afternoon ceremony NameCoach link.
- Names of students who are present at the ceremony and students that RSVP not to attend will be announced.
- Note: if you RSVP to attend and you are not present on the day of the ceremony, your name will NOT be
announced.
NameCoach Instructions
Afternoon Ceremony Link: https://name-coach.com/record/71A06B
- If you have previously recorded your name on the NameCoach website for any other purpose at any other time, click on the, “Already registered on our site?” link, located at the bottom of the webpage and Log In.
- Use the Forgot Password option, if needed.
- Your past recording of your name will automatically be saved. You will see a green banner confirming, “The name was successfully recorded.” No additional recording will be needed!
- If you are new to NameCoach, complete the required fields (name, email, phonetics) and we suggest choosing the phone option to record your name. Once recorded, click Submit and Finish.
If you have any questions concerning NameCoach, contact Assistant Registrar Lori Keiffer at LAK103@pitt.edu.
Photographer
GRADIMAGES will be taking individual photos of all students as they cross the stage. Once the proofs are available online to purchase, students will receive an email from GRADIMAGES sent to their Pitt email. Graduates will be able to look at their photos, the packages offered, and pricing. More information will be provided in the email that you receive after the ceremony.
Flowers
The Commencement Flower Company will be at Soldiers and Sailors selling flowers in the lobby. Flowers may also be pre-ordered through this link: https://www.thecommencementgroup.com/pitthealth/
Go back to the the SHRS Commencement webpage for more information.
