Commencement | Millikin University

Commencement
In-Person Commencement Ceremonies
Sunday, December 13, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Kirkland Fine Arts Center
Commencement

Graduating Class of 2026

Graduation Information
Millikin University is excited to announce that December 2026 graduates, for both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, will be recognized through an in-person ceremony.
Graduates will participate in the ceremony at 2:00 p.m. Doors will open at 1:00 p.m. Graduates should be at Kirkland lined up no later than 1:15 p.m.
Graduating students will be allowed up to 10 guests at the ceremony. Millikin community members unable to attend the ceremony in-person will be able to watch the ceremony through a public live stream here on Millikin’s commencement website.
Millikin University has partnered with The Commencement Group to provide floral arrangements for purchase. To further contribute to a safe and efficient environment for graduates, guests, and faculty, they strongly encourage customers to take advantage of their online pre-order service.
Questions should be directed to the Office of the Registrar at registrar@millikin.edu.
Ceremony & Rehearsal
Commencement Ceremony
The commencement ceremonies will be held on Sunday, December 13th, at 2:00 p.m. at Kirkland Fine Arts Center.
Doors will open at 1:00 p.m.
Graduates should be at Kirkland lined up no later than 1:15 p.m.
Each graduating student will be allowed up to 10 guests to attend the ceremony. To make arrangements for guests that need accessible seating, please contact Lisa Hill by Monday, December 7th. Guests in the accessible seating section may be accompanied by one other guest. The accessible seats will replace general seating seats.
No balloons, noisemakers, or signs will be allowed in Kirkland for the ceremonies.
Commencement Rehearsal
December graduates will be required to attend commencement rehearsal on Wednesday, December 9th.
Graduates will participate in rehearsal at 5:00 p.m. Graduates should enter through the stage door at Kirkland no later than 4:45 p.m. to check-in.
Cap & Gown
Caps, Gowns, Hoods, Tassels
Cap and gown orders need to be made through Herff Jones no later than November 7th. If you are interested in purchasing announcements, souvenir tassels, Millikin custom stoles, etc., you may do so through the Herff Jones link.
You may keep your cap, tassel, and honor cords.
Gowns and graduate hoods must be turned in after the ceremony at the Lower Gallery of the Kirkland Fine Arts Center.
Cap decorating guidelines
o    Décor height must not exceed 3”
o    Décor must not exceed the perimeter of the cap
o    Décor must not include any profanity, inflammatory or explicit content
o    The cap worn must be the same color as the cap the individual was given
Professional Photographs

Commencement Photography
Photographers from Grad Images (1-800-261-2576) will be at the ceremony to record three photo opportunities: a candid photo as the graduate receives his or her diploma, a posed photo of the graduate with the diploma, and family/individual portraits after the ceremony. No reservations are necessary for these photo opportunities. Since photographers will be available throughout the ceremony, family members are encouraged to remain in their seats to relax and enjoy the ceremony.
Free Photo Gifts for the Graduate
Approximately six weeks after the ceremony, each graduate will receive a free 5x7 print as a gift from Millikin's alumni office. The pose for this complimentary print is chosen by Grad Images and is typically the candid of the graduate receiving his or her diploma on the stage. In addition, graduates who were photographed with their alumni relatives will receive one free 5x7 print of that photo, also a gift from the alumni office.
Photos with Alumni Relatives
In addition, graduates with alumni relatives may choose to be photographed with those relatives prior to the ceremony. To take advantage of this alumni photo opportunity, please complete the online reservation form prior to the ceremony. Instructions with the location and time of the photos are provided on the form. Graduates will receive one free 5x7 print of this photo as a gift from the alumni office.
Ordering Photos
Within ten business days after the ceremony, an email notification will be sent to your Millikin address with instructions to view free digital proofs. Prints may be ordered online at www.gradimages.com. There is no obligation to purchase any prints; however, several enlargement packages are available. Remember, the graduate will receive a 5x7 portrait from the ceremony and print of photos with alumni relatives as gifts from the alumni office.

Degrees, Diplomas, & Transcripts

Degrees
• Participating in commencement does not mean you have earned a degree. Grades are due to the Office of the Registrar by Wednesday, December 23rd. If you have a newly discovered outstanding requirement for your degree, reach out to Lisa Hill for help putting a plan together for degree completion.

Diplomas
• A Millikin University Diploma lists Name of the Graduate, Degree Earned, and Latin Honors. Information such as Major, Minor, Concentrations are listed on a transcript.
• Diplomas may be picked up or will be mailed near the beginning of February. We work as quickly as possible to award degrees, but confirming requirements can take some time. You will be contacted when diplomas are ready for pick-up.
• Diplomas will be mailed to the permanent address on file with Millikin. If you need to update your permanent address, please contact the Registrar's office.

Transcripts
• Information on ordering transcripts can be found on the Registrar's website.
• When ordering a transcript choose the option “hold for degree”. We will process held transcripts early January once degrees are confirmed. Transcripts without the requested “hold” will be processed without degree information; additional transcript orders are processed at an additional cost.
• For those of you completing final requirements elsewhere, to be awarded a degree for December, transcripts must be received by February 1st, otherwise degrees cannot be awarded until May with a May graduation date.
Millikin Email
Millikin Email Accounts
Millikin email accounts, along with myMillikin access, will remain active for one year after enrollment at the University has ceased. If you decide to re-enroll or continue your education at Millikin, your email will be re-activated. Please begin to transition to a new email account over the next year by taking the following action:
Back up important emails, files and contacts.
Update external sites in which your millikin.edu account is used as a log in/username/recovery email.
Provide Millikin a new, preferred email address at alumnews@millikin.edu.
Dates & Deadlines

Important Dates & Deadlines
November 7, 2026: Deadline to order cap & gown from Herff Jones.
November 30 –December 9, 2026: Complete the Graduating Student Survey and qualify for the chance to win raffle prizes.
December 9, 2026: Commencement rehearsal: Check in at Kirkland Fine Arts Center by 4:45 p.m.
December 11, 2026: Deadline to pay graduation fee and student account balance. If you have questions about your account, please contact Student Financial Services at 217-424-6317 or by e-mail at studentfinancialservices@millikin.edu.
December 13, 2026: Commencement ceremony: Check in at Kirkland Fine Arts Center by 1:15 p.m.