The commencement ceremony for students who earned degrees and/or certificates during summer semester 2026 and/or autumn semester 2026 will be held Friday, Dec. 11, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Adena Hall gymnasium on the Newark campus. (Directions to Adena Hall.)

Rehearsal

Rehearsal will take place Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2026, in the Adena Hall gymnasium. Rehearsal check-in will begin at 4:30 p.m., rehearsal will start at 5 p.m. and will last approximately one hour.

Tickets

Starting Nov. 10, 2026, at 9a.m., you may pick up your initial allotment of three tickets at the Newark campus Gateway Office by presenting your photo ID. Tickets not picked up by the end of commencement rehearsal will be made available to other graduates. If you are unable to pick up your tickets during the specified timeframe, you may designate another person to pick those up for you (this person will be required to present their photo ID.), or you can request your tickets be sent to another campus by emailing the student records office at cotcrecords@mail.cotc.edu from your COTC email.

Parking

Graduates and guests should park in the Reese Center or Hodges Hall (formerly Founders Hall) parking lots. Parking is free. Accessible parking is available at Adena Hall.

Commencement Check-in

Check-in will take place in room 130 of Adena Hall beginning at 5 p.m. and must be completed by 5:45 p.m. Please do not be late. Signs will be posted to direct you to the correct line-up room for your major after you check in.

Guests

All guests should be in their seats by 6:20 p.m. as doors will close promptly at 6:25 p.m. Anyone arriving after 6:25 p.m. may be required to remain in the lobby until after the procession has completed.

Accessibility

If you require accommodation to participate fully, contact Stephanie Rowland at rowland.245@mail.cotc.edu. Requests should be made as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks prior to commencement. Requests will be accepted beyond that date, and every effort to provide a needed accommodation will be made but cannot be guaranteed.

Due to limited space, only one person may accompany a guest who requires accessible seating in the designated seating area during commencement. 

Sign language interpreting will be provided during the ceremony.

Photo/Video Release

By participating in or attending the commencement ceremony, you and your guests understand that COTC will be photographing and video recording the ceremony. The ceremony will be live-streamed on YouTube and/or other social media channels, and COTC may use video and photos from the commencement ceremony on college webpages, future publications or media releases.

Diplomas and Certificates

You will not receive your diploma at the ceremony. You will receive a digital version and printed version after the ceremony. Learn more about diploma and certificate distribution.

Commencement Program

Your name will not appear in the commencement program if you have instructed COTC not to release your directory information. Student Records will provide you with your directory release status in email communications. To change your directory release status, please submit a Personal Data Change Form.

If you would like to verify that your name is spelled correctly for the commencement program and your diploma, please email cotcrecords@mail.cotc.edu.

Photos and Video

Cap and gown portrait photographs will be taken as you receive your diploma cover on stage and immediately after the ceremony as you are exiting the gymnasium.

A video of the ceremony will be on COTC’s YouTube channel.