University of Southern California
University of Southern California
Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
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News and Events
News and Events

2019 Commencement for the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

May 10, 2019
University Park Campus
Lawn west of Leavey Library

Main USC Ceremony

  • Students line up: 8am, in Section C.
  • Processional: 8:30am.
  • Ceremony: 9:00am.
  • Cap and Tassel Protocol. Caps should be worn at all times, except during the invocation, benediction and National Anthem, when gentlemen should remove their caps. The tassel is worn over the right temple. When the President salutes the graduates, it is appropriate for the graduates to respond by tipping their caps. Graduates may then move their tassels over to the left side.

After the conclusion of the main ceremony, please proceed directly to the lawn west of Leavey Library. USC Chan degree candidates will line-up according to degree.

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Satellite Commencement Ceremony


Semira Dariushnia, USC Chan's 2019 commencement speaker. (Photo by Glenn Marzano)

Semira Dariushnia, USC Chan’s 2019 commencement speaker. (Photo by Glenn Marzano)

  • Arrive: no later than 10:30am.
  • Ceremony: 11:00am, lawn west of Leavey Library.
  • Speaker: The 2019 Chan division Commencement speaker is family physician and USC Chan Board of Councilors member, Semira Dariushnia.
  • Reception: Immediately following; details TBA.
  • Cap & Gown. Please refer to commencement.usc.edu/caps-and-gowns-regalia for details and pricing for renting and purchasing regalia. A tassel for the cap comes with the rental that can be kept as a souvenir. Graduate students: Please note the color of your hood when ordering regalia.
    MA: White
    OTD: Rhodes Blue (a.k.a. Slate Blue)
    PhD: Dark Blue
    Honor Cords (undergraduate students only)
    Honor cords, which may be worn by undergraduates who have earned a minimum 3.5 university GPA by the end of the fall 2018 semester, are available from the division. The division will notify you by mid-April if you are eligible to wear an honor cord. Note: Academic honors (cum laude, etc.) will be designated on your diploma/record since these honors will be awarded after final grades are determined after Commencement, and include all coursework (including transfer work).
  • Guests with Disabilities. Please visit the USC Commencement website for additional parking or seating information.  If you have a guest attending the satellite ceremony who requires special accommodations (e.g., seated in a wheelchair), please email Bianca Ojeda at least two weeks prior to Commencement Day.
  • Parking. Parking on campus is free on Commencement Day, but spaces fill up quickly. Additional parking is available at the Parking Center located on the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Grand Avenue. Trams will be available to take guests from the Parking Center to the main ceremony. If you arrive late and all campus parking facilities are filled, you can park at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (also free), accessible from Exposition Boulevard.
  • Pets. The university adopted a no pet policy at the main and satellite commencement ceremonies. Service dogs are exempt.

University Commencement Website

For additional Commencement information, please visit the university’s commencement site. Any additional questions can be directed to Bianca Ojeda.

Other Considerations

  • Weather. Commencement Day activities may involve prolonged exposure to the sun. Sunscreen, water and hats are recommended.
  • Dining. USC Hospitality operates Moreton Fig in the Tutor Center, and McKay’s and The Lab on Figueroa Boulevard across from campus. If you’re looking for restaurants further from campus, Los Angeles is full of world-class dining options to host a post-graduation lunch or dinner.

USC Chan 2018 Commencement | May 11, 2018

The 76th annual commencement ceremony of the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy was hosted at the University Park Campus on Friday, May 11, 2018. Highlighted by a keynote address from Varun Soni, USC's Vice Provost for Campus Wellness and Crisis Intervention and the Dean of Religious Life, the ceremony awarded 10 bachelor of science, 175 master of arts, 56 doctorate of occupational therapy and three occupational science PhD graduates. Fight On!