Wharton Undergraduate Graduation

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The Wharton Undergraduate Graduation Ceremony will be held at The Palestra, the University of Pennsylvania’s iconic arena. The Palestra is located on 33rd Street between South and Walnut Streets. Tickets are not required for general admission.  Note that there are restrictions on the items you can bring into the Palestra; be sure to review the FAQ for details.

The student procession will start at 8:50 a.m. The ceremony will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will last approximately two hours.

For those unable to attend the ceremony in person, a live webcast of the event will be available on the Wharton website.

Ceremony Information for Guests with Limited Mobility

Special seating areas are available for guests who use wheelchairs, as well as for those with limited physical mobility or medical conditions, and tickets are required for these sections.

Graduates will be able to request tickets for limited mobility/wheelchair seating through the Graduation Registration system (students will be notified via email when the system is up and running). The tickets will be distributed to graduates at the end of April/beginning of May.

The day of the ceremony, guests with limited mobility can be dropped off in front of Shoemaker Green on 33rd Street between South and Walnut Streets. There will be transportation via golf cart to the Palestra entrance. We recommend dropping off any guests with limited mobility before 8:15 a.m.  Please be aware that the Palestra is bench seating. Due to space constraints, guests with disabilities who are seated in the limited-mobility seating area may be accompanied by one escort only.

Please note: Motorized scooters and wheelchairs are permitted in the Palestra. If anyone in your party uses these items, please bring them with you. We do not provide wheelchairs or scooters during commencement weekend.

• All bags and packages (wallets and small clutches are acceptable)
• Artificial noisemakers, including airhorns or bullhorns
• Signs, banners, posters, or flags
• Sticks or poles, including tripods or selfie sticks
• Glass and plastic bottles, soda cans, and all outside food / beverages
• Alcoholic beverages
• Coolers
• Firearms, knives, scissors, needles, razor blades, or weapons of any type
• Multiuse or similar tools or screwdrivers
• Toy guns, toy weapons or similar props
• Fireworks and open flames
• Pepper spray / mace
• Laser pointers
• Aerosol containers
• Hazardous, chemical, radiological, or biological materials
• Sports balls or sporting equipment of any type
• Animals or pets – except for service animals

Anything brought to the venue will be pre-screened before entry. Please do not bring items with you that are not needed for the ceremony – leave them in your car, hotel room, dorm, or apartment. Pre-screening items slows the entry of guests into the venue.

Diplomas will be mailed to students by Penn’s Office of the University Registrar. Students typically receive their diplomas in the mail 2-3 months after their official graduation date. Students who need proof of graduation sooner may request an official transcript verifying degree completion through Path@Penn.