ACE Commencement
Congratulations, class of 2025!
2025 Commencement Venue
200 W Nationwide Blvd.
Columbus, OH 43215
- Graduates will enter the arena using the entrance.
- Guests will enter the arena using the entrance.
- For a map of parking options close to the venue, .
For information on local accommodations and other Columbus attractions, please head to .
2025 Commencement Ceremony Schedule
In-Person Attendees
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Graduate check-in is located at the . Once past security, look for signs and volunteers to guide you.听
Doctoral Ceremony | |
10 am ET | Doors open and check-in begins for doctoral graduates Graduate line-up begins immediately following check-in. |
10:50 am | Doctoral graduate processional into the arena |
11 am 鈥 1 pm | Doctoral Hooding Ceremony For graduates in all Ed.D. programs. Please note that Ed.D. graduates only walk during this ceremony. |
叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚, 惭补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and Education Specialist Ceremony | |
2 pm | Doors open and check-in begins for bachelor鈥檚, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and education specialist graduates Graduate line-up begins immediately following check-in. |
2:50 pm | 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and education specialist graduate processional into the arena |
3-5 pm | Full Ceremony For graduates in all 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚, 惭补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and Education Specialist programs. |
Virtual Attendees
Saturday, July 26, 2025
11 鈥 11:45 am ET | Livestream of Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on ace.edu/commencement |
11:45 am | Registered doctoral virtual graduates will switch to the recorded reading of names |
3 pm | Livestream of 叠补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚, 惭补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and Education Specialist Ceremony on ace.edu/commencement |
4:15 pm | Registered virtual graduates will switch to the recorded reading of names |
*Important note for all students: Only students who complete the registration process will have their names read aloud as part of the in-person or virtual ceremonies.鈥&苍产蝉辫;
Important note for Ed.D. candidates: Ed.D. candidates must successfully defend their dissertation at least 30 days prior to commencement. If the dissertation is not successfully defended for any reason, the candidate will no longer be able to participate in commencement.鈥
Important note for bachelor鈥檚, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 and education specialist students: If a graduate date is extended due to a change in enrollment or class progression to a date later than Sept. 21, 2025, the student will no longer be eligible to participate in their year鈥檚 commencement.鈥&苍产蝉辫;
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
All 2025 Ed.D. graduates will be recognized during the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, a separate ceremony which takes place the morning of Saturday, July 26. The doctoral hooding ceremony is a time-honored tradition in academia where a graduate is recognized for their achievement as a doctoral scholar.
Doctoral graduates will only participate in the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, as they will walk the stage and have their degree conferred to them at that time. Ed.D. graduates will not be asked to walk the stage again during the Saturday afternoon ceremony. However, if Ed.D. graduates would like to return for the afternoon ceremony, they are welcome to do so as a member of the audience.
2025 ACE Grad Boxes and T-Shirt

Want to commemorate your graduation with something special? The 2025 ACE Grad Box or t-shirt is the perfect way to add some extra ACE pride to your celebrations. All eligible 2025 grads can purchase the Class of 2025 ACE grad t-shirt on its own or upgrade to a box with other graduation goodies. You do not need to have registered for commencement. For those wishing to have their order in time for ACE Commencement, orders must be placed by Monday, July 7.
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Flying to Commencement?
ACE graduates and their guests can take advantage of discounted fares with Southwest Airlines. For those who register to attend in person, check your registration confirmation email for information on how to book your travel at a reduced price.
Purchase Regalia and Graduation Products
The ordering deadline for Jostens regalia for commencement closed on June 20, 2025.
After this date, Jostens can not guarantee on-time delivery.

Jostens has been a leader in graduation celebration services since 1897 and is the preferred provider for ACE regalia and other graduation products. However, graduates are allowed to purchase their regalia from other vendors if they choose. Regalia is required for in-person graduates and optional for virtual graduates.鈥&苍产蝉辫;
Please note that ACE will provide eligible in-person graduates with National Board Certified Teacher cords and military veteran cords at commencement check-in, if eligible. These cords do not need to be purchased separately by graduates attending commencement in person.鈥疕onors cords (denoting a 4.0 GPA) are eligible for purchase on the Jostens website when ordering regalia. Kappa Delta Pi and Sigma members should have received cords directly from their organizations and are welcome to wear them at commencement.
Jostens provides the following services for ACE graduates:
Graduation Caps and Gowns
Fine Quality Regalia
Affiliation Accessories
Custom Diploma Frames
Graduate Rings
Announcements
If you have any questions during the ordering process, please contact Jostens Customer Care directly at 800-854-7464, Monday through Friday, 10 am 鈥 6 pm ET.
2025 Keynote Speaker

Valorie Burton, life strategist and international speaker, is CEO of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute. Her life-changing message has an intriguing, research-based emphasis in the pioneering field of applied positive psychology 鈥 the study of what happens when things go right with us. Her company provides coaching, coach training and resilience training and has served clients in all 50 states and 37 countries on six continents.
Since 1999, she has written 14 books translated into multiple languages, including 鈥淟et Go of the Guilt,鈥 鈥淚t’s About Time鈥 and 鈥淪uccessful Women Think Differently.鈥 She has appeared regularly on the TODAY Show, CNN, Dr. Oz, and Essence and has spoken for hundreds of organizations around the globe. She was named one of the top 60 motivational speakers in America and one of the top 100 thought leaders in the field of personal development. For over 15 years, Valorie’s books, speaking engagements and coaching programs have helped people:
- Make major life changes that are exciting and scary at the same time.
- Be happier and have more fun, even when life seems routine.
- Become strong leaders, navigate office politics and achieve professional dreams.
- Navigate setbacks and disappointments in a way that makes life better, not bitter.
- Speak up with confidence rather than settling for less.
- Go to sleep at night feeling at peace about decisions.
She and her husband Jeff live on a ranch south of Atlanta with their children.
Commencement FAQs
If you have any other questions, please find our contact information here.
If I got the Save the Date email, does that mean I get to graduate?鈥
Does commencement communication only go to my ACE email?
When does my account need to be paid in full so I can participate in commencement?
Will tickets be needed for guests and is there a limit on the number I can get?
What is parking like at the venue?
I will need ADA accommodations during commencement. What should I do?
I am a member of KDP. Will I receive KDP cords to wear at commencement?
I am a member of Sigma Nursing Honor Society. Will I receive Sigma cords to wear at commencement?
As an Ed.D. graduate, can I walk in the ceremony at 3 pm ET?鈥
[Virtual commencement] Can I watch the livestream on a delay?
My friend got a Save the Date email and I didn鈥檛. Why?鈥
I missed the registration cut-off last year. Can I still participate this year?
What are the security and bag rules for the venue?
I have guests wanting to make travel plans and reservations. When will they be able to do that?鈥
Will I receive honors cords if I am attending commencement?鈥
Can I change which ceremony I attend?
Can I change my mind to be virtual or in-person?
Can I submit a headshot for the virtual ceremony?
When is the last day I can register?
How do I wear my regalia?
[Virtual commencement] Can I change which livestream ceremony I watch?
2024 Commencement Highlights
From bachelor鈥檚 degree to doctorate, from processional to the alumni reception, every second of commencement weekend was a beautiful reminder of what you can achieve with hard work, dedication and perseverance.