VCUarts is pleased to honor graduates at the spring 2026 commencement celebration. Please save the date:
Friday, May 8, 2026
1:00 p.m.
Altria Theater
All August 2025, December 2025, May 2026 and anticipated August 2026 graduates of the School of the Arts are invited to attend the May 8, 2026, VCUarts celebration.
Tickets
Graduates may bring up to four guests to the May 2026 in-person VCUarts celebration, which will also be livestreamed. Tickets are required for guests and must be picked up by graduates in person from April 10 to May 7 at the VCUarts Dean’s Office (Pollak Building, Suite 201) Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Please note: All guest tickets are general admission.
Questions
For more information about the VCUarts commencement celebration, please see the commencement FAQ. If you have additional questions, please contact the Dean’s Office at arts@vcu.edu or 804-VCU-ARTS.
Photography
A professional photographer will photograph graduates after they have crossed the stage. A proof of this photo and information about purchasing will be sent to the email address provided on the reader form that graduates fill out upon arrival.
Livestream
The celebration will be livestreamed for guests who are not able to attend in person. The link will be shared with graduates and will be displayed on the VCUarts website on the day of the celebration.
Regalia
Commencement Speaker
Wei Dong (M.F.A. ’88)
Wei Dong (M.F.A. ’88) returns Wei Dong ’88 returns to VCUarts as an internationally recognized artist, designer and scholar whose career spans nearly four decades of influential contributions to art and design practice and education in the United States and around the world.
A Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor and Audrey Rothermel Bascom Professor in the Department of Design Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Professor Dong held four named professorships over the course of his 37-year tenure—a rare distinction in academia that reflects both the breadth and sustained impact of his work. He is also the recipient of the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, one of the university’s highest honors across all disciplines.
Professor Dong’s scholarship explores the cultural and philosophical foundations of art and design, with particular emphasis on the dialogue between traditional Chinese artistic principles and Western approaches to design methodology and sustainable development. His work has contributed significantly to contemporary discourse on art, design and cultural aesthetics across Eastern and Western traditions.
His books on visual communication in design—one of which has been translated into Spanish and Korean—have reached students and practitioners worldwide. His creative work has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and universities across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. He has received recognition from the Interior Design Educators Council, the Design Communication Association, and the Art and Design Educators’ National Exhibition, among others.
Over the course of his career, Professor Dong has delivered invited lectures, keynote addresses, exhibitions, and workshops across four continents, and has collaborated with more than 50 universities and cultural institutions worldwide. He has mentored generations of undergraduate and graduate students who now serve as educators, researchers and creative professionals across the globe.
Since retiring in 2024, he has continued his creative practice and returned to rural Sichuan, China, where he supports art education for children—an endeavor that reflects his lifelong belief:
Art education does not merely transform perception, emotion, and thought into expressions that resonate with others; it is also a guiding light—gentle yet steadfast—illuminating the journey of life.
- Gordy Haab (B.M. ’00) – May 2025
- Aaron Anderson, Ph.D. – Dec. 2024
- Amber Esseiva (B.A. ’12) – Dec. 2024
- Joshua Boone (B.F.A. ’10) – May 2024
- Charles Watlington (B.F.A. ’02) – Dec. 2023
- Jordan Bruner (B.F.A. ’06) – May 2023
- Janelle Washington (B.F.A. ’99) – Dec. 2022
- Valerie Cassel Oliver – May 2022
- P. Muzi Branch (B.F.A. ’80, M.A.E. ’86) – Dec. 2021
- Samantha Speis (B.F.A. ’05) – May 2021
- Sophia Li (B.A. ’13) – Dec. 2019
- Elizabeth Turk – May 2019
- Jason Butler Harner (B.F.A. ’92) – Dec. 2018
- Bobby C. Martin Jr. (B.F.A. ’99) – May 2018
- Ashley Hawkins (B.F.A. ’07) – Dec. 2017
- Michael Hearst (B.M. ’95) – May 2017
- Noah Scalin – Dec. 2016
- Jarvis Jefferson (B.F.A. ’82) – May 2016
- John Paolini (M.F.A. ’93) – Dec. 2015
- Anne Holton – May 2015
- Eric Booth – Dec. 2014
- Andy Stefanovich – May 2014
- Stephen Nachmanovitch – Dec. 2013
- Teresita Fernández (M.F.A. ’92) – May 2013
- Elizabeth King – Dec. 2012
Resources for Recent Grads
Commencement FAQ
The 2026 celebration will be held Friday, May 8, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.
The VCUarts commencement celebration will be held at Richmond’s Altria Theater (6 N. Laurel St.).
Graduates should plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to the event start time for line-up in the lower level of the Altria Theater.
Upon arrival, you will complete a form to have your name called during the ceremony.
Yes. All graduates who attend the VCUarts commencement celebration will have their names called when they walk across the stage.
All August 2025, December 2025 and May 2026 graduates that checked out on eServices by the deadline stated in the academic calendar will be printed in the program. Please contact your departmental advisor for questions about the graduation checkout process.
Yes, students who have six or fewer credits to complete over the summer are welcome to attend if registered no later than February 27, 2026. Speak with your advisor to confirm your eligibility and for registration information.
No, graduates do not need a ticket for the celebration. Family and friends will have their tickets scanned at the front entrance of the Altria Theater and graduates will be admitted through a separate entrance.
Yes, graduates may bring up to four guests to the May 2026 in-person VCUarts celebration, which will also be livestreamed. Tickets are required for guests and must be picked up by graduates in person from April 10 to May 7 at the VCUarts Dean’s Office (Pollak Building, Suite 201) Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Please note: All guest tickets are general admission.
We will also offer a livestream of the celebration for guests who are not able to attend in person. The link will be shared with graduates and will also be displayed on the VCUarts website the day of the celebration.
No—you may attend one, both or neither.
It depends on your degree and major. This chart outlines the hood and tassel colors that will be present during our commencement.
| Degree | Major | Hood Color | Tassel Color |
| Bachelor of Arts | Art History | White | Black |
| Fashion | Brown | Black | |
| Film | White | Black | |
| Music | Pink | Black | |
| Theatre | Brown | Black | |
| Bachelor of Fine Arts | Art Education | Brown | Black |
| Communication Arts | Brown | Black | |
| Craft and Material Studies | Brown | Black | |
| Dance and Choreography | Brown | Black | |
| Fashion | Brown | Black | |
| Graphic Design | Brown | Black | |
| Interior Design | Brown | Black | |
| Kinetic Imaging | Brown | Black | |
| Painting and Printmaking | Brown | Black | |
| Photography and Film | Brown | Black | |
| Sculpture | Brown | Black | |
| Theatre | Brown | Black | |
| Bachelor of Music | Music | Pink | Black |
| Master of Art | Art History | White | Black |
| Master of Art Education | Art Education | Brown | Black |
| Master of Fine Arts | Design | Brown | Black |
| Fine Arts | Brown | Black | |
| Theatre | Brown | Black | |
| Master of Music | Music | Pink | Black |
| Ph.D. | Ph.D. | Royal | Old Gold |
A cap and gown are required for graduates. A professional photographer will take photos as you cross the stage. Proofs will be shared with the graduate by way of the email they provided on the registration form.
If you are unable to attend the Grad Fair or visit the bookstore, please order your regalia online at balfour.com/vcu. Shipping charges will apply to all internet orders.
Learn more about the university’s commencement on their website.
Yes. With questions or requests regarding accessibility, please contact arts@vcu.edu or 804-VCU-
Complimentary parking for graduates and their guests is available at the VCU West Main Street Parking Deck (801 W. Main St.).
No; however this distinction will be indicated on your diploma and on your transcript.
No. Diplomas will be mailed to the address provided during graduation checkout. To receive your diploma, you must meet all financial obligations to the university. Please contact the Office of Records and Registration at 804-827-1673 or graduation@vcu.edu with any questions.
The School of the Arts takes great pride in recognizing its graduates. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact the Dean’s Office at arts@vcu.edu or 804-VCU-