Logo
search
Logo

Commencement

The Trustees, Faculty, and Students
of
St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary
request the honor of your presence at the

Commencement of the Class of 2024

on
May 18, 2024

Commencement Program 2024

Archived copies of the Commencement Program, from May 2008, also are available online.

Students receive their diplomas and academic hoods at the annual commencement exercises of St. Vladimir's Seminary, which are held in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, located in the John G. Rangos Family Foundation Building. No diploma will be presented or final transcript issued unless all degree requirements have been completed and all financial obligations to the seminary, including library and bookstore, have been satisfied. In the case of outstanding loans or other obligations not then due and payable, appropriate agreements must have been drawn up and all payments must be current.

Graduates who would like to order replacement diplomas should contact Gabrielle Russin, Student Affairs Administrator.

Graduation Honors. Academic honors are reserved for M.Div. and M.A. students who complete all academic requirements at a high level and submit an honors thesis. Upon recommendation of the Faculty Council and approval by the Board of Trustees, the following citations may be given at graduation:

  • For a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.90, summa cum laude;
  • For a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.80, magna cum laude;
  • For a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50, cum laude.

For the determination of honors, only courses taken at St. Vladimir’s are included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average.

Commendation for Thesis. Upon recommendation of the candidate’s thesis readers and approval of the Faculty Council, the student may receive "commendation for thesis."

Commendation for Service to the Community. Upon recommendation of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and approval of the Faculty Council, M.Div. and M.A. students may receive "commendation for service to the community."

St Vladimir's Seminary holds commencement exercises at the end of the spring semester in May. Students who are eligible to graduate in September will be permitted to walk at the preceding spring semester commencement as long as the following conditions are met:

  • no more than 6 credits (thesis registration or 3 credits in course work for Th.M. students)—for which the student is already registered in the spring semester—in course work, field work, or thesis (except continuation registration, which is bound by the semester deadline) are incomplete; and
  • all unfinished work is expected to be completed by June 15. Students who fail to complete all work by the June 15 deadline will register for continuation in the fall semester and, if all program requirements are completed by the fall semester deadline, graduate in December.

September graduates who walk at commencement in the spring semester will be listed in the Commencement Program (with thesis title but without graduation honors indicated), wear cap and gown, and receive an empty folder (instead of a folder with diploma). Honors, if earned, will be indicated on the official transcript when all work is completed.

Student commencement speakers are selected by the faculty council from among the graduating students of both the Master of Arts and Master of Divinity programs. The valedictorian, who delivers the valediction or parting words at commencement, is normally the student who has earned the highest grade point average, with consideration also being given to performance in all other aspects of seminary life. The salutatorian, who delivers the salutation or greeting at commencement, is normally the student who has earned the second-highest grade point average, with consideration also being given to performance in all other aspects of seminary life. Commencement speakers must have completed at least 48 credits at St Vladimir’s Seminary as full-time degree candidates. Neither the valedictorian nor the salutatorian is required to write a thesis.