Event Information

SPRING 2025
UMKC School of Medicine Hooding Ceremony at the Swinney Center on Volker Campus.
- Date/Time: Thursday, May 15th at 4:00pm
  - This event is School of Medicine specific. This event will be a student-centered celebration and inclusive of all SOM graduates!
    - Hooding for MS, MMS, MPHE and MD students
    - Senior award acknowledgement
    - Recognition of membership (AOA, Gold Humanism, etc)
    - Reading of the Professional Oaths
UMKC University-wide Commencement ceremony at T-Mobile Center.
- Date/Time: Saturday, May 17th at 10:00am
  - This is the official UMKC commencement ceremony.
    - All commencement related events are optional.
  - Please review the UMKC Commencement website for additional information: https://www.umkc.edu/commencement

**Hooding Ceremony Live-Stream: https://youtube.com/live/vJpNvBzkNbA

RSVP Request & Student Spotlight

We do not anticipate a limit to the number of guests, however, for planning purposes we do ask that you RSVP.

This is crucial for effective planning.

Additionally, as part of the RSVP, we will be collecting information for both the Student Spotlight and a Thank You Message.

Student Spotlight:

We will highlight individual students across UMKC social media platforms in recognition of your accomplishments.
Your responses to the prompts below may be used.
- Who would you like to thank for support during your academic career? (max 250 characters)
- What are your future plans? (max 500 characters)
- What is your favorite School of Medicine memory? (max 500 characters)
- What advice do you have for current and future students? (max 500 characters)
We will also include the professional headshot you provide below

Thank-You message:

This will be used as you walk across stage during the Hooding Ceremony
We will announce your name followed by the "thank you statement" you provide below.
"Thank you" statements should be inclusive, professional, and appropriate to be read aloud during the Hooding Ceremony.
- Note--future job locations, specialty areas, etc., will not be read aloud. This information may be included in the printed program.

RSVP & Student Spotlight link:
- Deadline: February 28th, 2025

Optional: Name Pronunciation Audio

Additionally, Student Affairs staff is dedicated to improving the event experience for our students. To assist, we want to provide the opportunity for students to submit an audio file of the pronunciation of their name.
- This is not required. Only submit if you are concerned with the potential mispronunciation of your name.
  - Please speak clearly. (say your full preferred name, then repeat to emphasize each name, then say your full-name naturally once more)
  - Optional Name Pronunciation Audio: Submit Here

Regalia

Students planning to participate in any of the commencement events (School of Medicine Hooding Ceremony and/or UMKC Commencement Ceremony) will need to purchase regalia from the UMKC Bookstore. Costs are currently listed on the UMKC Bookstore’s website:
- There is no deadline for students to purchase regalia.
- Regalia links:
  - Medicine-MD (4 items): https://www.umkcbookstore.com/graduation/umkc-caps-gowns/professional-degrees/medicine-md?page=1
  - Master's Degree (4 items): https://www.umkcbookstore.com/graduation/umkc-caps-gowns/masters-degrees/master-anesthesia-physician-assistant-health-professions-education-bionformatic?page=1
  - PhD (4 items): https://www.umkcbookstore.com/graduation/umkc-caps-gowns/professional-degrees/phd?page=1
- If you have any questions regarding regalia orders, please contact UMKC Bookstore directly:
  - 816-235-2665

UMKC Bookstore Grad Fair: (2nd Tuesday/Wednesday in October and March)

- 25% Off Diploma Frames
- 10% off regalia including Fine Quality
- 25% off clothing and gift items (Tuesday only)

Roo Regalia Closet

The School of Medicine Office of Student Affairs has started a Roo Regalia Closet and has various regalia items that you may borrow, if needed.

- - Please complete the Roo Regalia Request Form by February 28th to inquire.
    - this request is not a guarantee. Regalia selections are determined by need and available inventory

Donation Opportunity: Following the ceremony you may donate your cap, hood, and/or gown. The regalia collected will be placed in the School of Medicine Roo Regalia Closet and made available in future years for graduates to borrow.

Optional Additional Hooder Request

Hooding ceremonies are carried out by institutions of higher education to recognize students who have earned an advanced degree beyond the bachelor's degree.  At UMKC School of Medicine docents or program directors hood their students because of their significant contribution to the academic growth, development and success of their students throughout the advanced degree program.  When the docent or program director places the hood on their student it formally acknowledges and celebrates the achievement of the student by the UMKC medical school faculty.

OPTIONAL Additional Hooder Option: a graduate may request ONE additional hooder to participate in the hooding ceremony. Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Commencement Committee.
* The individual, at minimum, must hold a degree equivalent to the degree the graduate is being hooded for. (example: if earning an MD, hooder must hold any doctorate level degree; if being hooded for Master's degree, the hooder must hold a Master's or higher)

* The optional hooder is not required to wear regalia. If they wish to wear regalia, it is their responsibility to obtain appropriate regalia.
*Student must also receive approval of their docent/faculty advisor.

*In the event that your docent is unable to attend, a designated faculty member will serve as your primary hooder. Please note that this does not allow for the inclusion of two additional hooders.

** All additional hooding requests must be made by March 28th, 2025

Additional Hooder Request Link

Graduation Application

All students who anticipate graduating Spring 2025 must submit an application for graduation via Pathway.

Application for Graduation Pathway Instructions
- Deadline: March 28th, 2025

"Day-of" Information

School of Medicine Spring Hooding Ceremony "Talk-Through"

Date: May 9th, 2025- 3pm

Recording: Spring School of Medicine Hooding Ceremony Talk Though

2025 Spring Hooding Ceremony

Swinney Center on UMKC Volker Campus

Thursday, May 15 @ 4pm
  **Please arrive to Atterbury Student Success Center one hour prior to the start of the ceremony in your regalia.

*Arrival Time is 3:00PM*

Please enter Atterbury Student Success Center (ASSC) south entrance between ASSC and Swinney Center. (see map below)

Hooding Parking.PNG

The Black “X” is the entrance. Please check in with UMKC SOM staff at the check-in table.

UMKC SOM staff member will be there to direct you to Pierson Auditorium.

There will be multiple SOM staff members on-site to assist.

Please leave all personal items in your car or with your guests.

Line-up info: There will be signage around the room indicating your line-up location.

Please be in line by 3:30pm

Parking information:

There will be complimentary parking in the Cherry St. garage and the surface lots outside of the ASSC/Swinney Center. (highlighted on map)

Line-Up and Hooding Instructions

Line-up: Please review the Talk-Through presentation available on above to familiarize yourself with the line-up.

The line-up order is critical for a smooth-running ceremony.

There will be SOM staff on-site to assist.

Hooding: Under the direction of a Student Affairs staff member, Graduates and Docents/faculty will approach the stage.

As the Graduate hands their name card to the Name Card reader at the podium, the Docent/faculty hooder will step onto the hooding platform/box on the stage and face the audience.

The Graduate will hand their hood to the Hooding Assistant (Dr. Moormeier).

The Graduate will face forward towards the audience as the Docent/faculty hooder receives the hood and proceeds to drape the hood over the Graduate’s head and adjusts the hood.

Do NOT button the hood. Once the hooding is completed, the graduate will proceed across the stage to shake hands with others on stage.

After walking off stage, the student will have their professional headshot taken and then be directed back to their seat

The Docents/faculty will exit the stage behind their final student and return to their seat.

FAQs

What is the difference between the hooding ceremony and commencement ceremony?

The hooding ceremony is School of Medicine specific. This student-centered ceremony recognizes School of Medicine individual student achievements. Students walk across stage after having their name called, and a faculty member places the hooding regalia on the student in recognition of earning their advanced degree.

The commencement ceremony is the campus-wide ceremony in which students from all colleges and programs participate. The UMKC campus leadership officially confers degrees upon graduating students at this ceremony.

Do we need tickets for the ceremony?

You don’t need tickets for the hooding ceremony at Swinney Center or the commencement ceremony at T-Mobile Center. Early arrival guarantees the best seating.

Where can I get local hotel information?

The Visit KC Visitors Bureau can provide information about local accommodations. Detailed information and a search feature are available online at the Visit KC website.

How is Latin Honors calculated for Doctor of Medicine?

Latin Honors information can be found here: https://med.umkc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/COE-Policy-Manual-Guidelines-031424.pdf (Pages 27-28)