Students can APPLY for Graduation through SONIS. To begin your application, go to https://sonis.ohiochristian.edu
If the link is not available to you:
Questions? Send an email to commencement@ohiochristian.edu
There are several hotels and bed and breakfast establishments in the Circleville area. More information can be found on Google Maps.
** Circleville does not have Ubers, Lyft, ect.
Unfortunately, once a student is marked Alumni in SONIS, they no longer have access to the Student Portal. Graduates are asked to completed their Intent to Graduate Form (ITGF) as soon as possible. If you are already an alumnus and did not complete the form, please e-mail commencement@ohiochristian.edu.
Official transcripts can be requested through the University Registrar’s Office. More information is located at https://www.ohiochristian.edu/myocu/transcript-request
Yes, the diploma shows completion of the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts program requirements.
Yes, you can request a new diploma through the University Registrar’s office. You can email them at registrar@ohiochristian.edu. There is a replacement fee of $25.
The name on your diploma is obtained from the Intent to Graduate Form. This is also how your name will show in the commencement program.
Titles are not included on the diploma. Ohio Christian University reserves the right to remove any titles for the diploma and commencement program.
The conferral statement ("Ohio Christian University ... has conferred, etc.")
Undergraduate students will receive a diploma that is 8.5" x 11". Diplomas are mailed with a diploma cover before commencement when a student is not participating in commencement. If you participate in commencement, you will receive your diploma cover as you walk across the stage. Your diploma will be mailed once all degree requirements and financial obligations to the University have been met.
Diploma frames are available for purchase through the Connections Bookstore.
Commencement participants will not receive their diploma at the commencement ceremony. Learners complete requirements year round and diplomas are mailed with unofficial degree conferred transcript.
Yes. Ohio Christian University is a military friendly school. All current and former military members will be given a red, white, and blue cord to wear at commencement. You will pick this cord up during graduate check-in.
If you have a guest that requires special accommodations, please email commencement@ohiochristian.edu no later than two weeks before your commencement ceremony with that information. You may also include this information on your Intent to Graduate Form.
Graduation announcements are available through Connections, the OCU Bookstore. Graduates may also order announcements through Jostens. There is an additional fee for graduation announcements.
Children who are 2 years or younger are able to participate with out a ticket as long as they are sitting on someone's lap. If they are unable to sit on someone’s lap, they are required to have a ticket.
There will be professional photographers and a videographer at all OCU Commencement Ceremonies. Photographs are taken before, during, and after the ceremony. All ceremonies are recorded and live streamed.
Pictures for our Ohio Commencement Ceremony will be available in an online gallery after commencement. This website will be provided to graduates after Commencement on May 7th.
At this time, there will not be a graduation practice. Candidates for graduation are asked to arrive at their commencement location one and a half hours before their ceremony begins to check-in and get instructions for the day.
As a graduate, you will have an opportunity to be a part of our Blue Cord Campaign.
OCU’s Blue Cord Campaign creates ongoing support of the scholarship fund and fosters the Alumni Association. Legacy scholarship contributions will help the university continue preparing legacy students for leadership in their careers and service to the Church and society.
More information can be found at http://www.ohiochristian.edu/blue
When a student has completed all degree requirements, they are moved from student to alumni in SONIS. The login process changes slightly when you become a former student.
To access your student account, please follow the instructions explained in our IT Knowledge Base located at https://it.ohiochristian.edu/kb/sonis-former-student-login/
Each commencement (graduation) ceremony lasts about 90-120 minutes.
It is respectfully requested that students do not decorate their mortarboards (caps) for the commencement ceremony.
All caps (mortarboards) and gowns must be Ohio Christian University-approved for all commencement ceremonies.
All stoles, cords, and medallions must be from organizations or honors officially recognized by Ohio Christian University.
Students are responsible to order their caps and gowns. The link to order regalia will be available soon.
Caps and gowns should be ordered from Jostens, https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1050028/Ohio-Christian-University/
Associate of Arts gowns and caps are solid black with a blue and white tassel.
Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science gowns and caps are black and blue with blue and white tassels.
Master's gowns and caps are black with blue and white tassels. Business students should receive a drab (tan) hood with their cap and gown. Ministry students should receive a scarlet hood with their cap and gown.
Students are responsible for ordering their caps and gowns. OCU cannot be accountable for caps and gowns on the day of commencement. It is requested that students do not decorate their mortarboards or wear additional stoles during commencement.
To maintain uniformity, we ask that students purchase or borrow regalia from someone who has bought their regalia from our Jostens store previously. Students who are borrowing regalia from someone may need to order specific parts of the regalia outfit (tassels/charms/caps). Please let us know if this is you before the regalia order deadline so we can make sure we can order extras.
Caps and gowns should be ordered from Jostens.
Associate of Arts gowns and caps are solid black with a blue and white tassel.
Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science gowns and caps are black and blue with blue and white tassels.
Master's gowns and caps are black with blue and white tassels. Business students should receive a drab (tan) hood with their cap and gown. Ministry students should receive a scarlet hood with their cap and gown.
Students are responsible for ordering their caps and gowns. OCU cannot be accountable for caps and gowns on the day of commencement. It is requested that students do not decorate their mortarboards or wear additional stoles during commencement.
To maintain uniformity, we ask that students purchase or borrow regalia from someone who has bought their regalia from our Jostens store previously. Students who are borrowing regalia from someone may need to order specific parts of the regalia outfit (tassels/charms/caps). Please let us know if this is you before the regalia order deadline so we can make sure we can order extras.
Commencement is a formal event. Men should wear white shirts with ties, dark trousers, dark socks and shoes. Women should wear dark dresses (no sun dresses) or dark dress slacks, and dark shoes (no sandals or open toed shoes) with no textured or colored hosiery.
Regalia - Students are responsible for ordering their own caps and gowns. Students will do so through Jostens (https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1050028/Ohio-Christian-University/). All regalia must be ordered no later than 28 days before your respective ceremony.
For the Ohio ceremony, you should order your regalia by March 31, 2022. OCU cannot be responsible for caps and gowns the day of graduation.
Caps are to be worn with mortarboards level and tassels draped by the right temples. Gowns should be well up on the shoulders and back. Please allow your gown to hang for several days before graduation to allow the wrinkles to fall out.
It is requested that students don't decorate their mortarboards or wear additional stole's during commencement.
If you do not plan to attend Commencement, the University Registrar's Office will send your diploma by mail 4-6 weeks after your final grade is posted. You will also need to be in good standing with financial aid before your diploma is able to be mailed. If you move, please email registrar@ohiochristian.edu as soon as you can so we can mail your diploma to the correct address.
You should still complete the Intent to Graduate Form. Please refer to the Graduation Checklist for further details.
No, there is no fee to graduate in 2022. Regalia and announcement order costs are the responsibility of the graduate.
Residential students and online plus students will participate in the 10:00 AM ceremony on May 7th, 2022.
Candidates for Graduation in the College of Adult and Graduate Studies can participate in the Ohio commencement ceremony. If you need to make any changes to your Intent to Graduate Form, please e-mail commencement@ohiochristian.edu before the Intent to Graduate Form deadline on March 4th, 2022.
Online Associate of Arts and Associate of Science students will participate in the 10:00 AM ceremony on May 7th, 2022.
Online Bachelor of arts, and all Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration students will participate in the 3:00 PM ceremony on May 7th, 2022.
For more information, please visit myocu/commencement-ceremonies
Please contact your Academic Advisor for more information about honor societies. If you are unsure who your Academic Advisor is, log in to SONIS or visit the University Registrar's Office or visit the Academic Advisor page (requires login).
Bachelor students may qualify for membership in the Pinnacle Honor Society.
Students apply for membership in the spring of each year. Membership is limited by the national society rules, so the top students who apply will be selected. To qualify for membership students should:
To apply, please visit Pinnacle Honor Society Application Inductees will be selected and notified in April 2022.
Associate students qualify for membership in the National Spire Honor Society. Students apply for membership in the spring of each year. Membership is limited by the national society rules, so the top students who apply will be selected. To qualify for membership students should:
To apply, please visit Spire Honor Society Application Inductees are selected and notified in April 2022.
Please refer to the Academic Catalog for Academic Honors requirements.
Residential Students: Click Here There may be additional departmental honor societies for residential students. Please contact your Academic Advisor for more information.
College of Adult and Graduate Studies Students: Click Here
Honor cords are mailed with diplomas to students who complete their requirements before April 2022. Students who complete their requirements in April (prior to Commencement) will be presented their cords at Commencement. While Summer graduates are eligible to receive honors, they will not be recognized at the Commencement ceremonies.
The Intent to Graduate Form is similar to a graduation application. It lets the University Registrar's Office know if you plan to attend one of our commencement ceremonies, how you would like your name listed on your diploma and in the commencement program. There is other important information gathered from the ITGF.
To participate in the 2022 Commencement ceremony, students must complete the Intent to Graduate Form by March 4th, 2022.
The Intent to Graduate Form is located in SONIS in the Student Portal under Custom, then Forms. Unfortunately, there is no physical version of this form.
If you are unable to log into SONIS because you have already received your diploma or the ITGF is not visible in SONIS, please e-mail commencement@ohiochristian.edu.
Even if you are not participating in a Commencement ceremony, it is still recommended that you complete the ITGF because of the information gathered from the form.
There are three different graduation statuses, On Track, Not on Track and Completed.
Not on Track means that a student is not currently registered in SONIS for all courses required for a degree program.
On Track means that a student is currently registered in SONIS for all course requirements for a degree program.
Completed means that a student has completed all course requirements for a degree program. There may be other pending items on the graduation checklist.
Throughout the remainder of a student's schedule of classes, emails will be sent if their graduation status changes.
In order to participate in the OCU Commencement, students must have a graduation status of On Track or Completed on or before March 4th, 2022.
The graduation checklist is a list of items that will help you prepare to receive your diploma from the University Registrar’s Office. The checklist includes:
The graduation checklist is a list of items that will help you prepare to receive your diploma from the University Registrar’s Office. The checklist includes:
A conferred degree and graduation (commencement) are different.
A degree is conferred when a final degree audit is conducted and your transcript is finalized. The conferral date is reflected on your diploma as well as your transcript. Degrees are conferred year round as students complete their degree program.
Graduation is the act of getting a diploma or academic degree in a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are given out. At OCU, this event is known as Commencement.
See the Campus, Online & Online Plus Catalog for details concerning graduation on pages 39 - 40.
OCU will hold two Commencement events in 2022; on our main campus in Circleville, Ohio.
Commencement is a service of recognition and a ceremony of awards. The ceremony will reflect centuries of academic tradition as well as sanctity of worship. Students can participate in one commencement ceremony.
Our Ohio Commencement ceremonies on May 7th will be held at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM on our main campus located at 1476 Lancaster Pike Circleville, Ohio 43113.
Our Residential Campus, Online Plus, and Trailblazer students will participate in the 10:00 AM Ceremony.
Online Associate of Arts and Associate of Science students will participate in the 10:00 AM Ceremony.
Online Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and all Graduate students will participate at 3:00 PM Ceremony.
This information is subject to change.
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