Graduation

On the Day of Commencement

All Fall 2023 Graduates are invited to attend your Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, December 9, 2023 in the Raising Cane’s River Center Exhibition Hall. The address for the River Center is 275 South River Road, Baton Rouge, LA, 70802. Graduation will begin promptly at 10 a.m. All graduates should arrive, in full regalia, no later than 9:30 a.m.

Please familiarize yourself with the River Center's list of prohibited items and their clear policy prior to Graduation Day here. ONLY clear bags are allowed and they must adhere to the size restrictions provided by the venue.

We do not anticipate that the Graduation ceremony will last longer than 2 hours. If making lunch plans, please allow time for exiting the River Center and parking garage. If you park on an upper level, it can take as long as 30 minutes or so to make your way down to the exit. We kindly ask that all graduates and guests leave the River Center after the conclusion of the ceremony.

Parking and Entry Instructions

Upon arrival to the River Center, all graduates and their families should park in the parking garages near the venue (for $10) or you may attempt to find street parking. We encourage all graduates and their guests to arrive in one car if at all possible.

Please note that the River Center parking garages accept credit card payments ONLY and that you must pay before parking. Please arrive early to ensure speedy parking and that you arrive in plenty of time. The parking garage has a walkway that will lead directly to the River Center Galleria entrance, where you and your guests will enter and present your tickets. Everyone trying to get into the parking garages could cause a delay so please plan accordingly. Handicap drop off is accessible at the River Road entrance of the River Center.

The River Center Galleria entrance near the parking garages on St. Louis Street will be the ONLY one unlocked and available for guests/graduates to enter and exit, so please plan accordingly.

Guest Tickets

Graduation will enforce an “admission by ticket only” policy for graduates and guests. Due to space limitations, each graduate will be permitted ten (10) guests and therefore will receive 10 guest tickets. As guest seating will not be assigned, students may give any of his/her extra guest tickets to a fellow graduate who may wish to invite more guests.

Note: the number of guests includes children/babies…each counts as a guest and must have a ticket to enter. Babies under one (1) years old will not be required to have a ticket but must remain seated on someone's lap for the duration of the ceremony.

Should there be further restrictions on gathering, the number of allowed guests may be decreased. Should this happen, we will notify the FranU community as soon as possible.

There will be a Will Call Station set up at Graduation so that students traveling in from out of town can pick up their tickets at the event.

Ceremony Etiquette

Please remember that while Graduation is a celebration, it is still an academic ceremony of dignity.

Graduates' families are encouraged to recognize their graduates when they receive their diplomas. The families' enthusiasm and excitement is warranted; however, the use of air horns or other artificial noisemakers is inappropriate.

Photographs

Guests may bring cameras; however, students are encouraged to give all cameras, phones and other devices to their family members or loved ones. Please note that students are not allowed to have anything in their hands or over their gown, e.g., a purse.

Barclell Studio will be in attendance to take professional pictures of each graduate, which the student will have the option to purchase.