Fall 2026 Ceremony Details
Fall graduation will be held Saturday, December 19th, 2026 in the Jack Stephens Center.
All graduates must arrive at the Jack Stephens Center at least one hour before the ceremony begins. Graduates should proceed directly to Derek Fisher Court (located on the first floor) to check in.
Ceremony Time: 9:30 a.m.
Undergraduates from the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (DCSTEM), the College of Business and Health & Human Services (CBHHS), the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education (CHASSE), and all graduate students from the Graduate School.
The doors will open at 8 a.m. for guests and graduates. Graduates must arrive in Fisher Court one hour before the ceremony.
Graduating Students: What to do on Graduation Day
Clear Bag Policy
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Clear Bag Policy will be enforced at every commencement ceremony.
UA Little Rock Clear Bag Policy Details:
- All bags will be screened/searched
- Bags must be clear plastic (can be ziplock), vinyl, or PVC, and cannot exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″
- Small clutch purses that are not clear are allowed but can not exceed 4.5″ x 6.5″
- Persons carrying required medical supplies or devices into the arena are not subject to the clear bag policy, but their bags will be searched thoroughly.
- Cloth diaper bags are not allowed. Items needed for children must be in a clear bag and must not exceed the measurement specifications.
- If the bag does not meet the specifications above, it will not be permitted into the arena and must be returned to your vehicle.
Commencement Do’s & Don’ts For All Graduates
Ceremony Time: 9:30 a.m.
Doors open at 8 a.m. Arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. to check in.
Once you arrive, you will report to Derek Fisher Court on the first level of the Jack Stephens Center.
- Upon arriving in Fisher Court, you will see a registration table. Check in with the staff there for assistance.
- After checking in with commencement staff, locate the tables with balloons attached and read the signs there to identify your college’s staging area.
- Student and faculty marshals will be stationed there to assist you. You MUST check in with the marshals for your major upon arrival to receive your NAME CARD.
Name cards assist the ceremony announcers during commencement. When you line up at the stage for your turn, you will hand this card to the announcer.
Name cards will include your name and any graduation honors you have received.
DO NOT LOSE THIS CARD!
- The only thing that should be handwritten on these cards is the phonetic spelling of your name to assist the commencement announcers.
- There will be time to visit with the commencement announcers to verify the correct pronunciation of your name.
- If the honor is not pre-printed on the card, the announcer will not call it out. Do not write any honors on this card.
There will be commencement staff present to assist with anything you may need, such as lining up for the ceremony, academic regalia placement, and the sign-in process. In addition, there will be an information table stationed at the front of Fisher Court with staff ready to assist.
Listen carefully for announcements from staff, who will also count down to the ceremony time.
There will be a Bookstore table available for students to purchase last-minute regalia in Fisher Court before the ceremonies. The Alumni Association will also have a table for graduates to sign up.
We advise all students to sign in and get their name cards before visiting these tables.
The Communications Department hosts a Cap Decoration Contest. Go all out and bling your cap! Communications staff will have a table at the front of Fisher Court, in addition to walking around Fisher Court and taking pictures to enter students for the contest.
There will be an official photographer stationed in the rear of Fisher Court for graduates. Photos taken here will be included with your stage photos. In addition, upstairs in the arena, there are special backdrops to take personal photos with friends and family. However, we advise all graduates to be in Fisher Court one hour before the ceremony begins.
No. During the ceremony, there is no staff in Fisher Court, as they have other duties. There is nowhere to secure any items. Therefore, there isn’t anyone to guard your valuables during the ceremony. Be sure to get any valuables to your guests and family before the ceremony.
Fisher Court is reserved for graduating students only.
Food and Drinks are not allowed.
UA Little Rock is a smoke-free campus. Smoking or vaping is not permitted within or around the Jack Stephens Center.
There is no dress code for attendance, but graduates must wear their university-approved cap and gown to walk in the ceremony.
Please be aware that you’ll be standing for an hour before commencement, walking around the arena to your seat, and then up a ramp to cross the Jack Stephens Center stage from the back of the arena, so please wear comfortable shoes for standing and walking long distances.
If you submitted a fall graduation application by October 20, 2026, your name should appear in the program. Fall graduation applicants will be recognized for commencement honors if they are eligible.
*Fall commencement honors do not include final grades for this semester.
**Summer graduates will be noted and recognized for their honors in the 2026 Fall Commencement Program.
Program information will be available in your chair during the ceremony. The online program will be accessible on this page during commencement week.