Spring 2025 Commencement
116th Commencement
Saturday, May 17th, 2025 at 10:00 am for all graduates
In the Darling Pavilion of the Lawson-Fulton Student Center
Founded in 1928, Hope International University is celebrating its 116th Commencement. Our May 2025 graduates embody the University's mission of preparing servant leaders who want to make a positive difference in the world. These individuals join more than 14,000 Alumni who carry Hope International University's legacy of service and ministry to the Church and society. Their achievement has been facilitated by a faculty qualified by both academic credentials and Christian commitment and service.
This commencement marks HIU's fifty-second academic year in Fullerton. Here, as earlier in Long Beach and Los Angeles, the University has maintained a diligent commitment to advance the mission of Christ.
Guest Information:
Tickets:
- TICKETS ARE NOW REQUIRED TO ATTEND. Your graduate will receive (8) complimentary tickets for their guests. Graduates have received information regarding how to claim their electronic tickets. If there are any problems, please contact Kim Johnson at [email protected].
- Graduates have the option to email or print their guest tickets. Please be sure your graduate has given you your ticket before arriving at the ceremony.
- All guests must have a ticket to attend the commencement ceremony. Children under 2, who will not require their own seat, do not need a ticket.
- All seating is first come, first served basis. Tickets do not reserve a specific seat.
- We welcome our guests who use wheelchairs and/or walkers. Accessible seating is available at the ceremony. Please contact Rebeka Lee ([email protected]) for reserved seating.
- Warning: Each ticket will have its own unique scanning pattern. Once a ticket has been scanned, it is no longer valid. Electronic or hard copies of guest tickets must be presented for entrance into college graduation ceremonies.
- HIU will not be selling additional tickets.
Ceremony:
- Doors open for guests at 9:00 am on Saturday, May 17th.
- Overflow seating with live video viewing access will be provided as needed.
- We want you to celebrate your graduate, but we don't want your celebration to obscure or distract from the recognition of other graduates. Therefore, please refrain from using air horns, other noise makers, and throwing confetti or other objects in celebration during Commencement in the Darling Pavilion.
- To watch the Commencement ceremony online via livestreaming, visit the HIU YouTube channel or Facebook page on the day of the event. The stream will go live approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.
- Strollers are not allowed in the commencement venue due to space restrictions and fire regulations. A designated parking area for strollers will be available outside the venue. If possible, we recommend leaving strollers at home or in the car.
- As a service to our graduates and their guests, flowers (including orchid leis and bouquets) will be available for purchase from our on-site vendor, Commencement Flowers. One flower kiosk will be located near the entrance to the student center and another kiosk will be off of the main parking lot. Advanced ordering and payment are available on their website.
Parking:
Guest parking is available in the HIU Commonwealth Lot, CSUF Lot "S", and in the Theology Institute Lot on Titan Drive. The HIU Titan Lot is reserved for handicapped parking. Shuttles are available on a limited basis.
Student Information:
- Graduates may now claim their (8) guest electronic tickets. Instructions were sent to your HIU email address on March 31, 2025. Please follow the instructions to claim your tickets to distribute to your guests.
- Graduates need to arrive by 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. Signs will be posted in the Student Center directing you to the ready room. The dress standard for the ceremony is Professional Business Attire. The stage requires the use of steps so please choose your footwear accordingly. Flip-flops are not allowed. If you anticipate the need for assistance or physical accommodations, please contact Kim Johnson at [email protected] in advance of the ceremony.
- Please do not bring handbags or any other valuable personal items into the ready room. You will not be allowed to carry anything during the ceremony, and the room will be used for overflow seating once you exit. Therefore, please do not bring anything with you except your cap and gown. HIU is not responsible for any lost or stolen items.
- At the check in tables, you will pick up your name card. Keep this card with you at all times. During the ceremony, you will hand this card to the announcer, who will then read your name.
- Two or three individual photographs will be taken during the ceremony. Graduates will receive proofs of these photographs via email a week after graduation for review and ordering, if desired, from Grad Images.
Chapel (Traditional Undergraduate Students Only):
Students must fulfill the chapel attendance requirement to participate in commencement ceremonies. Please contact the Director of Campus Ministries, (714) 879-3901 x 1294, to ensure you have made arrangements to make up any excused absences.
Caps and Gowns:
- You must order your cap and gown at: Hope International University FULLERTON, CA | Jostens no later than April 3rd. Click on the “Shop” button under “Graduation Products”, then the “Shop” button under “Graduation Caps & Gowns”, and then select the appropriate cap and gown for your degree. Stoles are not required.
- Your order will be shipped to the HIU Bookstore. Once the Bookstore has received your order, they will contact you about pick up. If you need your order shipped to you, please contact the Bookstore directly once you receive notification that your order is ready.
- It will be necessary to press the gown with a cool iron prior to the ceremony.
- Students can order personalized announcements from Jostens at the same link listed above.
- Only University sponsored honors are suitable adornments for your gown. No other decorations will be allowed. Bookstore contact information for any questions: [email protected] or (714) 681-7019.
Honors:
HIU values the academic accomplishments of our students. In order to ensure recognition of these academic honors, please note the following deadlines. Online undergraduate students receiving honors at Spring commencement must have their degree posted by the Office of the Registrar no later than April 30th. Official grade information for traditional undergraduate students must be received by the Office of the Registrar by May 12th. Please consult your academic coach or advisor for assistance.
Coursework:
If you are enrolled at another college and taking classes required for your degree, you must submit a letter from your professor(s) on college stationery stating your current grade in the course(s). This report must be turned in to the Registrar's Office by May 12th. You must also request an "official" transcript from the other institution (including CSUF). Your degree will not be posted until we have an official transcript from the other institution's registrar showing the final posting of all your grades and academic credits that are to be transferred.
Finances:
An approved "Petition to Graduate" and payment of any remaining balance owed by you to HIU is required to participate in the commencement ceremonies. All financial obligations are to be paid by April 15th.
All students who have received Federal Direct Loans will receive an email related to their loan information, including a loan summary while attending HIU and resources pertaining to repayment questions, from the Office of Financial Aid approximately 2-3 weeks prior to commencement. For further information, contact the Financial Aid Office at (714) 879-3901 x2202.
Career Development:
As an alum of Hope International University, you continue to have access to the resources offered to you through Career Development. No matter where you are at in the job search process, we are here to assist you and ensure your success in finding a successful career path. If you are looking for a job, make sure to check out the Career Development Online Job Portal for hundreds of various job opportunities, locally, nationally, and even internationally. If this is your first time logging on to the system, make sure to click the "Click Here to Register" link directly under the Login button. Career Development can help you format and create your resume and cover letter, provide application assistance, and help you prep for upcoming interviews through Mock Interviews. Contact Career Development to make to appointment today at either [email protected] or at (714) 879-3901 ext. 1696.
