Class of 2026 Doctor of Pharmacy Hooding Ceremony
About This Event
The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony recognizes the College of Pharmacy’s Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2026 graduates and features an awards presentation, bestowing of the doctoral hood for each graduate, and recitation of the Oath of a Pharmacist.
About This Event
The Doctoral Convocation and Hooding is a formal ceremony recognizing the College of Pharmacy’s Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2026 graduates. The ceremony will feature speakers Dean Deanna L. Kroetz and the recipient of the 2026 Miriam R. Balshone Award for Distinguished Teaching in PharmD, the individual bestowing of the doctoral hood, and recitation of the Oath of a Pharmacist.
The ceremony will last from 3-4:30 p.m., immediately followed by a dessert reception outside the auditorium under a tent on the Mershon Plaza.
Please note that graduates do not receive their diploma at Hooding; that occurs at the university’s Spring Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 10 at noon. Find more details about University Commencement.
Parking
Anticipate significant traffic and delays on this day, so plan plenty of time to reach campus. Check Ohio State's Traffic Impacts for road closures or construction in planning your route to campus.
Self-parking is available at the Ohio Union South Parking Garage at 1759 N. High Street, just south of Mershon Auditorium. The garage is $10 pre-pay upon entry via card; no cash will be accepted.
The small, metered parking area on the High Street side of Mershon may be used as a drop-off and pick-up point for attendees with limited mobility. A limited number of designated accessible parking spaces are located in that lot. Additional accessible parking spaces are designated within the Ohio Union South Garage.
Seating
Graduates may invite an unlimited number of guests. This is a non-ticketed event, and no RSVP is required for guests. Guest seating is general admission on a first-come, first-available basis.
Doors to Mershon open at 2 p.m. for guests. All attendees will go through a security screening and bag check upon arrival (please note prohibited items below).
Main floor seating is limited, and additional seating is available in the Balcony. Ushers will direct guests to appropriate seating areas. Guests should be in their seats before 3 p.m. for the graduate processional into the auditorium.
Prohibited Items
Bags brought into Mershon Auditorium should be no larger than 8 x 5 x 1 inches (except medical and diaper bags). The following items are prohibited from entering the venue: backpacks (except medical and diaper bags), balloons, confetti cannons, noise makers, professional cameras/equipment/external flash, large signs, flags, poles/sticks, laser pens, projectiles, fireworks, weapons, glass, cans, and smoking/vape devices. Outside food and beverages are not permitted – empty water bottles are acceptable.
Accessibility Accommodations
Main floor wheelchair accessible seating is available in the rear of the auditorium for guests with mobility-based needs and up to 3 companions per current ADA standards. Wheelchairs are available at the main floor coat check with a valid ID on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that Mershon Auditorium does not have an elevator and the only access to the Balcony is by stairs.
This event will be presented with live captioning.
To plan accessible seating or make other accommodation requests, contact Mershon Auditorium at accessibility@wexarts.org or (614) 688-3890.
Attire
Business professional attire is appropriate for this event. For graduates, full academic regalia (gown, hood, tam & tassel) is required to be worn. Around 1,000 individuals are expected to attend this event.
Livestream
We encourage those not able to attend the in-person event to watch via livestream, which will begin on Saturday, May 9 at 3 p.m. EDT.
Questions?
Contact ceremony organizer Polly Carlson at carlson.616@osu.edu or (614) 292-3813.