🎓EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP & POLICY MOMENT OF RECOGNITION (MOR)🎓

MOR, an ELP-specific celebration for graduates, offers an intimate gathering outside of traditional university commencement ceremonies, providing graduates with the unique chance to celebrate among their ELP community and receive the honor of being hooded by esteemed professors in their field.

*Please note that MOR is an annual event and the information below pertains to the 2025 Spring Celebration. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GENERAL INFORMATION 

  • Friday, May 9, 2025

  • Texas Union Theater

  • Masters Ceremony: 9:30am-10:30am 

  • Doctoral Ceremony: 11am-12pm

CHECK-IN 

  • Check-in will begin 30 minutes prior to the start of your ceremony in the Texas Union lobby. Please do not arrive earlier than this.

VENUE 

  • The main event will take place in the Texas Union Theater

  • Accessibility options, including stairs and an elevator, are available for your convenience. 

  • Designated seating arrangements will be provided for your cohort. 

  • More information coming soon

ATTIRE 

  • Regalia attire is standard for participants. Please remember to bring your hood.  

NAME PRONUNCIATION 

  • Upon check-in, you will receive a notecard to indicate the pronunciation of your name. This will ensure accurate announcements during the ceremony. 

HOODING PROCESS 

  • Once it's your cohort's turn, our line usher will guide you to the stage.  

  • Remember to bring the notecard provided during check-in and your hood with you to the front of the room.  

  • Hand the notecard to our emcee while the graduate in front of you is being hooded. 

GUEST POLICY 

  • You may bring a maximum of six (6) guests to accompany you. This policy will be strictly enforced in order to permit equitable attendance/guests for all graduates. 

PARKING 

  • Attendees are responsible for their parking arrangements.

  • San Antonio is the closest parking facility. 

  • ADA Accessible parking spots are located in each parking garage and near the George Sanchez Building, in the back, closest to the AT&T conference center. 

If you have any questions you would like to ask, please send to katecarpenter@utexas.edu*

THE PROCESS: Masters 

  1. Please arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before event start time (9:30am) 

  2. Check-in will be located in the front of the Texas Union Theater.

  3. An ELP volunteer will usher you and your guests to your respective spaces.

    1. Guests will be directed to find seats in the theater

    2. Graduates will line up in the holding space between the theater and the lobby.

      1. If you would like to mingle in the theater, you may, but you MUST be in the holding space by 9:25am.

  4. A run through of the event will be conducted by Kelsey at 9:25am in the holding area. Please be present for this.

  5. Event will begin at 9:30 a.m. and the following will be the run of show: 

    1. Processing of Graduates:

      1. Place your hood draped over your left arm.

    2. Opening remarks 

    3. Keynote speaker: Chloe Latham Sikes

    4. Hooding ceremony: 

      1. You will be ushered from your reserved seating area by cohort. There, you will go from the left side doors to the backstage area.

        1. The first person will hand their card to the emcee, and proceed to be hooded in the middle of the stage.

        2. As the person before you is being hooded in the middle, step up and hand your card to the emcee.

        3. As your name is announced, walk across the stage, stop in the middle to meet your faculty member, be hooded. Your faculty member will know to come to you.

        4. After being hooded, walk to the other side of the stage and exit through the door. You may go back to your seat.

    5. Closing Remarks

    6. At Conclusion, you must immediately leave the Texas Union space. Our doctoral ceremony begins directly after.

THE PROCESS: Doctoral 

  1. Please arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before event start time (11:00 am) 

  2. Check-in will be located in the front of the Texas Union Theater.

  3. An ELP volunteer will usher you and your guests to your respective spaces.

    1. Guests will be directed to find seats in the theater

    2. Graduates will line up in the holding space between the theater and the lobby.

      1. If you would like to mingle in the theater, you may, but you MUST be in the holding space by 10:55am.

  4. Event will begin at 11 a.m. and the following will be the run of show: 

    1. Processing of Graduates:

      1. Place your hood draped over your left arm.

    2. Opening remarks

    3. Presentation of awards (PHELP) 

    4. Hooding ceremony: 

      1. You will be ushered from your reserved seating area by cohort following your department heads' remarks. There, you will go from the left side doors to the backstage area.

        1. The first person will hand their card to the emcee, and proceed to be hooded in the middle of the stage.

      2. As the person before you is being hooded in the middle, step up and hand your card to the emcee.

      3. As your name is announced, walk across the stage, stop in the middle to meet your faculty member, be hooded. Your faculty member will know to come to you.

      4. After being hooded, walk to the other side of the stage and exit through the door. You may go back to your seat.

    5. Closing Remarks

    6. Conclusion

    7. PLEASE refer to “Doctoral Program Updates” for more information