Commencement Ceremony

Celebrating our graduates as newly minted physicians on Friday, May 15, 2026
 

Commencement 2022

Friday, May 15, 2026 at 6:00 pm

The RUSM Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 6:00 pm ET at the Watsco Center (located on the University of Miami campus), 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, Florida.

Join Us LIVE!

The ceremony will be livestreamed for friends and family who are unable to attend in person on Ross Med's Facebook or YouTube accounts @RossMedSchool

Keynote Speaker - Details to come

Congratulations Graduates!

We are so proud of our graduates and look forward to celebrating this momentous achievement. Details will soon follow via email with important information you’ll need ahead of time. But for now, mark your calendar, alert friends and family, begin making travel plans, and follow the Facebook RUSM Commencement Ceremony event group. You’ve come a long way, and you should be proud of what you are about to accomplish!

Members of the leadership team and a graduate
Contact Us hero

Social Media & Digital Downloads

Be sure to use the hashtag #RUSMGrad on your social media celebrations and to find fun commencement GIPHYs. Our team has also put together some fun digital downloads below to celebrate your special day – including Instagram Story Slides, Zoom backgrounds, and Yard Signs.

Social Media and Digital Downloads

I'm Officially a Doctor! yard sign

Proud Partner of a Doctor! yard sign

Proud Parent of a Doctor! yard sign

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Alumni Engagement

Welcome to your Ross Med alumni community. Discover alumni benefits and networking opportunities.

Go To Alumni Relations

General Commencement FAQ

Where will the Ceremony be Located?

RUSM is excited to celebrate our graduates in person on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 6:00 PM ET at the Watsco Center (located on the University of Miami campus), 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, Florida.

Will guests be allowed at commencement?

Yes! Friends and family are welcome at the ceremony. At the time at which we share registration, there is no limit on the number of guests, however you will be asked to provide a number of guests, for security and planning purposes.

Please note that the event will also be livestreamed on the RUSM Facebook and YouTube pages in real-time so family and friends can watch from anywhere across the world if they are unable to attend in person.

Will You Also Offer a Virtual Option for Graduates?

No, there will not be a virtual component for the ceremony. RUSM is excited that we will be able to celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments together in person.

Do I need to participate in a ceremony to graduate?

No. If students choose not to take part in the ceremony and their university academic requirements are met, graduates will receive their diplomas in the mail.

How do I get my honor cords, Empower Scholarship cords and 4.0 medallions?

RUSM will provide honor cords, Empower Scholarship cords, and 4.0 medallions to qualified honor graduates at check-in on the day of the ceremony. Honors statuses are determined by the Honors policy in which a student matriculated into RUSM. Eligible Honors designees will be recognized during the ceremony and will be identified with honor cords. Honors recognition is reflected on the graduate’s transcript and diploma. Due to the timing of receipt of clinical evaluations and completing of a final degree audit, you may not be recognized at the ceremony.

How will I receive my diploma?

If your university academic requirements are met, you will receive your diploma in the mail. Diplomas are mailed to the student's diploma mailing address from their graduation application for degree conferral, which can be viewed and updated in the My Ross Med Student Portal.

Please note that registering to attend the commencement ceremony is a separate process than applying for your degree conferral. Both will need to be done to attend the commencement ceremony.

What if I have a question about graduation announcements?

Please email hjcollegefl@aol.com and a Herff Jones representative will respond directly.

How do I order a diploma frame with an international shipping address?

If a student has an international shipping/billing address, and they want to order the diploma frame, they will need to order the cap and gown by itself and then go to framingsuccess.com to order the diploma frame.

Day-of Commencement Ceremony FAQ

What if my guest requires wheelchair or similar accessibility access?

For guests requiring wheelchair or similar accessibility access for entering – Please locate the sign with the symbol of accessibility on it and the attending staff will be able to assist.

Will there be a program?

Physical programs will be available at the ceremony. However, in the spirit of One Health and being environmentally conscious, we ask that programs are limited to 2-3 per family/friends. There will be a QR code available to pull up a digital program the day of the ceremony on a mobile device.

Why doesn’t my name appear in the commencement program?

The entire list of eligible graduates will be added to the commencement program, and we do our best to ensure that the lists are correct. Should you notice a discrepancy, our team can send a revised digital copy post-ceremony if you email events@rossu.edu. Please note that if there is an error, your name will still be announced in person.

Can my relative hood me during the commencement ceremony?

If you have a relative who is an RUSM alum, they may hood you during the Commencement Ceremony. If you wish to take advantage of this opportunity, please email events@rossu.edu for instructions as far in advance of the ceremony as possible.

Only alumni will be permitted to hood graduates during the Commencement Ceremony, no exceptions.

Will the ceremony be photographed and/or videoed?

Yes! By entering the 2026 Commencement event for Ross University School of Medicine, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur.

Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with Ross University School of Medicine and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising.

By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media.

You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.

What time should graduates arrive for check-in for the ceremony?

Graduates should begin to arrive for check-in and line-up two hours prior to the start of the ceremony. For Ross Med, that will be 4:00 PM ET, and the ceremony will begin promptly at 6:00 PM ET.

  • Check-in will be at the Watsco Center Concourse 2.
  • Please line up at the appropriate check-in station based on the first letter of your last name. Stations will be marked by A-D, E-K, L-R, S-Z. There will be a separate area to pick up scholarship cords.
  • Remember to bring your ID with you (student or driver’s license is acceptable). You will receive seating cards placing you in one of four groups (as noted above) printed with your name. Please do not lose this seating card because it will also be used to announce your name during the ceremony.
  • If you have personal belongings that do not fit in your pocket, please give them to a family member or friend to hold – doors will not be locked during the ceremony itself.
How do I wear my regalia?

We require all graduates to wear regalia while participating. You can find a video on how to wear your regalia here.

When will guests of the graduates be permitted to enter the Watsco Center for the ceremony?

Guests of the graduates will be permitted to enter the Watsco Center 2 hours to the start of the ceremony at 4:00 PM ET

  • Onsite parking will be available at either the lots surrounding the Watsco Center and the parking garages. These are metered spots that must be paid for. Vehicles should be parked head-in only.
  • You can pay for parking at one of the University of Miami pay station kiosks or you can download and use the PayByPhone app (download app or call 877-885-8899). Pay Station kiosks are located in the parking lot, not at the main entrance. Parking must be prepaid prior to entering the building.
  • Parking costs for PayByPhone are $2.50 an hour plus a 35 cents transaction fee. Parking sessions over 5 hours are converted to $11.00 plus the 35 cents transaction fee.  For more information, please visit https://pt.fop.miami.edu/campus-parking/visitors/index.html or for PayByPhone's frequently asked questions or click HERE for Pay Station's frequently asked questions.
  • Please be aware that large bags and backpacks of all guests may be searched upon entrance to the Watsco Center.

Please note that seats are not allowed to be saved, all guests must sit at the same time in order to secure seats.

Prior to your Ceremony FAQ

Do I need to register to participate in commencement?

Yes. It is required to register to participate in RUSM’s in-person commencement ceremony. A unique link will be made available to you via email. The email sender with be no-reply@rossu.edu but be sure to check your SPAM folder! This registration process is required regardless of whether you indicated your interest in the ceremony while applying for degree conferral.

Please note that registration for commencement will close at midnight eastern standard time on Friday, April 26, 2026.

Please note that registering to attend the commencement ceremony is a separate process than applying for your degree conferral. Both will need to be done to attend the commencement ceremony.

How can I purchase a cap and gown?

You must purchase a doctoral tam, gown, hood, and tassel through Herff Jones, Inc.

Deadline to order is APRIL 6, 2026, with standard shipping of $14.90 and late site order will open April 7, 2026 with order deadline APRIL 17, 2026 with expedited shipping of $21.30. All will deliver on or before May 2, 2026. Place your order HERE!

No orders can be made after APRIL 17, 2026. If you miss the online ordering deadline, you can purchase your regalia the day of Commencement by visiting the Herff Jones table. Herff Jones will be on site one hour prior to the start of your Ceremony. The cost for the regalia will be $120.00. Credit cards and Debit cards will be accepted. NO CASH OR AMEX accepted.

For further information on ordering your graduation regalia, please contact Contact Herff Jones at 305-271-6769 or email at hjcollegefl@aol.com.

Are there any hotel recommendations for Graduates?

If you are planning on attending your commencement ceremony in May and have not secured a hotel reservation, search for hotel availability via our trusted partner aRes Travel.

Book online or call 1-800-559-3186 for assistance | International callers 1-619-546-5773.

aRes Travel is a third-party travel planner. Rates, deposits, and cancellation policies may vary and are the responsibility of the guest. Questions on hotel policies or payments made on aRes website should be directed to the aRes Reservation Center or to the hotel directly.

Is there a dress code and are graduates required to wear regalia?

There is not a specific dress code for graduates. However, all graduates are REQUIRED to wear the designated academic regalia purchased through Herff Jones to participate in the ceremony — a doctoral tam, gown, hood and tassel.

Information for graduate's guests
  • For guests requiring wheelchair or similar accessibility access for entering – Please locate the sign with the symbol of accessibility on it and the attending staff will be able to assist.
  • Light refreshments will be available for purchase on the concourse. Outside food and beverage is not permitted. 
  • The facility will not permit us to have balloons inside the arena.

The ceremony will be livestreamed in real time for friends and family who cannot be in attendance. Please have them join via the RUSM Facebook or YouTube pages.