Graduation Ceremony

There are 6 seating tickets per graduating student. Everyone, children included, will need a ticket for entry into the Blaisdell Arena. 

Tickets will be available for pickup at the HPU Downtown Bookstore during Grad Fest. You will be notified by Pipeline Announcement when caps, gowns, and tickets are ready to pick up at the Downtown HPU bookstore. Please bring a picture ID to pick up your tickets. Tickets cannot be mailed or delivered to another HPU campus. Any tickets not picked up by 4 pm on the ticket pickup deadline will be available by 3 pm at the Concierge table at the Neal Blaisdell Center.

If you would like more tickets, please contact the HPU Bookstore at 808.544.0290 to request to be put on a waitlist. All extra tickets will be divided equally among waitlisted listed graduates per their requested number. They will be notified via email or phone that they can pick up their extra tickets. On the day of the ceremony, all remaining tickets will be available at the Neal Blaisdell Center on a first-come, first-served basis at the Concierge table after 3 pm.

Arena doors will open at 4 p.m. Handicapped guests may be seated at 3:45 p.m. Guests not seated by 5 p.m. will be held at the door to be seated after the conclusion of the processional. Family and friends will not be able to enter the Exhibition Hall during student check-in and must wait on the concourse until the doors open.

The ceremony is anticipated to take up to 2.5 hours. The ceremony is not complete until the recessional has ended. We ask that all graduating students stay for the entire ceremony and recessional.

Parking is available for $6 at the Neal Blaisdell Center if entering before 5 p.m. Parking after 5 p.m. is $7. Handicapped parking is available. Limited free or metered parking is available on city streets near the Blaisdell Center.

Limited Handicapped-accessible seating is available at the venue. Mobility challenged persons may be accompanied by up to two (2) able-bodied guests. To request for mobility challenged seating. Contact commencement@hpu.edu.

Following the graduate recessional, the Exhibition Hall will be open to your guests for a meet-and-greet event. Graduates may meet faculty, friends and family near signs designated with the first letter of your last name. The event will conclude at 9 p.m. Those who do not wish to participate in the meet-and-greet may leave the Exhibition Hall at the conclusion of the recessional.

The ceremony will be webcast live at www.hpu.edu/livegrad. HPU does not guarantee the quality of webcast.

Photographers and videographers are not allowed in the graduate seating section, near the stage, in aisles, or in handicapped seating sections. Security and ushers reserve the right to remove photographers and videographers from restricted areas. The ceremony will be professionally photographed.

No outside food or coolers are allowed at the Neal Blaisdell Center. Concession areas are open in the Arena concourse. Alcohol is not allowed at the ceremony. Do not come to the ceremony under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. If your behavior is unacceptable or unsafe to you or others, HPU reserves the right to prohibit you from participating in the ceremony.

Large signs, balloons, inflatable toys, noisemakers, and camera tripods are not allowed inside the Blaisdell Arena or Exhibition Hall. Guests may not bring any items that may infringe upon the view of other guests. Guests who do not comply may be denied entry by Arena ushers.