All graduates are required to wear PROFESSIONAL DRESS, WHITE CLOTHING under the graduation gown. They should wear the APPROPRIATE shoes (coordinated with outfit acknowledging that they will be walking a long distance as well as navigating stairs/grass).

There is no limit on Commencement guests except in the case of rain in which we would have to shift to a rain plan. In the case of rain, graduates will receive five graduation invitations.

Graduates, faculty, and platform party process from the front stairs of Smedes to the front gates at Hillsborough Street, then down the center sidewalk in the Grove and take their seats for the ceremony. Greetings are provided, the valedictorian and Class of 2024-elected senior speaker make speeches, special music is provided, a commencement address is delivered, each student is called to receive her diploma, and various awards are given. The ceremony lasts approximately one and a half hours. The dropping of the handkerchief by the Chief Marshal officially closes the ceremony.

The following groups of students wear cords during the ceremony:    

• Inclusion Ambassador- Grey
• Honors Society Dance – Light Blue and White
• Athletic Council- Blue cord and a White Cord (separate, not connected)
• Marshals- White
• Chorale- Pink
• Spanish Honors Society- Red and Gold
• French Honors Society- is Blue, White, and Red
• Health and Wellness Ambassadors- Rainbow (the darker rainbow color)
• Arts Honors Society- the Easter Rainbow Colors 
• Prefects: Day, Boarding, GAP, Technology - Lilac 
• Admission Ambassador- Blue and Silver
• Development Ambassador- Maroon
• Vestry- Mint
• 4 Year Girls- Light Blue 
• NHS- Blue and Gold
• SigmaMu Captains- Blue and Red
• Quill and Scroll- Blue and Gold
• Latin Honors- Purple and Gold
• Executive SGA- Dark Blue
• Honors- Gold- Students are recognized graduating with honors if their cumulative SMS unweighted GPA is the range of 3.500-3.999.
• (High honors is a tassel)- Students are recognized graduating with high honors if their cumulative SMS unweighted GPA is 4.000 or better.

Boarding seniors have until 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, to check out of the dorm. Seniors may stay on dorm following exams until graduation. If a student would like to stay off-dorm, the general procedure for requesting overnights must be followed. Seniors should pack their belongings and have their room inspected by residential faculty prior to the commencement ceremony.  

Since our underclasswomen will be preparing for exams and we will be following the 24-hour quiet rule, we need for graduates and their families to be respectful of this and be as quiet as possible during the move and check-out process.

Students must be in good standing with the school to graduate, and the items below must be taken care of prior to graduation. Due dates for each of the items below are TBD. Your daughter must have:

• Returned her athletic uniform (if applicable) and library books.
• Returned her Lenovo tablet (clean) to technology. 
• Returned textbooks to Individual Teachers. Individual teachers will give further instructions on when to return textbooks to their classrooms. 
• Be cleared by the Business Office (e.g. no outstanding debts). Contact Lynette Harris at lharris@sms.edu or 919-424-4126 should you have any questions.

Saint Mary’s School hires a photographer to take individual photos of seniors as they cross the stage to accept their diploma and a link to the live streaming of graduation will be available in the week leading up to the ceremony. We will have Saint Mary’s staff members taking general photos for our use in school publications or for posting on the website and the school's social media.

The timing of events would be adjusted as needed for inclement weather.

For any of our commencement weekend events, parents, students, and guests may park in any of these areas:

• Kenan Library lot
• Overflow lot in front of the Bishop’s House
• Front of campus on the practice field 
• School Chapel Drive lot

If assistance is needed for those in wheelchairs, walkers, or on crutches, please contact Security at 919-424-4044 when you arrive on campus. There will be reserved spaces in front of Binder Health Center for handicap parking. From there the easiest movement for those requiring assistance, is to use the sidewalks behind Smedes Hall to access the Hannah Smith Quad or the sidewalk beside the Chapel to access the Grove.