115th Annual NYTS Commencement – May 16, 2015

New York Theological Seminary (NYTS) Commencement Day Information

NO MYLAR BALLOONS ALLOWED
YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED ENTRANCE WITH A MYLAR BALLOON OR MAY BE ASKED TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE CHURCH

When and where is the 2015 NYTS Commencement?

DATE: Saturday, May 16, 2015

PLACE: The Riverside Church – 490 Riverside Drive & West 121 Street, NY, NY 10027

For those with disability or limited mobility and one escort – Doors open at 8:30am – PLEASE GO 91 Claremont Avenue entrance ONLY. You will be escorted to your seat.

What time do doors open?

• For the elderly and those with disability, limited mobility and one escort, doors open 8:30am.
• General entrance begins at 9:00am
  • Seating is on a first come first served basis

Where do I line up for entrance to The Riverside Church?

• Guests must line up for entry on Riverside Drive & West 121 Street – Rain or Shine.

• Candidates gather 9 AM SHARP at the Assembly Hall of Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Ave. (Between Broadway & Riverside Dr. at W. 121 St) – Doors open 9 am
• All candidates MUST arrive at the Assembly Hall by 9:00 am to robe, be placed in your respective processional formation, and receive instructions.

• NO family or guests will be allowed in the staging area.

• GRADUATES: Please leave your purses/coats/personal belongings with someone from your family BEFORE you go into the Assembly Hall.  There is NO coat-check and NO security in the Assembly Hall; (you will not be allowed to process with purses).

• The ceremony will begin promptly at 10 am and lasts approximately 2 hours.

• After the ceremony ends ALL graduates MUST go back down to the Assembly Hall to receive their diplomas and take class graduation pictures.  This process takes about a half hour to 45 minutes. Please make arrangements with family and friends to wait for you at a designated area.  They will NOT be allowed in the Assembly Hall.

 When the first floor is full you will be directed to the elevator which leads to the balcony seating.

NOTE: Doors CLOSE again at 9:45am for the Processional and REOPEN AFTER THE INVOCATION.

Will there be a video recording available of the NYTS Commencement?

There will be NO video recording available. You may take personal pictures and recordings however please note that you are not allowed to be in the aisles and not allowed to go to the front of the church. For safety reasons and mobility of the Graduates you should remain in your pews for the duration of the ceremony.

Are children allowed at the NYTS Commencement?

Children are welcome at the NYTS Commencement.

Because of the tight space constraints in The Riverside Church, we recommend that you leave strollers at home (or cars) if at all possible. There is no stroller parking or storage available. If you must bring a stroller please sit in the side pews and keep strollers out of the aisles. NYTS

Commencement is a very crowded indoor event with limited space to move around and may prove to be a challenging environment for small children.

Parking and Accommodations

Parking in Morningside Heights on the morning of NYTS Commencement is challenging. If you must drive, please leave plenty of time for a parking search and walking to The Riverside Church. There are a few parking garages (for a charge) in the area; these fill up early and should not be counted on for convenient parking. There is no designated parking for guests with disabilities.

Please take note of meters and other parking regulations. Please diligently check for any signage indicating that the street will be closed. Failure to notice these signs may result in your car being towed.

What time does the ceremony end?

• The ceremony ends between 12 and 12:30pm
• Fifteen (15) minutes before the end of ceremony The Church doors will close again to allow for a smooth recession of the graduates and the faculty. If you leave the Church for any reason at this time, you will not be allowed re-entry.
• Please remain in your seating area until the graduates have vacated. Do not step out into the aisles or gather in the back of the Nave; you will be directed to return to your seat.
• Please exit directly to Riverside Drive (where you came in) AFTER the graduates have vacated.
• No guests will be allowed in the area where the graduates are.
• Please make arrangements with family and friends to wait at a designated area.  Families and friends will NOT be allowed in the Assembly Hall.
• No picture taking will be allowed in the Church after the ceremony. We must vacate the Church immediately. Please do not go or stay in the Nave. Pictures may be taken outside the Church.

 To download these instructions as a PDF, please click HERE.