2023 In-Person Ceremony
We Celebrate Our Grads!
American River College will hold the 2023 Graduation Ceremony in person at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 18 in Beaver Stadium on the main ARC campus.
We were so excited to celebrate the Class of 2023! To confirm your participation in the graduation ceremony, complete the participation form by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 28.
The sign up window is now closed. Graduates who signed up to attend graduation should have received an email with more information May 2. Review the May 2 Grad Email.
GradImages website
If you are looking for formal photographs taken at the ceremony of you receiving your diploma cover, visit the GradImages website.
Graduation Google Drive
For pictures taken during grad check in and the procession, view and download from the Graduation Google Drive folder.
Live Stream:
Tune In - May 18, 2023
Graduate FAQs
This celebration is for the Class of 2023.
Only confirmed graduates receiving an associate degree with a Summer 2022 or Fall 2022 graduation date, and those who have petitioned to graduate with an expected graduation date of Spring 2023 will be allowed to RSVP and attend the event.
The graduation RSVP form is sent to graduates and prospective graduates after the spring graduation petition closes in early March.
Yes - all guests – including children – must have tickets. Each graduate will receive four tickets. Guest seating will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Gates will open for guest seating at 6:00 pm - view map. No early entrance to the venue is allowed.
Graduates who signed up for the ceremony were emailed details on how to pick up guest tickets. Each grad will receive four red, “sunny” tickets and two blue, “rainy” tickets. In case of weather issues, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the gym and only two guests will be allowed because of space limitations.
Tickets can be picked up untill Wednesday, May 17 at the Welcome and Support Center front counter during the below hours:
- Monday: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm & 2 pm - 7 pm
- Tuesday: 9 am - 7 pm
- Wednesday: 2 pm - 7 pm
Extra Tickets: We have a limited number of extra tickets available. Graduates planning to attend the commencement ceremony may request up to two extra tickets by completing the Extra Ticket Request Form. Tickets will be assigned on a first come basis until all available tickets have all been claimed. Email or in-person requests for extra tickets will not be accepted.
Staff members distributing tickets are not able to assign extra tickets on the spot. Please follow the identified process for requesting extra tickets.
Cap, gown, and tassel are required and available for purchase at the bookstore, which also has other graduation-related items not required for purchase.
Bookstore Information.
Location:
- American River College Main Campus
- 4700 College Oak Drive
- Sacramento, CA 95841
- Phone: (916) 484-8111
- Email: arcbookstore@losrios.edu
Extra caps, gowns, and tassels will NOT be available at the ceremony. You must be in your regalia when you check in for the ceremony.
Students experiencing financial hardship can request assistance through the "Gowns for Grads" program. Grads need to complete this form: Gowns for Grads Program Form with their information. We will contact students within 48 business hours with the determination on their request.
All members of the graduating class 2023 are invited through email to apply to be the featured student speaker at the commencement ceremony.
Submit your interest soon!
Student Commencement Speaker Interest Form
Graduates must check in at 6:00 pm on the bottom floor of the parking garage - view map.
A professional photographer will be taking photos of each graduate as they accept their diploma cover and when they leave the stage.
No. Guests are not allowed in the graduate check-in area or graduate seating area for the ceremony.
To be courteous to all graduates and guests, please turn off or silence all cell phones, pagers, and electronic watches before the ceremony begins.
Also, please no noisemakers, blow horns, balloons, inflatable balls, or signs that will obstruct the view of others.
A professional photographer will be taking photos of each graduate as they accept their diploma cover and when they leave the stage.
The ceremony should wrap up by 9:00 pm. All graduates are expected to stay through the entire ceremony.
This designation is based on the student’s cumulative graduation GPA.
For cumulative GPAs of 3.00 to 3.49, “Honors” will be the designation
For GPAs of 3.50 and higher, “Highest Honors” will be the designation
Please Note: Spring 2023 candidates will not receive this designation in the printed program, as spring semester grades will not be posted until a later date. Honors/Highest Honors designation is also posted to students’ transcripts at the time that degrees are awarded.
Diplomas will be mailed to you at the address listed on your graduation petition approximately six months from the end of the semester of which the degree was awarded.
To ensure the proper delivery of diploma(s), students must update their mailing address through the eServices portal and then contact the Evaluations Team via email at arcevaluators@arc.losrios.edu requesting the address update.
Please note: American River College is not responsible for lost or misdirected mail; the cost of replacement diplomas is $25.00 each.
Graduate participants must adhere to the Student Standards of Conduct.
For the safety of everyone participating, students who violate these standards, including those found to be in the possession of or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, will not be allowed to participate.
American River College is an alcohol, drug, and smoke-free campus. Consumption of, or being under the influence of, drugs or alcohol while on campus is strictly prohibited. In addition, the Student Standards of Conduct prohibit the use, sale, possession, or presence on campus under the influence of any controlled substance. Students who violate this policy can be suspended, expelled, and/or criminally prosecuted.
For the safety of everyone participating, staff will deny entry to anyone who appears intoxicated. Los Rios Police will also be on-site to assist.
Guest FAQs
Yes - all guests – including children – must have tickets. Each graduate will receive four tickets. Guest seating will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Gates will open for guest seating at 6:00 pm - view map. No early entrance to the venue is allowed.
Gates will open for guest seating at 6:00 pm - view map. No early entrance to the venue is allowed.
The ceremony will begin promptly at 7:00 pm.
Parking is free on the day of the ceremony - NO permit and/or daily pass parking is needed. However, Los Rios Police will enforce parking violations in red zones and other restricted areas, metered or timed parking, disabled parking, and violations that impede traffic or block access. Parking spaces will be in demand, so guests should arrive early.
To be courteous to all graduates and guests, please turn off or silence all cell phones, pagers, and electronic watches before the ceremony begins.
Also, please no noisemakers, blow horns, balloons, inflatable balls, or signs that will obstruct the view of others. Courteous behavior is expected by all. College and District conduct rules apply. There also is no tailgating.
A professional photographer will be taking photos of each graduate as they accept their diploma cover and when they leave the stage.
The ceremony should wrap up by 9:00 pm. Please consider making reservations for a late lunch/early dinner prior to the ceremony, or meeting with your grad off campus for a post-ceremony celebration. Family and friends are invited to meet with graduates after the ceremony, outside the gates on the south side of the stadium.