Commencement Information

The 129th Commencement of Northfield Mount Hermon School will take place on campus at 11 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012.  Click here for the directions to campus.

 

Commencement weekend activities:  Our traditional Baccalaureate Service will be held on Friday, May 25, at 7 PM in Memorial Chapel. Parents are most welcome to attend Baccalaureate, yet are not expected to do so. Check the end of year calendar for more details on upcoming events.

 

Class Day Exercises and awards will be held on Saturday, May 26, at 2 pm in Memorial Chapel.

 

The Commencement Eve Dinner Dance will occur on campus that evening. There will be a formal dinner in Alumni Hall, dessert in Blake Student Center, and dancing in Grandin. Register here.

 

Commencement occurs on Thorndike Field on Sunday, May 27, at 11 am.

 

There will be a complimentary commencement luncheon on campus for all graduates, parents, and guests directly following the ceremony at 1 pm on May 27.

 

NMH Bookstore Hours: The bookstore hours for the weekend will be from 10-2 pm on Saturday, May 26 and from 9-2 pm on Sunday, May 27. To order NMH apparel or memorabilia online, visit www.nmhbookstore.com.

 

Graduation Gifts: Lift Thine Eyes: The Landscape, the Buildings, the Heritage of Northfield Mount Hermon School is Northfield Mount Hermon’s most recent book. Published in October 2010, Lift Thine Eyes is gift that every graduate can cherish. Copies are available in the NMH Bookstore and will also be sold on Sunday, May 27, 2012, in front of Blake Hall. Hardcover books are $50 and soft covers are $35, plus shipping and handling. For more information or to order, click here or call 413-498-3222.

 

Accommodations: If you have not done so already, please plan ahead and make your reservations for lodging as soon as possible. Many other schools and colleges hold their commencements in May and the spring is a time when many visitors come to the area for vacations. Most hotels south of NMH will be booked early. When you are searching for a hotel, consider looking north to the nearby areas of Brattleboro, VT, or Keene, NH. For a list of hotels, check out the area lodging link on the NMH parents’ page.

 

Invitations: In late February you will receive your invitation to the NMH commencement exercises. Your graduate will be given eight additional invitations that may be sent to whomever they and you wish. Announcements (see below) are a nice alternative way to get the word out.

 

Announcements: Printed announcements are optional and typically are sent to an extended circle of  friends and loved ones so that they feel included in the celebration without a formal invitation to the ceremony. To print an order form, click here.

 

Caps and gowns: Commencement regalia belong to the school and are loaned to students for baccalaureate and commencement exercises. We ask graduates to return their caps and gown immediately after commencement, so as not to incur a late fee.

 

Parking: Campus safety officers will direct you to campus parking on commencement morning. If you have special needs for parking please stop to inform the officer. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic on campus will be heavy so please obey the campus speed limit (19 mph) and be sure to allow extra time for parking.

 

Accessibility for people with disabilities: NMH will have golf carts circulating between the parking areas and the field and around the campus to assist anyone with special needs. Please take advantage of this complimentary service. Restrooms for people with disabilities are available in nearly all buildings except the older dormitories.

 

Photography: Professional photographers from Commencement Photo, Inc., will take one candid shot of every student accepting his or her diploma and one posed shot at the bottom of the stage. We encourage you to use the professional photographers and limit personal photography during the ceremony for the benefit of all commencement guests. An order form for the professional services of Commencement Photo, Inc., will be mailed to you in late February. You also may order from its website just before and after commencement.

 

Extreme weather plan: In the case of significant inclement weather, commencement will be held in the Auditorium on the Northfield campus. If the weather is questionable, a decision will be announced at the Class Day Exercises on Saturday at 2 pm on May 26 and will be posted on the homepage of the NMH website. A ticket will be required for entry to the Auditorium (see “Tickets” below for details). Directions to the Auditorium will be posted on the parents’ page of the NMH website.

 

Tickets: No tickets are necessary should commencement occur outside on Thorndike Field; anyone may attend. Each graduate will be given eight extreme weather tickets (for parents and anyone you and your graduate decide to invite) in case significant inclement weather moves commencement inside to the Auditorium in Northfield. Seats in the Auditorium are reserved for ticket-holding guests only. If you plan to have many people in attendance, please discuss with your graduate how and to whom the tickets will be distributed.  

 

Attire: Thorndike Field may prove difficult to walk on with high-heeled shoes. Given the rolling campus terrain, the paths and the lawns, graduates, parents, and guests are urged to wear flat-soled shoes on campus. A tent will provide shade and limited seating for those who need it most, yet the outdoor seating is not shaded. Please check the forecast and dress for the weather. (In recent years, sunglasses and sunscreen have been useful.)

 

Shipping and storage: Campus dormitories will close for graduates at 5 pm on May 27. Please remove all personal items from your graduate’s room. Anything left behind will be donated to charity or to the NMH Ecoleaders tag sale in the fall. Summer storage may be available at local facilities such as Bernardston Self Storage (413-648-5393), or you may gain permission to ship directly to the college your graduate plans to attend in the fall. The campus UPS store will be open only during weekdays and will be closed Sunday, May 27, so encourage your graduate to pack and to ship belongings before commencement weekend.

 

Click here for the directions to campus.

 

Parents of Juniors: Please note that the commencement exercises for the Class of 2013 are tentatively scheduled for Sunday, May 26, 2013.

 

Parents of Sophomores: The commencement exercises for the Class of 2014 are tentatively scheduled for Sunday, May 25, 2014.