OFFICIAL INFORMATION
Information regarding date, time, schedule of events, and reception

CAP AND GOWN
Information for graduating students about cap and gown

SPEAKER
Biography of this year's speaker

TICKETS/SEATING
Information on tickets and seating for the commencement

DIRECTIONS/PARKING
Information on directions and parking

HOTELS/DINING
Information on hotels and dining in the Ann Arbor area

PHOTOGRAPHY
Information on the official photography for the ceremony

PREPARATION FOR GRADUATION
Information for dental students to prepare for graduation

All Pictures are from the 2009 Commencement Ceremony.

 OFFICIAL INFORMATION

Reception
Immediately following the commencement ceremony, there will be a reception for graduates, family, and friends.  Light refreshments will be served.  It will be held at the Michigan League, 2nd Floor.  Elevators are available. 

Location:
Michigan League (2nd Floor)
911 N. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Check out the campus map in the directions/parking section.

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SPEAKER

The 2012 Commencement Ceremony speaker is Richard Valachovic, DMD, MPH. 

Dr. Rick Valachovic is the Executive Director of the American Dental Education Association and President of the ADEAGies Foundation.  He joined ADEA in 1997 after more than twenty years in research, practice and teaching of pediatric dentistry and oral medicine/radiology.  He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and is certified in pediatric dentistry and dental public health.  Dr. Valachovic previously served on the faculty of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and during his tenure at Harvard served as Dean for Clinical Affairs, Dean for Government and Community Affairs, and as Director of Postdoctoral Education. He was also Chief of Dentistry of the Harvard University Health Services immediately prior to assuming the role of Executive Director at ADEA.  He also served on the faculty and as Dean for Clinical Affairs at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Valachovic has served as President of the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP) and as Founding Executive Director of the International Federation of Dental Educators and Associations (IFDEA).  He is a member of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat (WHES).

Dr. Valachovic earned his B.S. degree in 1973 from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York; his D.M.D. in 1977 from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine; and he holds a Masters in Public Health degree (1981) and a Master of Science degree in health policy and management (1982) from the Harvard School of Public Health.  He completed a residency in pediatric dentistry at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Boston in 1979.

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TICKETS  and SEATING

All are welcome to attend.  Tickets are not necessary.  Seating is on a first come, first serve basis.

Handicapped seating is available.  East and west side entrances of the auditorium are appropriate for guest using wheelchairs.  Please refer to the diagram of Hill Auditorium to locate designated handicapped seating areas (boxes A-G on the main floor).

Hill Auditorium's seating diagram.

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DIRECTIONS and PARKING

Parking will be free and open to the public beginning at 12:00pm on Friday, May 4, 2012 in the Fletcher, Palmer, and Thayer Parking Structures. 

Directions to the Fletcher and Palmer Parking Structures.

**PLEASE NOTE**

For the Fletcher Parking Structure, use the Palmer Commons entrance (via Palmer Drive). 

The up ramp at the Fletcher Street entrance leads to patient parking.  If you park in patient parking, you will be charged $25.

Click here for a campus map to help you navigate around campus.

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HOTELS and DINING

For information on area hotels and restaurants, contact the Ann Arbor Convention and Visitors Burea at www.annarbor.org or call 800-888-9487.

Guests who are unable to reserve hotel rooms in the Ann Arbor area may wish to look for hotel rooms in Brighton, Jackson, Plymouth, Ypsilanti, or the vicinity of Detroit Metropolitan Airport.  These communities are less than one hour's drive from Ann Arbor and may have rooms available.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographs of the graduates receiving his/her diploma will be taken during the ceremony by CALL PHOTOGRAPHY.

Picture proofs will be sent to the graduate at no charge shortly after the ceremony.  There is no obligation to purchase the picture, but orders can be placed at www.callphotography.com.

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CAP AND GOWN

All graduates must wear the School of Dentistry academic attire to participate in the ceremony.  Graduates are responsible for ordering their own cap and gown from Willsie Cap & Gown.

The cost is $36.00.  This includes the rental of gown and hood trimmed in the appropriate degree velvet as well as the one-size cap and tassel.  The cap and tassel is yours to keep while the gown and hood will be collected at the end of commencement ceremony.  At additional costs, a gown, hood, and additional tassels can be purchased.

For students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene, the cost is $27.00.  This includes the entire attire which is yours to keep.

The deadline to order online is March 16, 2012.  Orders placed afterwards will be assessed a $10.00 late fee.  Orders placed after April 2 must be made by phone with Andy Gillespie at 888-678-4723.

PLACE YOUR ORDER 
Don't forget to indicate your degree (DDS, PhD, MS) on the checkout screen.

The School of Dentistry's Registrar's Office will communicate to graduates the times to pick up attire.

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