Arrival:
Doors open 1 hour prior to the ceremony. Guests arriving earlier than this time will need to wait outside until door open.
Guests will enter through the main doors at Alico Arena.
No outside food or drinks are allowed inside the Arena. Due to the large attendance, early arrival and carpooling are encouraged.
Ceremony:
The ceremony is expected to last about 2-2.5 hours.
Parking:
Due to the large attendance, early arrival and carpooling are encouraged.
Parking is located in parking garage 1, near the Cohen Student Union. Guests parking
in Garage 1 can enjoy a 1/2 mile walk along the boardwalk to the Arena.
Pick up and drop off for guests with limited mobility are available at the front of
the arena before and after the ceremony.
There are limited disabled parking spaces located in the front of Alico Arena and
are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A disabled person parking permit or
license plate is required.
More information about directions and parking is located in the Directions section
below.
Tickets:
Each guest must have a ticket. No ticket = no entry.
Children 3 and over must have a ticket.
Tickets can either be printed or saved to a phone.
Guests will not be able to re-enter once their ticket has been scanned.
Tickets are only valid for the ceremony listed on the ticket.
Duplicate tickets will not be accepted.
The university does not sell guest tickets for commencement, and those attempting
to purchase tickets online should be wary of scams and the potential of fake tickets
with duplicate barcodes.
Seating:
There are no assigned seats. All seating, including accessible seating, is located
on the second floor of the Arena. There is an elevator available.
Attire:
Business casual attire is highly recommended.
Photography:
No one is allowed to enter the main floor to take pictures.
There will be professional photographers that will be taking pictures of each candidate
before, during, and after crossing the stage.
Proofs of photos will be sent to candidates within 2 weeks after the ceremony with
the opportunity to purchase photos.
By entering the event premises, you consent to the recording of your image and likeness,
and you authorize Florida Gulf Coast University to release, publish, exhibit or reproduce
any audio or video recordings, as well as photographs, which include your likeness
in connection with this event.
Security Measures:
Upon entry to Alico Arena for commencement, please note the following:
- Screening Process: Upon entry, visitors will pass through the weapon detection system. This process
is non-invasive and designed to minimize wait times.
- Prohibited Items: If the system detects any prohibited items, a secondary search will be conducted,
with security and law enforcement personnel taking appropriate action as needed. The list of prohibited items can be found here.
- Clear Bag policy can be viewed here.
- Compliance: All visitors, including employees and contractors, must participate in the screening
process.
- Privacy Assurance: The system respects personal privacy and is designed to detect only prohibited items
without storing personal information.
