Brock University’s 106th Convocation will be held Friday, Oct. 18 inside Ian Beddis Gymnasium. More than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students will receive their degrees during the morning and afternoon ceremonies.

Here’s some helpful information for Convocation day:

Schedule

The morning ceremony starts at 10 a.m. and includes graduands from the Faculties of Applied Health Sciences and Social Sciences. Students should arrive to pick up their gowns in Bob Davis Gymnasium between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Families should be in their seats by 9:30 a.m. at the latest.

The afternoon ceremony starts at 2:30 p.m. and includes graduands from the Faculties of Education, Humanities, Math and Science and the Goodman School of Business. Students should arrive to pick up their gowns in Bob Davis Gymnasium between 1 and 1:30 p.m. Families should be in their seats by 2 p.m. at the latest.

Getting to campus

Construction on the major highways around Brock has made getting to campus from around Niagara a bit tricky this year. Things got more complicated Wednesday with an accident inside the Thorold Tunnel that has closed it for emergency repairs until at least the early hours of Friday morning. Anyone coming from Niagara Falls should take the Homer, Glendale or Allanburg bridges to cross the Welland Canal. All of these routes are seeing higher traffic volume, so leaving extra time for the commute is recommended. 

Parking

Parking is free in Zone 1 for Convocation. Guests with special needs can be dropped off at the door to the Walker Complex. Due to the large number of visitors to campus Friday, faculty, staff and students are asked to park in Zone 2 if they’re able to.

Getting around campus

The ongoing Zone Fitness Centre expansion project in and around Walker Complex will be put on hold for Convocation day. That means the main staircase in front of the Welcome Desk will be open and the hallways in the area will be available. Walker Courtyard, however, remains closed.

Alumni reception

Alumni and Donor Relations at Brock hosts a reception immediately after each Convocation ceremony with light refreshments. Although it’s typically hosted in an outdoor tent, high winds predicted for Friday means it will instead be held in the main hallway of South Block.

Livestreaming

If you or your family can’t make it to Brock for the ceremonies, live broadcasts will be available at Brocku.ca/livestream and will also be viewable on demand immediately following Convocation.