Reservations
Commencement/Reunion Welcome Center
The Ward Alumni Center, 65 E College Street, Suite 4, will serve as the Commencement/Reunion Welcome Center, When you first arrive on campus, please register, pick up your reserved tickets, dorm access card, housing assignment, and the weekend program. In addition, you may leave messages for friends at the Center.
Parents and family members may make reservations for campus housing, meals, and entertainment for Commencement/Reunion weekend by going to the available links in mid-March.
Registration will close on Friday, May 18.
Housing and Meals Registration Form will be available in mid-March (reserve on-campus rooms and meals)
Event Registration Form will be available in mid-March (reserve tickets for special events/entertainment)
If you require a paper registration form, you may download a PDF version. The pdf will be avilable in mid-March. Please keep in mind that tickets to more popular events sell out before the weekend; therefore, we encourage you to register early.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Alumni Association at 440-775-8692 or send an e-mail to alumni@oberlin.edu.
Contact Information:
- For meals, events, and housing: Alumni Association 440-775-8692 or alumni@oberlin.edu
- General questions/information about Commencement: Office of the General Counsel and Secretary 440-775-8401 or secretary.office@oberlin.edu
- To check or change reservation once on campus: Commencement/Reunion Center (only during the weekend) 440-775-8695
Welcome Center Hours
Friday, May 25: 9 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Saturday, May 26: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 27: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Monday, May 28: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Note: If you will be arriving after the registration desk closes, special arrangements must be made for housing access. Alert the Alumni Office before the weekend or the Commencement/Reunion Center during the weekend if this applies to you.
Because of the large number of people expected to attend the weekend, sending in your reservation form is a necessity. We cannot guarantee tickets or accommodations for those who arrive without reservations.
Housing
Dormitory rooms are available for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, but not Monday night. All dorm rooms must be vacated by 1 p.m. on Monday, May 28, 2012.
Ohio weather can be unpredictable! If warm weather is predicted, we suggest you bring a portable fan since the dormitories are not air conditioned. If cool weather is predicted, we strongly suggest you bring warm sleepwear and an extra blanket, as only one light blanket per bed is provided. Once the heat is turned off for the year it cannot be turned back on. We also suggest that you bring a wash cloth, extra towels, a reading lamp, and clothes hangers.
While we do our best to accommodate the needs of parents and family members, there are very limited facilities for those with special needs such as private baths, wheelchair ramps, and accessible bathrooms. We recommend you consider reserving lodging in a local motel or bed and breakfast. Please refer to our Visiting Oberlin Accommodations site.
Rates for dorm beds are $35.00 per bed per night before May 1; $50.00 per bed per night after May 1. Furnishings include sheets, pillow and case, blanket, one hand towel and one bath towel. These supplies are not replenished daily.
Camping
The camper and RV site is the Grey Gables parking lot on West College Street across from Dascomb Hall; you may use restroom and shower facilities at Dascomb. Note that electricity is only offered for the camper and RV sites; no dumping stations or water is available. Please sign up on the reservation form. Your parking tag will be included in your ticket envelope.
Tent sites are available, free of charge, north of Jones Fieldhouse. You may park in the Fieldhouse parking lot and use restroom and shower facilities in Phillips Gym or Langston Hall.
Dining
General meal dining (cash only, pay at the door) will be available in the Dascomb food court during the weekend. Several entrees including vegetarian and vegan options are available. Wild Thymes will have a regular selection of traditional fares featuring savory flavors of herbs. Ring of Fire will feature authentic Asian cuisines. Southside Deli will have traditional items as well as a selection of whole meats grilled-to-order at the dinner meal. Focaccino will have calzones, stromboli, pizzas, and other Italian dishes. Breakfast, $7.00; lunch, $8.50; dinner, $12.50. Children ages 4-12, half-price; ages 3 and under, free.
At class/cluster meals a vegetarian and vegan option will be available by advance request with your reservation. Due to space restrictions, we request that only classmates and spouses/partners attend the class/cluster dinners.
If you have food allergies and are attending a ticketed meal, please list the foods on the reservation form so we may alert the dietitian.
Commencement Exercises
Commencement will be Monday morning, May 28, 9:30 a.m., on Tappan Square, rain or shine. Tickets are not necessary.
Handicapped spaces are available on Commencement morning in the Bosworth and Finney parking lots. Additional spaces in the Bosworth parking lot will be held the morning of Commencement for mobility impaired individuals.
A limited number of wheel chairs will be available for the weekend, if you wish to reserve a wheel chair, please contact the Commencement Center.
Commencement Webcast If your family and friends are unable to make the trip to Oberlin for the ceremony, they may find the ceremony streaming LIVE on the Oberlin College Commencement Website. Please find more information and a link on the right side of our primary Commencement webpage. Live Webcast link will be available in mid-May.
Graduation Checklist
Graduation Announcements Graduation announcements and class rings may be ordered from Jostens. Please find all related information on the Jostens website.
Photography
- A photographer from GradImages™ will be at your ceremony to take a candid photograph of you at your special moment of recognition.
- You will receive a free passport-sized digital proof of this photo on an order card within 5-7 days following the ceremony.
- E-mail your questions to service@gradimages.com.
- After the ceremony you may order online at www.gradimages.com or call 800-261-2576.
- Since photographs will be available, family members and guests are encouraged to remain in their seats, relax and enjoy the ceremony.
- PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY: To pre-register your permanent e-mail address, please visit www.gradimages.com and check Pre-Event Registration. You may add contact information for up to six additional relatives and/or friends.
Florist
Flowers may be ordered through Carlyle Shop. Please find an order form on the link. Choose this link to obtain a Carlyle Flower form.
Carlyle Shop
17 W. College St.
440.775.3871
Caps and gowns are not required for the Commencement exercises; however, should your graduate choose to wear a cap and gown, the regalia may be ordered from Ben Franklin. Choose this link for a Ben Franklin's regalia pricing guide.
Ben Franklin
13 W. College St.
(440) 774-5711
Activities for Children
Children's Daytime Activities: Supervised recreational activities for children ages 4-12 will be available Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children should be dropped off and picked up at the Commencement/Reunion Center. Please provide children with a water bottle with their choice of drink. Children should not carry any money. Cost is $50.00 per day with lunch included. Please sign up on the reservation form.
Children's Pizza Supper: A supervised pizza supper with soft drinks and videos will be available in Wilder Hall for children ages 4-12 whose parents attend class/cluster dinners on Sunday, May 27, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $7.00. Please sign up on the reservation form.
Traveling With An Infant: Traveling to Oberlin with your infant is a great experience, but it does require some advance planning. Bring your child’s favorite toys to help him/her adjust to the strange surroundings. You may want to bring a stroller; the dining halls have a few highchairs.
Children with sleeping bags in a parent's room are not charged.
Recreation
The Philips Physical Education Center will be open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, for those interested in aerobic exercise, racquetball, squash, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, weight training, or running the outdoor fitness trail. You may borrow racquets for racquetball, squash and tennis, tennis balls, and volleyballs from the equipment room. Those wishing to swim must bring suits. Lockers and towels are available for a small daily fee. Please note that non-marking shoes must be worn in the gym. You may also bowl in Hales Gymnasium or golf at the Oberlin Golf Club.
Attending Performances
You may order tickets on the reservation form. Weekend performance descriptions and times are listed in the weekend schedule.
Special Needs
Wheelchairs and a limited number of electric scooters will be available for the weekend from the Commencement/Reunion Center. Due to the limited quantity of wheelchairs and scooters, please call the Alumni Office at 440-775-8692 to reserve one. There is a $50.00 deposit (cash, check, MC or VISA only) fee of which $35.00 will be refunded when the wheelchair is returned at the end of the weekend. All wheelchairs must be returned by 12:45 p.m. on Monday, May 28, or you will forfeit your deposit.
An American Sign Language Interpreter will be available during the Celebration Luncheon, the Presidential Address, Multi-faith Baccalaureate Celebration, and the Commencement exercises.
Rideshare Program
Your journey can be part of the celebration and help us green Oberlin: Fly or Drive Together!
Whether you fly or drive to Commencement/Reunion Weekend, you now have an opportunity to connect with your neighbors on your journey. You can carpool to Oberlin or share a cab or rental from the airport. Does your car have an extra seat? Use your trip as a mini-reunion and find other Oberlin alumni and friends in your region, while reducing the number of cars traveling to Oberlin in May.
Go to SpaceShare website and make a connection. Link will be availaible by mid-march.
Airport Shuttles
Oberlin College has partnered with Hopkins Transportation Service and Charters in order to provide shuttle service between Cleveland Hopkins Airport and Oberlin for Commencement/Reunion Weekend. Shuttle service is available from Cleveland Hopkins Airport to Oberlin on Thursday, May 24 through Sunday, May 27. Shuttle service from Oberlin to Cleveland Hopkins Airport is available Saturday, May 26, through Monday, May 28.
You can make online shuttle reservations after mid-March, 2012 by visiting the Hopkins Transportation Service website and selecting Oberlin under “Groups” in the left navigation bar.
The online reservation system will request your flight arrival and departure information and will schedule your shuttle service accordingly. If you require a wheelchair lift, please call Hopkins Transportation Service and Charters directly at 800-543-9912 to make arrangements.
At Cleveland Hopkins Airport, the shuttle arrives and departs from carousel #8, exit door #5 in the baggage claim area.
In Oberlin the shuttle arrives and departs from the Eric Nord Way and the rear entrance of the Oberlin Inn. Please be at the pickup location 10 minutes before departure. The trip to and from Oberlin is approximately 45 minutes. One-way fare is $19.00 per person; or $36.00 roundtrip.
Taxi Services
- A 2 Point B Cab Company - 440-775-7222
- ACE Taxi - 216-361-4700
- AMERICAB - 216-881-1111
- West Side Town Car 877-647-4500 or 216-789-9600
Bring Your Own Water Bottle
As part of our ongoing effort to make Commencement/Reunion Weekend have as little impact on the planet as possible, the Green Commencement/Reunion Committee has asked Campus Dining Services to eliminate single use water bottles. Water will be available throughout the weekend in several locations; we welcome you to fill your own reusable bottle. Help us reduce the amount of plastic on campus during this busy weekend by bringing your water bottle with you.
