News & Events

Commencement Class of 2025

Commencement Weekend Schedule

Thursday, May 22, 2025

7:30 p.m. Spring Festival of the Arts, Werner Centennial Center
Required school appointment for all students (exam dress). Parents are invited to attend.

Friday, May 23, 2025

2 p.m. Spring Awards Ceremony, Commencement Lawn
Required school appointment for all students (classroom dress). Families are invited. Visit Westminster Live to view the livestream.
7 p.m. Baccalaureate Service, Andrews Memorial Chapel
Required school appointment for all Sixth Form students. Sixth Form parents are invited. Visit Westminster Live to view the livestream.
7:45 p.m. Lawn Ceremony, Sixth Form Lawn
Required school appointment for all Sixth Form and Fifth Form students (classroom dress). Fifth and Sixth Form families are invited. Visit Westminster Live to view the livestream.
8:30 p.m.
Sixth Form Receiving Line, Sixth Form Lawn
All students are invited to attend.
Refreshments for Fifth and Sixth Form Parents, Keyes Patio, Cushing Hall
10 p.m. Boarding Students Check In on Corridor, Day Students Depart Campus

Saturday, May 24, 2025

8 a.m.
Presentation of Sixth Form Flowers, Commencement Rehearsal and Family Photos, Keyes Porch
Required school appointment for all Sixth Form students (commencement dress). Families and graduates are invited to take photos with a professional photographer before or after Commencement rehearsal.
9:30 a.m.
Sixth Form Class Photo, Cushing Hall
Required school appointment for all Sixth Form students.
10 a.m.
Commencement, Commencement Lawn
Required school appointment for all students. Visit Westminster Live to view the livestream. Photographers will be available for family photos after Commencement.
Noon
Buffet Lunch Available, Armstrong Dining Hall
1 p.m. End-of-year departure for Sixth Formers

Frequently Asked Questions

List of 10 frequently asked questions.

  • Who may attend Commencement?

    Immediate family members, approximately 10-12 people, are welcome to attend.

  • Where should guests park?

    Guests will be directed to park behind Armour Academic Center. Please do not park around the Sixth Form Lawn during Commencement Weekend. 

  • Are there reserved seats for Commencement?

    Graduates and special guests will have seats reserved at the front of the tent. Seating for families and other guests is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Families or students who wish to hold seats may place a placard on individual seats beginning at 7 a.m. on Saturday. Any placards placed before 7 a.m. will be removed.

  • Where can we stay? Where can we have dinner on Friday evening?

    Please click here to see a list of area hotels and restaurants. Make dinner reservations early and plan to be back to campus before 7 p.m. for the Lawn Ceremony.

  • Where can we have lunch on Saturday?

    Following the Commencement Ceremony, everyone is welcome to enjoy a buffet lunch in Armstrong Dining Hall.

  • Will photographs be taken of each student?

    Highpoint Pictures will be taking candid and formal photos throughout Saturday morning. A professional photographer will take a photo as the diploma is handed to the student and after the student leaves the stage. Guests are encouraged to request a family photo from a photographer before or after the Commencement Ceremony. An email from Highpoint Pictures will be sent to Sixth Form parents about two weeks after Commencement, when the photos are ready to be reviewed and purchased.

  • Will the events be livestreamed? 

    The Awards Ceremony, Baccalaureate Service and Lawn Ceremony on Friday will be livestreamed. Commencement Exercises are scheduled to be livestreamed on Saturday morning. All livestreams can be accessed at cu60.shorinji-kempo.net/live on the day of the event. 

  • Can the school accommodate guests with mobility issues?

    Guests with mobility issues should be dropped off at the entrance to Armour Academic Center. Golf carts will be available for guests who need assistance getting to the Lawn Ceremony on Friday evening or the tent on Commencement Lawn. Please contact Kerry Masiero, Executive Assistant to the Head of School, at kmasiero@shorinji-kempo.net or 860-408-3012 to address any additional issues. We will make every effort to accommodate your request.

  • When do Sixth Form students depart?

    Sixth Form students depart campus at 1 p.m. following Commencement. Families can pack up before Commencement, or immediately following the event.

  • Are pets allowed on campus for Commencement?

    While service animals are welcome on campus, we request that non-service animals not be brought to campus for Commencement Weekend.

Downloads for At-Home Celebrations

Celebrate the Class of 2025 in style. Below is a selection of logos, graphics and printer-friendly signs so families can decorate their homes with pride. Click the graphic you want to download. Each graphic will open in a new window and allow you to download a pdf of that graphic.

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