2023 graduation ceremonies to be held in D.L. Ligon Coliseum Dec. 15-16
Midwestern State University is pleased to announce that commencement ceremonies will return to the MSU Texas campus after 15 years at an offsite venue.
“Graduation is the culmination of our students’ academic journey,” said MSU Texas President Stacia Haynie. “I had the distinct honor to walk across the graduation stage in D.L. Ligon Coliseum many years ago, and it is extremely meaningful to me that we are able to bring this day of celebration back to campus for our students.”
With the transition also comes enhancements to the commencement day experience. Council Drive will be closed from Nocona Trail to Midwestern Parkway for a festival plaza. Faculty, staff, students, families, and friends will gather to celebrate with music and plenty of photo station opportunities.
“Through the years, small groups have expressed interest in having commencement on campus,” said Michael Mills, associate vice president for enrollment management. “After polling faculty, staff, and students earlier this past spring, we found overwhelming support in bringing commencement back home to D.L. Ligon Coliseum.”
MSU Texas will conduct three smaller ceremonies to provide a more intimate setting for graduates and their families.
- • Students graduating with their master’s degrees from the Dr. Billie Doris McAda Graduate School will attend the 6 p.m. ceremony, Friday, Dec. 15.
- • Students graduating with their bachelor’s degrees from the Dillard College of Business Administration, Gordon T. & Ellen West College of Education, and the Lamar D. Fain College of Fine Arts will attend the 10 a.m. ceremony, Saturday, Dec. 16.
- • Students graduating with their bachelor’s degrees from the Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences & Human Services, Prothro-Yeager College of Humanities & Social Sciences, and the McCoy College of Science, Mathematics & Engineering will attend the 2 p.m. ceremony, Saturday, Dec. 16.
In order to facilitate the smaller capacity of D.L. Ligon Coliseum, each undergraduate candidate for Saturday’s ceremonies will be allowed a maximum of 8 tickets until the Friday, Nov. 17 deadline. After the deadline, each student will be eligible for a maximum of 6 tickets. Children ages 4 and older will require a ticket. Master’s degree candidates will not require tickets for the Friday ceremony. More information is available on the MSU Texas Registrar’s webpage.
The ceremonies will also be available via livestream for family and friends unable to attend in person.
In 2009, commencement moved to MPEC’s Kay Yeager Coliseum in downtown Wichita Falls when renovations began in D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The four-year, $17 million renovation plan provided upgrades for locker rooms, ticket booths, office suites, and infrastructure repairs.