18th Annual Commencement Ceremony:
Location, Parking and Guest Seating

Location and driving directions

Commencement is held at the Tacoma Dome located at 2727 East D Street in downtown Tacoma.

From the UW Tacoma campus you can ride the Link light rail train to the Tacoma Dome station. The Dome entrance is approximately a two-block walk from the station.

If you are driving from I-5:
1.  Take exit #133 (I-705/City Center) following the City Center off-ramp
2.  Veer right on to the "East 26th St/Tacoma Dome" off-ramp
3.  Turn right on East 26th St.
4.  At the next stoplight, turn right onto D Street.
5.  The entrance to the Tacoma Dome parking lots will be directly ahead of you. Follow the signs.

Parking is available in the Tacoma Dome lots for $8.

Guest entrance and seating

Guests enter the Tacoma Dome through the upper "C" doors. Doors open at 9 a.m. Admission is complimentary and no tickets are required. It is festival seating in the guest area.

If you have guests who may require special accommodations, please see Seating for Guests with Disabilities.

Degree Candidates Entrance and Line Up

All degree candidates participating in the ceremony are required to complete the registration/order form (between May 5 – May 25) to reserve their place in the ceremony.

On the day of Commencement, candidates arrive to the Tacoma Dome at 9 a.m., entering through the lower "A" doors. Bachelor's degree candidates should arrive dressed in their academic apparel. Master’s degree candidates should arrive dressed in their academic apparel, except for their hood, which they will carry over their right arm during the processional.

Candidates proceed directly to the check-in tables, where they will receive their name cards. Candidates hold onto this card and present it to the faculty reader, as they walk up on stage. Candidates can notate the phonetic spelling of their name on the card, to assist the faculty reader in the correct pronunciation of their name. The name card also contains specific directions for the processional and crossing of the stage.

After checking in and receiving their name cards, candidates are directed to the assembly area for their academic program. Candidates will line up in alphabetical order, with assistance from Commencement staff. Candidates are requested to follow all instructions given by the Commencement staff.

Please leave purses, umbrellas, coats and other valuables with family or friends; personal items cannot be left in the staging area.

University of Washington Tacoma
1900 Commerce Street - Tacoma, WA 98402-3100
(253) 692-4400 - FAX (253) 692-4413

Last update: 3/26/08 bca