Congratulations to the BUSSW Class of 2025!
The 2025 BUSSW Commencement Ceremony took place Thursday, May 15 at 4pm at BU’s Walter Brown Arena. If you have any questions following the ceremony, please contact your program’s student services administrator.
Watch the ceremony:
Recording available until May 30.
Requests for accessible seating and individual services are managed by BU Disability & Access Services. All requests need to be submitted between April 1 and May 9. Once submitted and and reviewed by the Disability Office, BUSSW staff will connect with the parties directly. Handicapped parking is available in all parking lots throughout the Charles River Campus on a first-come, first-served basis (no parking permit needed or reservations allowed). The event will be live streamed with closed captioning for those who cannot attend. To watch, simply return to this page on May 15 and a box will be posted that will host the streaming event. Please note the event is a real-time live stream which does not allow playback or recording. For the in-person ceremony, CART services (live captioning) will be accessible on your mobile device. Details will be shared closer the ceremony.Accessibility
Doors will open at 3:00PM. Please enter Walter Brown Arena from the 285 Babcock Street entrance unless you have discussed an alternate accessible entry plan with the BUSSW planning team. BUSSW staff will be present to guide guests to their destination. Please note that bag size will be limited to 12″ x 12″ x 6″ for all guests, graduating students, faculty and staff, and all bags will be physically inspected prior to entry. Review additional information about BU security protocols at bu.edu/commencement/security. Additional details will be sent to graduating students, faculty, and staff via email.Arrival & Schedule
Student Speaker: Faculty Roles: Teaching Excellence Award Winner: The Class Gift will go to the BRIDGE Program Discretionary Fund. Bridge helps increase access to graduate social work education for those who have historically not had it, including participants from around the globe, while addressing critical cultural competency needs within the human services workforce. This fund provides for immediate needs that include, but are not limited to, student financial aid support, classroom needs and program supplies, student travel, etc. Click here to donate! Exit Song: “Feeling Good” by Lauryn HillCeremony Roles & Class Gift
Gene Jerskey – Charles River Campus
Guest Speaker:
Ricardo Neal (MSW’99), President and Chief Executive Officer of We Will All Rise
Read about Ricardo Neal in our announcement here.
Reader: Prof. Phillipe Copeland
Hooders: Profs. Wade Taylor and Luz Lopez
Faculty Marshals: Profs. Layla Khayr and M. Emilia Bianco
Prof. Jennifer Gomez
Will I receive my actual diploma at Commencement? On May 15, you’ll receive a diploma folder. The actual completed diploma will be mailed to you in July once balances are paid and exit counseling has been completed, When will the transcript show that I graduated? When can I request a certificate of completion? How do I request a certificate of completion? When can I request a certificate of graduation? I have questions regarding ordering my transcript and/or my diploma. Who should I contact? When will my diploma be mailed?Diplomas & Transcripts
Diplomas & Transcripts FAQ
For those graduating in January, it will appear on your transcript around 1/25, for those graduating in May it will appear around 5/20 and for those graduating in August, it will appear around 8/25 of the year you graduate. View the graduation calendar here.
Once you are designated an official graduate by the Registrar’s Office, you can request a certificate of completion which states that you have completed all the requirements for the degree and your official graduation date. Once the graduation date has passed, your graduation information will appear on your transcript and you’ll be able to order a certificate of graduation.
A certificate of completion can be ordered by emailing or calling the BU Office of the Registrar at registrar@bu.edu or 617-353-3612. As soon as you see all your grades posted on the Student Link under transcript preview, contact the School of Social Work Registrar at swreg@bu.edu to ensure that your degree requirements have been met. Then the SSW Registrar can approve your request for a certificate of completion to the University Registrar.
A certificate of graduation can only be obtained after the graduation date has passed. More information on how to order a certificate of graduation can be found here: bu.edu/reg/graduation/certificates-of-graduation/
Questions regarding ordering transcripts should be directed to the Office of the University Registrar at registrar@bu.edu or 617-353-3612. Transcripts can also be ordered on the Student Link. Those with questions regarding diplomas should email diploma@bu.edu or call 617-353-3604 or diploma@bu.edu. For more information, visit the University Registrar’s Diplomas & Graduation webpage and the Ordering a Transcript webpage.
For information on when your diploma will be mailed or when you can pick it up, please check the University Registrar’s Office for their Diploma Ordering/Mailing Schedule.
Note: Names of speakers and other ceremony participants immediately follow their respective portions of the event program. Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 4:00 PM (ET) | BU Walter Brown Arena Processional Call to Order & Welcome – Dean Barbara Jones, PhD, FAOSW Student Speaker – Gene Jerskey, Charles River Campus Awarding of Prizes & Gifts – Professor Ashley Davis, PhD, LICSW Convocation Address – Ricardo Neal, MSW (SSW’99), President and CEO, We Will All Rise Excellence in Teaching Award, awarded to Professor Jennifer M. Goméz, PhD Gratitude for the Class Gift to the BRIDGE Program Fund – Dean Barbara Jones, PhD, FAOSW Awarding of Diplomas & Hooding Alumni Association Remarks – Angela Yarde, BUSSW Alumni Association President Farewell – Dean Barbara Jones, PhD, FAOSW Post-Ceremony ReceptionEvent Program
Accessible Text-Only Program
Boston University School of Social Work 2025 Commencement Ceremony – Event Program
The Walter Brown Arena is a large venue, so no tickets are needed for your guests. Doors to the arena will open at 3:00pm. If you and/or your guests need hotel accommodations, visit BU’s Accommodations webpage here.Guests
The commencement ceremony will be live-streamed for those unable to attend. In order to watch the livestream, simply return to this page at the ceremony start time. An embedded video live-stream will show up at the top of the page. It will be publicly viewable; there are no access restrictions. The livestream will have closed captioning. The livestream plays in real-time, so be sure to tune in by the beginning of the ceremony (4:00 pm Eastern Time on May 15th) to catch the full ceremony. Due to BU privacy protocols, we are not able to provide a recording.Livestream
Photos taken of graduates as they cross the stage are managed by GradImages, a company hired by the University. They will be available for purchase. Learn more here. To find, view and purchase custom photo products such as prints, plaques, specialty gifts, and more, please visit www.GradImages.com. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these photos, please contact the GradImages Customer Service Department at (800) 261-2576, online at www.gradimages.com, or email ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. Please note: Images taken by the BUSSW photographer are used for the website and social media and are cannot be made available to students or guests, per the photography contract. By entering the event premises, you consent to photography and video/audio recording and its/their release. Please contact your student services administrator if you have questions or concerns. Guests and graduates are more than welcome to take their own photos throughout all commencement activities. If you’re sharing your photos on social media, use the hashtag #BUSSWGrad2025 and tag us! We will be sharing photos on our Instagram story (@busocialwork) throughout the day.Photography
Student regalia is handled by the University. A selection of items will be available for purchase (or rental, if doctoral) through BU. Go to the University regalia webpage, bu.edu/commencement/for-students/caps-gowns, to order your cap and gown and find the most up-to-date information on deadlines, prices, pickup, and more. MARCH 24: On-Campus Pickup | Order your Cap & Gown by March 24 for the on-campus pickup option. Campus pickup orders will be available beginning May 5 at the BU Campus Store at 910 Commonwealth Ave. APRIL 1: Doctoral Final Deadline | Cap & Gown orders must be placed by April 1, including rental. APRIL 15: Master (MSW) Final Deadline | Cap & Gown orders must be placed by April 15 to receive them for Commencement Weekend. They will not be available to order after this date. Please contact regalia@bu.edu with any questions. Please note BUSSW does not apply Latin Honors to graduate student records but students are welcome to wear their own cords at the ceremony. Regalia
Deadlines (as posted on BU Regalia webpage, 2/13/25)
All BU parking from Thursday through Sunday, May 15-18 will be free and available on a first come, first served basis. This link shows BU parking lots and locations. The best option near the Walter Brown Arena is Agganis Arena Garage. This link includes additional lots around campus. Handicapped parking is also available in all parking lots throughout the Charles River Campus on a first-come, first-served basis (no parking permit needed or reservations allowed). For public transportation, please visit BU’s transportation page here.Transportation & Parking
If you and/or your guests need hotel accommodations, please go to BU’s Accommodations webpage here for a list of recommendations. Please be sure to book your stay as soon as possible – overnight accommodations in Boston and surrounding areas fill up quickly due to high demand. Questions about where to stay? Contact commencement@bu.edu.Where to Stay (Overnight Accommodations)
2025 BU All-University Commencement
Please visit the BU Commencement webpage (bu.edu/commencement) or email commencement@bu.edu for information about the 2025 BU All-University Commencement.