Current Graduate StudentsGraduation Information

VCU School of Business
December 2022 Commencement

Sunday, December 11, Altria Theater
Doors open at 12:45 p.m. 
Ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m. 
The ceremony will be available via a livestream the day of the event for graduates and guests who prefer to attend virtually. The event will also be recorded and distributed to all graduates after the ceremony.
 
Ceremony Registration: A registration form was emailed to all graduates on Wednesday, October 5. All graduates must complete registration by no later than Friday, November 18. Requests to attend the ceremony after this deadline may not be granted. If you did not receive an email and believe you are eligible to participate, please email busceremony@vcu.edu as soon as possible.
 
Tickets: Tickets will be required for all guests. A maximum of eight guest tickets are allotted to each graduate until the registration deadline of November 18. Students do not need a ticket for themselves. Guest tickets will be claimed electronically from Altria Theater via a code we will send graduates on December 1. Please do not contact the Altria Theater regarding tickets.

Virtual Slides: We will create a virtual slide for all graduates, whether attending in person or virtually. The slide will include each graduate's name and degree. Graduates have the option of submitting a photo and dedicating their degree via the registration form emailed to them.

FAQ

What time should graduates and their guests arrive at The Altria Theater?

  • Graduating students should arrive at the rear entrance of The Altria Theater between 12:45 p.m.-1:30 p.m. The rear entrance is located on Main Street just west of the Main Street ticket booth entrance. There will be signs directing graduates to the correct entry.
  • Guests can begin arriving at the main entrance of The Altria Theater after doors open at 12:45 p.m. Graduates should urge all guests to arrive as early as possible and be mindful that traffic around the venue is likely to be heavy before and after the event. Guests will not be able to enter the theater while the student procession is underway.

Will parking be available for graduates and their guests?

Will there be a livestream available?
  • Remote participants may join us virtually via livestream. The livestream will be available on this website the day of the event. A recording of the livestream will also be available following the event.

How many guests may I invite? 

  •  Eight guest tickets are allotted to each graduate until the registration deadline of November 18.  

Must I wear regalia to participate?

  • Regalia will not be required for the School of Business Commencement on December 12. Graduates that do not wish to wear regalia are expected to dress in business attire. Regalia may be purchased at Barnes & Noble @ VCU (1111 W. Broad St.) or online at balfour.com/vcu.

Will there be a university-wide commencement for all VCU students?

Commencement Speaker

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Judy Gavant is President, Chief Financial Officer, and member of the Board of Directors of Blue Ridge Bank, N.A. and Chief Financial Officer of Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (Blue Ridge).  Prior to joining Blue Ridge through a predecessor bank, Ms. Gavant served as Chief Accounting Officer of Xenith Bank, which was newly formed in 2009 and grew to over $3 billion in assets in eight years.  

Ms. Gavant has more than 40 years of experience in accounting, finance, treasury, mergers and acquisitions, taxation and human resources.  She has led financial due diligence in dozens of transactions, in numerous industries, including energy, technology, and distribution, and in various countries throughout North and South America.  

Prior to her career in banking, Ms. Gavant served in finance leadership roles with both start-up businesses and Fortune 500 companies, including, Owens & Minor, Inc. and Dominion Energy, Inc.  She began her career with PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP, where she served in the firm’s audit and tax practices over a nine-year period. 

Ms. Gavant holds a B.S. in Accounting, with honors, from Louisiana State University and a M.S. in Taxation from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).  She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Virginia and Texas.  Ms. Gavant currently serves as trustee on the VCU School of Business Foundation Board and formerly served as a director of a credit union and several non-profit boards.  Ms. Gavant honorably served as an adjunct professor at VCU in 2011.