CONGRATULATIONS Graduates and guests!
We are excited to have you visit Ithaca and the Cornell campus for the University Recognition Ceremony for December ’25 Graduates on Sunday, December 21, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
All December Graduates are members of the Class of 2026 and are automatically invited to attend the University May 2026 Commencement Ceremonies. Information about May will be sent to the graduates in late February.
We encourage guests to have snacks on hand for those with special dietary needs, as food will not be available in the building.
Sunday’s event ends around noon, so families may want to make plans for lunch at one of the many locations in the Ithaca area.
On Campus
The Cornell Dining website lists campus locations offering food and beverages.
The Statler Hotel restaurants offer casual to fine dining.
Off Campus
Ithaca and surrounding areas offer many dining options. Find your preferred menu, dining style, and price range by using this searchable website:
Visit Ithaca
- Be prepared for cold temperatures and walking in winter conditions.
- Review the Parking and Accessibility section on this page, for details to assist passengers entering the east entrance of Barton Hall from Garden Ave., to reduce exposure and walking distance.
- Barton Hall doors will open at 8:30 a.m. Guest seating is available in folding chairs on a first-come, first-served basis and all are on the same level. Bleacher seating is also available.
- Formal announcements to inform family and friends of graduate’s accomplishments are available to order on-line. Review the keepsake section below for details.
- Cameras are allowed, however they may not obstruct anyone’s view, nor block any aisles. Tripods are not permitted. Ushers must keep the aisles cleared at all times for safety purposes. Thank you for understanding.
- Lost and Found is located on the ground floor of Barton Hall, at Cornell Police Lost and Found and can be reached by calling 607-255-7197.
Announcements
Order formal customized graduation announcements from Balfour to inform family and friends of accomplishments. Balfour also offers thank you notes, etiquette seals, custom seal note cards, return address labels, and certificates of appreciation. For questions regarding specific degree information to print on customized announcements, please check with your student to know what degree they are receiving.
Class Rings
The Cornell Store works with Balfour to provide Cornell rings in a variety of styles for men and women.
Diploma Frames
A variety of quality diploma frames are available in-store and online at The Cornell Store throughout the year.
Diplomas are not given out at the ceremony in December. They will be mailed in late February to the home address on file.
Flowers
The Cornell Store partners with the Commencement Group to offer beautiful rose bouquets for the December Recognition Ceremony. View ordering details on The Cornell Store’s website here.
Grad Gifts
Visit The Cornell Store for the best selection of Cornell gifts and apparel.
Friday, December 20, 8:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 21, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 22, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Monday, December 23, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Since many people and students are traveling away from Ithaca this time of year, we do not anticipate difficulty with finding local accommodations.
On Campus
The Statler Hotel is available for on-campus lodging in December. For reservations, please contact The Statler Hotel directly.
Off Campus
A list of area hotels and bed & breakfasts may be found at www.visitithaca.com.
Guests may park in the Hoy Road Parking Garage, spaces in the Kite Hill Lots (along Campus Road), the C Lot (Crescent lot behind Schoellkopf Stadium), Alumni Lot (below Tower Road), or along Garden Avenue.
Accessibility Parking
To avoid stairs, it is best for guests to be let out on Garden Avenue to enter Barton Hall and then have a member of your party park the vehicle in the closest lot, as in Hoy Parking Garage. Volunteers are there to assist those with limited mobility and are also available with courtesy wheelchair shuttles to transport guests from the entrance to seating areas, just inside Barton Hall, if needed.
Entering from the Statler side of Barton Hall involves steps to enter the main floor of the hall.
Please allow extra time to go through bag screening (see section below) at all entrances into Barton Hall. Thank you!
Sign Language and Captioning
A sign language interpreter will be signing ASL from the stage during the ceremony. The ceremony will be livestreamed with captioning for online viewing. Click here to view.
Wheelchairs/Walkers and Floor Seating
Floor seating is available in Barton Hall and does not need to be requested in advance. Guests with wheelchairs/walkers will be able to sit with other family members in floor seating without requiring a separate or reserved location. However, early arrival offers best opportunity for your entire party to find seats together. Please ask a volunteer usher to assist in locating seating.
Working Service Animals
Pets are prohibited from university-controlled buildings, except for those animals that are specifically exempted by this policy.
The safety and security of our graduates and guests is of great importance to Cornell University. To uphold health and safety protocols, and to minimize contact to ensure a swifter entry process, we strongly discourage guests from bringing bags. Guests are asked to plan accordingly and allow for extra time when arriving at the venue.
The following security measure will be in effect upon entry at all entrances. Cornell reserves the right to search persons and property. Professional security personnel will monitor all entrances. We thank you in advance for your cooperation with these important precautions.
If a bag is necessary, all bags are subject to inspection. Attendees with prohibited items will not be permitted entry into the building. Bags may not exceed 10″x 8″x 6″ in size. Please consider leaving large bags or anything in the list below at home or in your car or in your hotel room. We are not able to provide a storage area for these items.
The following items are prohibited inside and will be removed and not returned.
*Balloons are not allowed inside the building.
*Signs or posters on vertical poles or sticks.
*Any knife with a fixed blade or blade larger than 4 inches long.
*Firearms or weapons of any kind.
*Fireworks or other explosive materials.
*Smoking of any kind.
*Glass containers, unless necessary for baby formula or medication.
*Mace, pepper spray, or similar substances.
Anyone who sees anything suspicious should immediately contact the Cornell University Police, 607-255-1111.
To receive emergency notifications during your visit, text CornellVisitor to 226787, and you will be set to receive alert messages.
Pets are prohibited from university-controlled buildings, except for those animals that are specifically exempted by this policy.
It can be very cold and snowy in Ithaca in December. But the ceremony will ONLY be canceled if Tompkins County roads are CLOSED. If canceled, it will not be rescheduled.
See: university operating status
To receive emergency notifications during your visit, text CornellVisitor to 226787, and you will be set to receive alert messages regarding weather or cancellation.
December graduates are invited to participate in the upcoming spring Commencement, regardless of cancellation or attendance in December.