Santa Barbara Commencement
2026 Antioch University Santa Barbara Commencement
Thursday, September 17, 2026
- Time: 2:00 PM
- Arlington Theatre
- 1317 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA
Commencement and Graduation are separate events.
Graduation is the official act of conferring a degree earned by a student when all degree requirements have been met.
Commencement is an annual ceremonial event where graduates, along with students expected to graduate soon, are recognized and celebrated by peers, faculty, and guests.
Participating in Commencement
Participation in Commencement is optional.
To walk in the Commencement Ceremony, students must have recently graduated, be on track to graduate during the current academic year, or be granted special permission to walk early.
MACP: All students graduating by Summer 2026, including the Fall 2024 Cohort, are eligible to walk in the 2026 Commencement Ceremony.
BA: All students who will have completed their degree from Fall 2025 through Fall 2026 are eligible to walk in the 2026 commencement ceremony.
PsyD: Please contact Stephanie Holland, Senior Administrative Director, at [email protected] to confirm eligibility prior to applying for commencement.
All eligible students will receive a formal invitation to register to participate. Further details and instructions will be sent directly to the eligible students’ Antioch email address.
2025 Commencement Video
Contact
If you have any additional questions about Commencement, please get in touch with your Program Coordinators:
- Undergrad: Susan Gentile – [email protected]
- MAP/MACP: Lindsay Lewis, [email protected]
- PsyD: Stephanie Holland – [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is commencement?
Commencement is an optional event(s) held at the end of an academic year, in celebration of those who have or will graduate in the same academic year. Commencement is not the same thing as Graduation.
Graduation is the official act of conferring the degree earned by a student when all degree requirements have been met. Graduation occurs when the university enters the conferred degree on the student’s transcript.
In order to participate in Commencement, students need to have graduated, to be on track to graduate during the academic year, and/or be granted special permission to walk early.
- How do I ask questions about the Commencement event and my participation?
Email [email protected]
- Why should I attend Commencement?
Graduating students attend Commencement for many personal reasons. Some want to participate in the formal conclusion of their academic studies with fellow students and faculty. Others want to share the recognition and celebration of their academic achievement with family and friends. Many students look forward to wearing the regalia (cap and gown) that signify their degree. And a photograph of a graduate in their regalia can become a treasured memory or professional tool. Whatever the reason, Antioch graduates who attend the Commencement Ceremony recall the event as a meaningful and enjoyable culmination of their Antioch experience
- Who can attend my Commencement Ceremony?
Each graduate will be allotted a limited number of tickets to be determined based on the number of graduates participating in the ceremony. Children under the age of 2 who will sit on a guardian’s lap during the ceremony do not require a ticket.
The commencement committee will be in contact with the graduating students via email to provide information about ticket distribution as the date approaches.
- Will the ceremony be live-streamed?
The Commencement Ceremony will be broadcast live so that family and friends can view their graduate's recognition from anywhere in the world. The livestream link will be available prior to the event.
- Does the name read at commencement have to be my legal name?
No. All graduates will be given the opportunity to use the name of their choosing (within reason) to be read and shown during commencement exercises. For the ceremony program, which will list all eligible graduates, registered names will be used.
- If I want to change my registered name, how do I do that?
Students wishing to change their official registered name with the university can do so by contacting the Registrar’s Office.
- Do I have to wear Regalia and where do I purchase it?
Regalia is required to participate in commencement. Attire includes a gown, cap, and tassel for undergraduate programs. Graduates from master’s and doctoral programs will also wear a hood.
Regalia items can be purchased at Jostens's AUSB’s Regalia Site at https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1012570/Antioch-University/. Graduates are encouraged to order their regalia early.
- Can I decorate my mortarboard?
Absolutely. Please do!