Commencement General Information

Commencement Location (off-campus)
Franklin Field at The Rock Sports Complex - 7035 S. Ballpark Drive, Franklin, WI  53132 (near 76th & Rawson Avenue)
In order to follow group gathering restrictions and maximize the number of guests able to attend Commencement, an outdoor venue was chosen for its larger capacity to physically distance seating and accommodate 1,500 guests. This brand-new baseball stadium is the home to the Milwaukee Milkmen, an independent professional baseball team, and is about 20 minutes south of the WLC campus. Two FREE large surface parking lots hold more than 1,000 vehicles, as well as many handicapped accessible spaces close to the stadium entrance.  Graduates will be seated six feet apart on the infield facing a covered stage set-up just beyond second base.  Guests will be seated in stadium seats behind the graduates. All participants and guests will be required to have face coverings while at Franklin Fields.

Schedule
8:00 am – Stadium gates will open for guest arrival
10:30 am – Graduates assemble to process to their seating at 11:00 am
11:00 am – Commencement ceremony

To allow enough time for all guests to pass through the gates and security (metal detectors), we are encouraging everyone to arrive early.  The early opening of the gates will give sufficient time to walk from the parking areas, provide for appropriate physical distancing at the check-in and security areas, and allow you to locate seating that works best for your family.  All guests must be seated by 11:00 am.

Tickets
Graduates will be able to bring eight(8) guests to the ceremony.  Tickets will be handled electronically to provide a touch-less entry system.  All tickets must be requested online no later than August 10 at 5:00 pm CDT.  If you do not need all eight(8) of your tickets, the online form will allow you to release some of your seats into a pool for other graduates to use.  On August 11, any available tickets in the pool will become available for graduates to request additional tickets on a first-come, first-served basis.  All tickets must be acquired in advance; no tickets will be distributed or available at the gate.

Please follow click on the "Graduate Ticket Request" area in the navigation bar above to reserve your tickets. Only one online request per graduate is permitted, and that will allow you to receive all eight tickets or release any unneeded tickets back to the ticket pool. Family members will receive their tickets through you. Please do not share the ticketing web link.  Before the event, you will receive a separate email with your electronic tickets to share with your family.  Families may enter the stadium together or individually, but everyone MUST have their electronic ticket ready to be scanned.  For questions regarding ticketing, please email Rich Mannisto.

Cap & Gown Information
If you already received your cap, gown, and tassel in the mail, please be sure you bring them with you to the ceremony. We will not have any extras available that day.

If you still need your cap, gown, and tassel, you have three options:

1.    Please pick them up at WLC’s front desk between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm Monday-Friday from August 3 through August 26.

2.    If you would like them mailed to you, please email your current mailing address to Melanie Buellesbach by August 10 to allow time for mailing.

3.    All remaining caps, gowns, and tassels will be available for pickup on August 29at Franklin Field between 9:00 – 10:00 am.

Pre-Ceremony Rehearsal – None
There will be no rehearsal for this Commencement ceremony.  You will receive additional instructions to guide you about one week before the event.  We are planning the ceremony in such a way that faculty and staff will guide you through the processional and ceremony details during the event.

Photography
Due to the larger venue, the event will be broadcast on a video board on the third-base side.  Also, the event will be live-streamed through the college’s website.  There will be little opportunity to take personal up-close photos of graduates during the actual ceremony.

A professional photographer will take individual photos when you receive your diploma. We will supply ordering information closer to Commencement.

A few additional logistics
Carry-ins – No food, beverage, or coolers are allowed to be brought into the stadium.

Concessions – We know many of you travel a great distance for Commencement, and it can become a long day.  The stadium’s concession stands will be open starting at 8:00 am with ballpark-type food and beverages available for purchase.

Guest Seating – While everyone is required to have a digital ticket to enter the stadium, seating will be unreserved, general admission.  The seating bowl has been configured to keep six feet of distance between groups.  You will have your choice of stadium seats, as well as few picnic tables and hi-top tables and chairs on the top level.  Handicapped, accessible seating is available in several areas of the stadium.  We ask that you not take up more space than you need, and remember to allow for six feet between your groups when choosing your seats.  While the capacity of the stadium is 5,000, we are using only one-third of the space to allow for physical distancing to be observed.  As an extra precaution, all seating has been disinfected with a unique chemical process to prevent any virus or bacteria materials from adhering to the seating surfaces.  As a reminder, all seating is first-come, first-served. 

Health Precautions – If you are experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19 (such as a fever, cough, or muscle aches, etc.), please refrain from attending this event.  Note that you will be outside the entire time, in the August sun, so please remember your sunscreen and drink plenty of fluids. 

Items to Leave at Home – For the enjoyment of everyone in attendance, the following items are not permitted in the stadium:

• Weapons of any kind, including firearms (weapons carried with a permit are also prohibited) 
• Knives of any size 
• Canes, chains, or sticks of any length (non-medical use canes) 
• Fireworks or any explosives 
• Illegal drugs 
• Laser pointers 
• Pets (except service animals)
• Balloons
• Noisemakers/air horns

Masks/Face Coverings are mandatory for all graduates, guests, and participants.  We will have appropriate moments built into the ceremony for graduates to remove their masks for official photos.  A complimentary face covering will be available for guests and graduates after check-in, if you do not bring one with you.

Smoking is only allowed in designated areas of the Franklin Field, signage and directions from event staff will guide you at the event.

Tailgating – We know that tailgating is a Wisconsin tradition; however, the City of Franklin prohibits any tailgating in parking lots.  Please see our note above about Concessions.

Weather – Since this is an outdoor venue with minimal overhead cover, every graduate and guest will receive a compact, clear rain poncho after proceeding through security.  Umbrellas are not permitted inside the stadium.  Please pray for a “rain-free” day!

If you have any questions that are not addressed by the information above, please email Karen Plamann.