Commencement Procession

Here’s how Procession works:

1. Alumni gather along the sidewalk in front of University Hall and along both sides of George Street. See the map at right for an idea of where your Reunion class will form. Look for your class signs.
2. The procession steps off through Faunce Arch promptly at 9:45 am with the chief marshal leading the graduating seniors down the hill. The alumni division steps off at 10:05 am, falls in behind the faculty, and proceeds down the hill toward the Van Wickle Gates. The alumni line the street, poised to cheer on the new graduates, who are beginning their own lifelong connection to the Brown alumni community. The new graduates cheer for the alumni...
3. ...and the alumni, in turn, cheer for the graduates, who are en route to the First Baptist Church to begin their own lifelong connection to the Brown alumni community.
4. After the graduates pass through, alumni join the Procession again. Thus the famous “inverted sock” is formed. What does it mean to “unroll the sock”? It means that the oldest alumni come face-to-face with the youngest alumni. We see the continuity of our alma mater in each other.

A note on weather: Only the severest of storms keeps the Commencement Procession from happening. In the case of inclement weather, the Brown storm plan will be in effect; check the Brown homepage for announcements.