Information for guests

Baccalaureate service

The service begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 17 in the Alford Centrum. A graduating senior will be chosen by the faculty to preach the sermon. Tickets are not required. Baccalaureate will be streamed live. We will share a Zoom registration link closer to the date.

Commencement ceremony

The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18, in Dickinson Courtyard, between Gault Hall and the Alford Centrum in the center of the MTSO campus. Commencement will be streamed live. We will share a Zoom registration link closer to the date.

Bishop Gregory Palmer of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church will deliver the commencement address. More information about Bishop Palmer is here.

Ample seating will be provided under a tent. Tickets are not required. Free parking is available on campus.

Professional photography

A professional photographer will take pictures of each graduate receiving their diploma, along with candid photos throughout the day. All of these high-resolution images will be made available online at no cost to graduates within a few days after the commencement. A video also will be posted. We ask that family and friends respect other guests during the ceremony and avoid blocking others in an attempt to take pictures.

Getting here

We are located on U.S. Route 23. Our address is 3081 Columbus Pike in Delaware, Ohio 43015. Here is a Google map.

Lodging and dining

Many hotels are within a 10-mile radius of the MTSO campus. Here are TripAdvisor reviews of nearby hotels. Restaurant options also are plentiful. Here are Yelp reviews of nearby restaurants.

Information for graduates

Event schedule

Closing Convocation – 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, Alford Centrum
This convocation is a highlight of the academic year and serves as the venue for presenting awards to seniors.

Commencement rehearsal – 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, Dickinson Courtyard
To ensure a smooth and dignified ceremony, your attendance at rehearsal is vital. We expect to conclude rehearsal by 5:30, leaving ample time for those who wish to go out to dinner with friends and family before baccalaureate.

Baccalaureate – 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, Alford Centrum
There is no academic procession associated with this worship service. Seniors who aren’t direct participants may sit with their families and friends. No passes are required for guests. Baccalaureate will be streamed live. We will share a Zoom registration link closer to the date.

Formation of commencement procession – 10:15 a.m. Saturday, May 18, Alford Centrum
You will meet here to robe, receive final instructions and form the processional line. The Centrum won't be locked during the ceremony, so plan to leave your valuables locked in your car or somewhere else secure.

Commencement ceremony – 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18, Dickinson Courtyard
No passes are required. We expect to have ample seating for all guests, sheltered by a tent. The ceremony usually lasts about an hour and 15 minutes. Commencement will be streamed live. We will share a Zoom registration link closer to the date.

Academic regalia

It is the tradition at MTSO that all degree recipients be appropriately attired in academic regalia for the commencement ceremony. Proper attire includes a black gown or pulpit robe, appropriate academic hood, and standard black mortarboard cap with black tassel.

Doctor of Ministry recipients will be hooded as part of the ceremony. Master’s recipients will wear their hoods throughout the ceremony. If you’re receiving dual degrees, you will choose one of the two hoods to wear. Certificate recipients wear black robes and process with degree recipients, though they do not wear hoods or mortarboards.

Registrar Jeremy Garber will contact you to provide all information you need to order your regalia.

If the cost of regalia is beyond your reach, please contact me at drussell@mtso.edu or 740-362-3322. The president’s office has a limited number of gowns that we can loan to graduates confidentially. We don’t want anyone to miss participating for lack of a gown.

Formal graduation announcements

MTSO is pleased to provide each graduating senior with five formal commencement announcements with envelopes at no charge. Along with your five free announcements, you will have the option of purchasing additional announcements for $2 each. You will be notified via your MTSO email address when announcements have arrived and can be picked up.

Your new alumni status: Help us stay in touch

As you graduate, your relationship with MTSO evolves but will never end. We want to keep you informed about the life of the school and events for which you might want to return. We also want to celebrate and share news of any milestones in your life and ministry.

Before commencement, we ask that you fill out this brief online form with as much information as you know about your location and work after graduation. If all you can share is your non-MTSO email address and mobile phone number, those alone will help us stay in touch.

Your @mtso.edu school email account will stay active for as long as you use it regularly. If more than 12 months pass without you accessing your email account, you will receive a 30-day termination notice. If you don’t respond to request an extension during those 30 days, the account will be deactivated.

Senior graduation checklist (PDF)

Questions

If you have any questions about commencement and related events, feel free to contact Danny Russell at 740-362-3322 or drussell@mtso.edu. We wish you all the best and look forward to celebrating with you in May.