Graduation Information

May 2025 Graduation Details

Congratulations on Being Ready to Graduate!

Whether you are a student in Lancaster, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, online or another LBC location, this page will help you get started in ensuring completion of your degree requirements and in planning your commencement celebration with family and friends.

LBC awards certificates and degrees at three points in the year – August, December and May. Once students have met all academic requirements for their certificate or degree, they are eligible to graduate, regardless of their participation in a commencement ceremony. Commencement is the ceremony that celebrates the completion of a degree or certificate. See the information below about commencement dates.

Do You Have Questions?

After looking over the graduation information, if you have any questions about the graduation process, commencement ceremony, tickets or related events, please use this link to contact us.

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2025 Lancaster Graduation Details

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STEP 1: Checklist to Ensure You Are Ready to Graduate

  • Check with your advisor to confirm you have met all academic requirements for your certificate or degree.
  • Complete the application for graduation. All potential graduates must apply for graduation by completing the application. Graduation is not an automatic process; students must apply. The deadlines to apply are as follows: for August Graduates – June 15; for December Graduates – September 15; for May Graduates – January 15.
  • Complete financial aid exit loan counseling. If you have received federal student loans, please complete the Exit Loan Counseling at studentaid.gov or contact the LBC Financial Aid Office for a personalized interview.
  • Confirm with the LBC Solution Center that all your financial obligations are met and that any holds on your account have been resolved. Email Solution Center
  • Complete the Graduating Student Exit Survey. See your LBC email for more details.

STEP 2: Planning for the Commencement Ceremony

Students are encouraged to participate in commencement been based on the date coinciding with or following their academic completion. Consult the listing below for schedules and details. If you have any questions about ceremonies, please contact the Registrar’s Office (registrar@lbc.edu).

LBC holds two 2025 Commencement Services


Lancaster Graduation

Saturday, May 3, 2025
Time:
11 a.m.
Location: LBC Main Campus, Lancaster, PA, outdoor ceremony


Uganda Graduation

Saturday May 17, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. local time
Location: The Pastors Discipleship Network Celebration Grounds

Graduation Itinerary

Friday, May 2

  • Awards Ceremony is in GSC with a reception to follow in the Olewine Dining Commons. The ceremony and reception are by invitation only. Invitations will be sent before April 1.
  • The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony and meal afterward, 5 – 8 pm, TLC 401

Saturday, May 3

  • 8:30–10:45 a.m. – Food Trucks available
    – Joe on the Go – coffee and pastries
    – Dutch Country Concessions – fresh baked, hand-rolled soft pretzels
    – W Donuts – fresh-made donuts
  • 9 am–3 p.m. – LBC Campus Store is open in the Student Center.
  • 9:30–10:15 a.m. – Campus tour for guests departs from Esbenshade
  • 9–10 a.m. – Check-in for Graduates in Horst Athletic Center
  • 10–10:30 a.m. – MANDATORY Graduation Rehearsal in Horst Athletic Center
  • 10:30–10:55 a.m. – Graduates line up in Horst Athletic Center
  • 9-11 a.m. – Guests will pick up tickets when they arrive at the Patio at the Olewine Dining Commons
  • 10 a.m. – Gates open for guests at our stadium, seating is first come-first served
  • 10:55 a.m. – Gates close for processional
  • 11 a.m. – Processional/Commencement begins

Parking: There will be limited parking available on campus. We encourage carpooling as much as possible. However, parking is also available at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, with a shuttle to campus. Please plan accordingly.


For inclement weather: we will need to move our ceremony indoors to Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster. An email will be sent to the graduates by 8 pm EST on Wednesday, April 30 if the ceremony will be moved to Calvary Church and this page will be updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where do I pick up my cap and gown?
  • Regalia will be distributed prior to the ceremony; more details will be communicated closer to May.
  • Honor stoles and military cords will be distributed upon check-in on the day of commencement.

Questions? Email graduationreg@lbc.edu

Am I required to attend rehearsal?

Yes. The rehearsal is also a time for announcements and other activities that will make your celebration go smoothly.

What is the dress code for the ceremony?

This is a Presidential event, we ask that you wear nice clothing. We ask that you do not wear jeans, shorts, sneakers, crocs, flip flops, etc. Because the ceremony will be held outside, you and your guests should dress for the weather, with relatively flat shoes.

Will I keep my cap and gown? What do I need to return?

Only the rented robe needs to be returned after the ceremony. All other items given out during the day are yours to keep. When you pick up your packet of regalia, it should include your robe, your cap, a tassel with the graduation year, and where appropriate, the hood that marks your study area and degree level. Hoods are given for bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees.

What is the GPA requirement for honors? When do I receive the honors?

Honors stoles will be distributed to you upon check-in on the day of commencement, as applicable. The GPA range is: 3.50-3.74 for Cum Laude (red stole), 3.75-3.89 for Magna Cum Laude (white stole) or 3.90-4.00 for Summa Cum Laude (gold stole).

When will I get my diploma?

Once all grades are finalized, assuming all requirements and holds are satisfied, diplomas will be released within a couple of weeks of your graduation date.

  • A fully verified digital copy of your diploma will be sent to you via email and/or text.
  • A paper copy of the diploma will arrive in the mail within 2-3 weeks of that date.
How do I take care of holds preventing me from receiving my actual diploma?

If you owe a fine at the library, for parking, if you have an academic requirement still to meet, or if you have a financial obligation related to tuition or fees, a hold is placed on your account. Holds prevent your diploma and transcripts from being released. To find out about any holds or to otherwise address them, please contact the Solution Center at 717.560.8254 or by email. The Solution Center is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday.

Ask us your graduation question(s).