Winspear Centre 4 Sir Winston Churchill Square Edmonton, Alberta
IMPORTANT: Parking and traffic is significantly disrupted by downtown construction. Please see Transportation and Parking for more information and advice to arrive on time.
Please note there are three separate Convocation ceremonies in 2018. Please check below and note the date and time for the ceremony in which your program will participate.
Note: Graduates must arrive by 9:30 am. Convocation ceremony begins at 10:00 am.
Note: Graduates must arrive by 1:30 pm. Convocation ceremony begins at 2:00 pm.
The Winspear Centre doors open at 9:00 AM for the morning ceremony and at 1:00 PM for the afternoon ceremony. After the morning ceremony the doors to the Winspear Centre will be closed to allow for a preparation period between ceremonies and will re-open at 1:00 PM. Allow extra time for parking and unforeseen delays. Late arrivals may not be permitted to fully participate in the ceremony.
Graduates - It is important that you are seated prior to the scheduled start time of your ceremony. Even if you have registered for Convocation, NorQuest College is unable to guarantee you will be included in the ceremony if you do not arrive on time.
You should be wearing your gown, v-stole, and cap when you enter the Winspear Centre. Keep your ticket and your name card in your hand. Ensure you have your v-stole positioned correctly with the short side in front and the long side in the back. Mortarboard caps should be parallel to the ground with the tassel hanging on the right side.
Graduates have assigned seating; guests will have general seating.
Make certain you have your ticket, cap, gown, and name card with you for admittance to the Winspear Centre. Show your ticket at the front door and take your assigned seat as indicated on your ticket. It is important you sit in your assigned seat as credentials will be conferred in the same order as the names appear in the program, which also corresponds to the graduate seating plan.
Ushers will be available to help you find your seat and to provide assistance before and during the ceremony. All graduates are required to remain in their seats until the conclusion of the ceremony.
If you choose to carry a handbag or other personal items, you may leave them on your seat when you go onstage or you can leave them with one of your guests. You will not be able to carry anything with you when you cross the stage. NorQuest College and the Winspear Centre are not liable for any loss or damage to items left unattended.
Your guests must have their tickets to be admitted to the Winspear Centre. Guest tickets are general seating and are not assigned. Children are more than welcome to attend Convocation but must they must have a ticket and be seated with another guest in the audience. Children will not be able to sit with graduates during the ceremony.
Your ceremony will be 1.5 to 2 hours in length.
When it is your turn to go onstage, volunteers will guide your row to the backstage area. You will hand your name card to the name announcer prior to going onstage. Your name will be called and you will walk across the stage to receive your parchment holder and college pin and to shake hands with the President, the Dean, and Associate Dean(s) of your faculty.
After you receive your parchment holder, you will be directed back to your seat. Remain seated quietly for the rest of the ceremony to show your support and respect for your fellow graduates.
IMPORTANT: You must return your gown and v-stole immediately before leaving the Winspear Centre.
You may keep you tassel and mortarboard. Graduates failing to return their gown and stoles immediately after the ceremony will charged $95-$145 for all unreturned or damaged regalia by Gaspard, the gown rental provider.
Email convocation@norquest.ca if you require special services or assistance at the ceremony.
It is the policy of the Winspear Centre that food and drinks from outside sources are not permitted in the building.
Select footwear that will allow you to stand comfortably for periods of time and cross the stage safely.
You don't want to miss or be late for Convocation because you couldn't find parking or got stuck in traffic! Please ensure you plan ahead to arrive with lots of time to spare so that you can enjoy a stress-free day.
Please note that there are significant road closures and traffic disruptions affecting the areas around the Winspear Centre. Refer to Getting Here 2018 (474K pdf) for information that will help you plan.
The Winspear Centre is readily accessible by both bus and LRT transit service. The LRT terminal is Churchill Station and there are underground connections directly to the Winspear. Go to the Edmonton Transit website for maps and other useful information about taking public transit.
There are 4 parkades within a 5-minute walk of the Winspear Centre, with rates ranging from $4 to $5 per hour ($20 daily maximum), each with a limited number of accessible stalls for persons with disabilities:
There are several above ground or other parkades a little further from the Winspear, operated by Impark or other parking providers. Metered street parking is extremely limited near the Winspear due to construction, but may be available. For more information about parking, please visit the City of Edmonton Parking information.
Please DO NOT plan to park at the Winspear Centre's rear parking lot, as it is small, usually full by 8:00 am, and has a very limited number of available spots. Graduates and guests will not be able to enter the Winspear through the rear stage doors, so other parking locations noted above are actually more convenient to the entry doors.
Your questions and comments about NorQuest College's Convocation are very welcome! To ask a question or share an idea, contact convocation@norquest.ca