During the waning days of the spring semester, USM seniors are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. After enduring many years of the collegiate gauntlet, students will feel primed to don their mortarboards and ceremoniously march into the real world.
“I’ve been so wrapped up in all my papers and exams! I almost can’t believe it’s almost over,” remarked USM senior Deborah Spring.
While graduating is an achievement that marks years of dedication it is not without its hassles.
Diane Hoyt, associate registrar of USM, outlined the graduation process. “First of all you should see your advisor every semester to keep track of your degree. You should then fill out an application for degree form the semester before you graduate. After that, we will send a ‘gradcert’ [graduation certificate] with your transcript to the department you are majoring in as well as the deans office for signatures.”
Hoyt went on to explain the criteria upon which ones eligibility to graduate is determined.
“Once you complete your last semester an audit is performed so the grades are appropriate, GPA is high enough and all core courses have been completed.”
“Sometimes students don’t know that they have to fill out an application to graduate,” noted Hoyt, who went on to say that there have been improvements on making students aware of the graduating process.
The USM Registrar’s Office can be contacted at 780-5230
Jason T. Toothaker can be contacted at [email protected]