Communications Archive—Faculty and Administrators
Commencement 2026 Communications Archive: Faculty and Administrators
An archive of emails sent to faculty and administrators who plan to participate in the spring 2026 commencement ceremonies.
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2026 COMMENCEMENT
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, New York City
May 19 and 20
Thank you for your participation in this year’s ceremonies. Our goal is to make these events a joyful occasion for the FIT graduates and their families. Following is some general information, procedures to follow, and the two-day schedule.
Arrival Info and Venue Entrance
Please arrive one hour before your ceremony begins. Find ceremony times and arrival information on the Undergraduate Ceremonies: Faculty Information page.
Enter the park at Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street. Proceed straight to East Drive. Go across East Drive and turn left up the path to the Mother Goose Statue with circular benches around it. The path will lead you to Rumsey Playfield. It is a four-minute walk from Fifth Avenue.
If you need further directions, you can use Central Park's map for Rumsey Playfield or use Google Maps.
A golf cart will be available at the Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street entrance to meet anyone who requires assistance only to get to the Rumsey Playfield gate. Upon arrival, look for an FIT staff member greeter (wearing a blue polo shirt with an FIT logo on it) assigned to this entrance to request the golf cart escort.
Platform Party Participants
Check in at the VIP table to receive a wristband for access to the backstage area. Liaisons will be available to direct you.
The robing tent has two adjacent lounges so that Platform Party members and event workers may comfortably enjoy breaks with food and beverages together in a spacious and comfortable setting.
Members of the Platform Party are asked to refrain from using electronic devices while on stage during the ceremonies.
Faculty in Audience Seating
Check in at the VIP table to be directed to the assigned seating area for faculty.
Those who choose to sit in the general audience are encouraged to visit the graduate and guest celebration areas near the entrance to greet the graduates and their families; they are welcome to partake of the snacks and beverages available there.
There are several restrooms available throughout the venue.
Attire and Personal Belongings
Please wear comfortable shoes, and do not bring anything of value with you. There will be FIT Public Safety officers stationed in the backstage area throughout the day; however, people from inside and outside the college have access to this area and we prefer you plan accordingly.
You can find additional information on the faculty/administrator pages of the commencement website.
We look forward to having you with us and making these events special for all the FIT graduates!
Helpful Links
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Faculty Regalia Pickup Information
Regalia can be picked up at the FIT Campus Store on the following dates:
General pickup and in-store rentals
Wednesday, May 6: 9 am–6:30 pm
Thursday, May 7: 9 am–5 pm
Monday, May 11: 9 am–5 pm
Tuesday, May 12: 9 am–6:30 pm
Wednesday, May 13: 9 am–5 pm
Thursday, May 14: 9 am–5 pm
Friday, May 15: 9 am–3 pm
Anyone still needing to rent regalia may stop by the FIT Campus Store during general pickup to inquire about availability. If you plan to attend as a member of the platform party, you are required to wear regalia.
The FIT Campus Store entrance is located on the Breezeway between the Dubinsky Student Center and the Business and Liberal Arts Center.
For further information on the commencement ceremonies, please refer to the Faculty and Administrator Information webpage or your FAQ page.
Questions? Contact Jackie Espaillat-Guerrero at jacqueline_espaillat@fitnyc.edu.
HTML version of April 29 email
Text version:
Reserve your seat by April 30!
The undergraduate commencement RSVP form will close tomorrow. Do not miss your last opportunity to reserve a seat at this year's ceremonies, which will be held at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19 and 20. You may attend as a member of the platform party or the audience, but reservations are required.
Reserve your seat(s) for Undergraduate Commencement
Due to attendance limits set by the New York City Parks Department, which manages the venue, we must have all reservations for faculty and administrators confirmed by the deadline to ensure compliance. If your name is not on the pre-submitted entrance list, you will not be granted access to the events. No late requests will be accommodated. No exceptions will be granted.
- If you plan to attend as a member of the platform party, you are required to wear regalia and reserve your seat on stage.
- If you still need regalia, visit the FIT Campus Store between May 6–15 to pick up a rental. Quantities are limited.
- If you plan to attend the undergraduate ceremonies as part of the audience, you will be assigned a seat in the area reserved for FIT faculty—only if you reserve a seat in advance. You are not required to wear regalia.
Please refer to the Faculty and Administrator Information page on the commencement website or your FAQ page for other pertinent information.
Questions? Contact Jackie Espaillat-Guerrero at jacqueline_espaillat@fitnyc.edu.
HTML version of April 21 email
Text version:
Reserve your seat by April 30!
The undergraduate commencement RSVP form is closing soon. Do not miss your last opportunity to reserve a seat at this year's ceremonies, which will be held at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19 and 20. You may attend as a member of the platform party or the audience, but reservations are required. Faculty and administrator reservations are due by April 30.
We have received an overwhelming response from students wanting to attend their commencement ceremonies this year. All but one ceremony have reached or exceeded maximum capacity.
Due to attendance limits set by the New York City Parks Department, which manages the venue, we must have all reservations for faculty and administrators confirmed by the deadline to ensure compliance. If your name is not on the pre-submitted entrance list, you will not be granted access to the events. No late requests will be accommodated. No exceptions will be granted.
Reserve your seat(s) for Undergraduate Commencement
- If you plan to attend as a member of the platform party, you are required to wear regalia and reserve your seat on stage.
- If you still need regalia, visit the FIT Campus Store between May 6–15 to pick up a rental. Quantities are
limited.
- If you plan to attend the undergraduate ceremonies as part of the audience, you be assigned a seat in the area reserved for FIT faculty—only if you reserve a seat in advance. You are not required to wear regalia.
Please refer to the Faculty and Administrator Information page on the commencement website or your FAQ page for other pertinent information.
Questions? Contact Jackie Espaillat-Guerrero at jacqueline_espaillat@fitnyc.edu.
HTML version of April 15 email
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Important Regalia Follow-Up Information
As mentioned in our previous email, our regalia partner, Herff Jones, recently moved up the deadline for faculty regalia rentals for delivery to campus.
You still have until April 17 to rent your regalia from Herff Jones and have it delivered to your home. They charge a delivery fee and include a prepaid return label to mail it back.
From May 6 to 15 only, the FIT Campus Store will have all rentals that were preordered to be picked up on campus.
During this May pickup window, the store will also offer some in-person rentals for those who were unable to order before the Herff Jones deadline. Please note that quantities will be limited and will be generic black regalia. The hours for FIT Campus Store pickup are listed on the Faculty Information webpage under "Academic Regalia."
Reminder: All members of the platform party must wear regalia to sit on stage. The deadline to RSVP to attend commencement is April 30.
Additional details for faculty and administrators participating in the undergraduate ceremonies can be found on the Faculty and Administrator Information page on the commencement website.
You can also find a full schedule of the ceremonies by school and major on the Undergraduate Ceremony Schedules page.
Questions? Contact Jackie Espaillat-Guerrero at jacqueline_espaillat@fitnyc.edu.
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Updated Information on Regalia Orders
We recently sent an email to faculty and administrators reminding you of deadlines for renting or purchasing your regalia as well as reserving your seat at commencement. We realized after it was sent that our regalia partner, Herff Jones, had changed its faculty deadlines this year due to an unprecedented number of orders and was no longer accepting rentals for delivery to campus; the deadline was March 31. We regret the error.
Rentals: You may still rent your regalia from Herff Jones and have it delivered to your home. They charge a delivery fee and include a prepaid return label to mail it back. The deadline to rent your regalia by mail is April 17.
Purchases: If you wish to purchase regalia to keep, you may do so by contacting Herff Jones or another provider. Please keep in mind that all regalia providers, including Herff Jones, will have high order numbers at this time of year and will likely also have tight order deadlines. Please check order sites for details.
We will confirm this week whether the FIT Campus Store will be able to accommodate any phone or email orders.
Finally, if you wish to wait to order generic faculty regalia in person at the FIT Campus Store, that opportunity will be available May 6–15 only.
Reminder: All members of the platform party must wear regalia to sit on stage. The deadline to RSVP to attend commencement is April 30.
Additional details for faculty and administrators participating in the undergraduate ceremonies can be found on the Faculty and Administrator Information page on the commencement website.
You can also find a full schedule of the ceremonies by school and major on the Undergraduate Ceremony Schedules page.
Questions? Contact Jackie Espaillat-Guerrero at jacqueline_espaillat@fitnyc.edu.
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Deadlines are approaching!
Rent Regalia OR Purchase Regalia* by April 27
RSVP for Undergraduate Commencement by April 30
* If you plan to be part of the platform party at any of the ceremonies, you must wear regalia. You may order your regalia to be picked up at the FIT Campus Store in May or have it delivered to your home for an extra charge.
Questions? Contact Jackie Espaillat-Guerrero at jacqueline_espaillat@fitnyc.edu.
HTML version of March 16 email
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Join us for FIT's 81st Commencement!
Important!
- If you plan to attend one or more of the undergraduate ceremonies as a member of the platform party, you are required to wear regalia and reserve your seat on stage.
- If you plan to attend one or more of the undergraduate ceremonies and not participate as a platform party member, you are required to reserve your seat in the FIT faculty audience seating area.
- You must reserve a seat in advance; venue personnel, not FIT staff, are responsible for check-in.
FIT will hold its 81st commencement exercises at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19 and 20, 2026. There will be six ceremonies grouped by school and program majors, which means that the graduates will attend the ceremony that corresponds with their program.
Tuesday, May 19
- Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology
Wednesday, May 20
- School of Art and Design
- School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
You may attend one or more ceremonies as a member of the platform party or the audience. Please refer to the Undergraduate Ceremony Schedules page on the commencement website to see when your students will be in attendance.
Reserve your seat(s) for Undergraduate Commencement
More details
Be sure to visit the faculty and administrator page for the Undergraduate Ceremonies on the commencement website for the most up-to-date information, including ceremony schedule breakdowns, regalia purchase/rental links, FAQs, and more.
Questions? Contact Jackie Espaillat-Guerrero at jacqueline_espaillat@fitnyc.edu.
We are pleased to announce the dates for the 2026 master’s degree commencement and hooding ceremony and undergraduate commencement ceremonies next spring.
The School of Graduate Studies will hold its conferral of degrees exercises for the master’s degree candidates on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 6 pm in the Morris W. and Fannie B. Haft Theater at FIT.
FIT will hold six undergraduate ceremonies at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19 and 20, 2026.
Tuesday, May 19
- Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology
Wednesday, May 20
- School of Art and Design
- School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
The Commencement 2026 website can be found at fitnyc.edu/commencement and is the source for the most up-to-date information concerning the times and breakout of the ceremonies, celebrations, and platform party instructions and FAQs.
Reminders of important deadlines will also be sent to you throughout the spring semester.
We hope you have a productive rest of the fall semester.
This page last updated: May 16, 2026.