Fall 2024 graduation
Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony
Each semester, graduating veteran students are invited to take part in the Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony. This event symbolizes the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, typically evoking feelings of accomplishment and pride. It's a time to celebrate with family and friends and reminisce on the memories made at ASU — the friendships forged, the challenges surmounted and the personal growth experienced.
After applying for graduation, you can register for the Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony (as well as other graduation ceremonies) through My ASU. Simply navigate to the Graduation tab in the My Programs section and click on the maroon button labeled “Register for your Ceremonies.”
Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony reception
Immediately following the Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony, join ASU Alumni and the Pat Tillman Veterans Center for a reception. We are ready to celebrate your graduation and welcome you as a Sun Devil Vet for Life! A registration link will be sent after you register for the ceremony.
Stole Ceremony Frequently Asked Questions
Registration opens Oct. 14. Registration for all ceremonies will close Nov. 12
Saturday, December 14, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Gammage Auditorium.
Like other graduation ceremonies, you will go to the RSVP Ceremonies link on My ASU. The link will be accessible once registration is open. For step-by-step instructions, click here.
No, but you will be required to register and indicate your guest count. You are welcome to bring as many guests as you like.
Business casual. Do not bring your cap and gown to this ceremony. There will be a group photo taken shortly after the ceremony.
For additional details about the commencement week schedule, click here.
Students are granted only one veteran stole, regardless of how many ASU degrees they receive. You may walk in the Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony once.
Please contact Michelle Loposky at ptvcadvocate@asu.edu.
No. At this time, we are not providing veteran stoles prior to the event. We ask that you complete the registration through My ASU and indicate which graduation ceremonies you plan to attend or if you cannot attend any ceremonies during commencement week.
Those who will not be at any graduation ceremonies will be notified when veteran stoles will be available for pickup or mailing. Please note, mailings will occur 4–6 weeks after graduation week (for requested mailings only), and pickups will occur after December 18, 2023. Thank you for your understanding.
Be sure to review ASU’s Bag Policy for what is and isn’t allowed.
Graduation celebrations
ASU will celebrate graduating students with in-person events this Dec.. Visit the Commencement and Convocation site for a full listing of college convocation and special interest ceremonies.
The Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony celebrating graduating student veterans will be held on December 14 at 10 a.m. at Gammage on ASU’s Tempe campus. An RSVP link will be shared when it comes available.
Keynote Speaker
Bob Beard
Bob Beard is a Marine Corps veteran and double alumnus of Arizona State University.
He currently serves as the senior manager for communication and public engagement at ASU’s Center for Science and the Imagination, where he produces multimedia content, public programming, exhibitions, and experiences at the intersection of science, technology, and the humanities. With over two decades of hands-on media experience, combined with his research in subcultures, fandoms, and other communities of practice, Bob’s work focuses on creating spaces for curiosity, inclusion, and collaboration. His projects include Frankenstein200, a transmedia experience for STEM education supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation; Reanimated!, a video series examining ethical issues raised by emerging technologies; Future Visions 2071, a collection of stories and art exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution’s Arts and Industries Building; and PBS Nerd, a national brand and outreach campaign developed for public television stations across the United States.
He is co-editor of the book Imagining Transmedia from The MIT Press and is the creator and principal investigator of the Veterans Imagination Project, a research-based intervention designed to improve the experience of military-to-civilian transition using the tools of speculative fiction and strategic narrative foresight.
Featured student speaker
Javier Aguirre Martinez
Javier is an immigrant, a Marine, and a first-generation student. He is receiving his Bachelor of Science in Technological Entrepreneurship and Management from the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. He is also a Barrett Honors College student and a participant in the Navy ROTC’s Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP). Javier will be graduating summa cum laude.
His experiences as a child and young adult gave him purpose, and in the Marine Corps, he found the strength and tools to pursue that purpose. Inspired by his journey, Javier strives to make a difference in the lives of those in need through real estate while remaining dedicated to the Marine Corps as he transitions from an enlisted Marine to a Marine Corps officer.
Honoring student veterans at ASU
At the end of each semester, the Pat Tillman Veterans Center and the ASU Alumni Association recognize student veteran graduates with the Veterans Honor Stole Ceremony. Every year the ceremony grows larger, with more than 150 graduates and 700+ guests in attendance this year. It is a point of pride for our student veterans and their families.