Commencement Collection

The collection includes WashU commencement programs from 1856 to the present.

Folders are organized by year in chronological order. Material types are listed, followed by the event date(s). Commencement programs and other items refer to university-wide events unless otherwise noted by a specific school or department. The level of information in the materials varies for each year.

Supplemental information from the student newspaper Student Life has also been included for some years in the 20th century.

Early commencement programs do not include a list of graduates or honorees. For graduates’ names between 1862 and 1917, consult the Washington University General Alumni Catalogue, published in 1917. Years without graduates’ names are noted as [no graduate list]. The collection also includes Department—and School-specific material and Commencement Office Records.

Select parts of Series 1 have been digitized and are available below.

Commencement Programs – Select Years

Please note: These items are presented as documents for historical research; due to printing errors, not all graduates may be listed. Please consult the University Archives staff with any questions.

Related Links

• Graduates in the Quad with Samuel Cupples Hall I in the background in 1906. [Photo Services – Events: Commencement, 1929 and before]
• Graduate procession in front of Samuel Cupples Hall I and University Hall (renamed Brookings Hall in 1928) in 1908. [Photo Services – Events: Commencement, 1929 and before]