7 Things to Know About ASU Graduation — Sun Devil Stadium and Wells Fargo Arena
Avoid the stress and have your Sun Devil commencement or convocation go smoothly!
It’s the most important time of year for our graduating Sun Devils. Many will be moving on to professional careers or pursuing master’s or doctoral studies.
The sky’s the limit for our Sun Devil graduates, so let’s make their special day as smooth as possible.
Checking In
Commencement for graduate students will be held on Monday, May 6 at 9 a.m. in Wells Fargo Arena on ASU’s Tempe campus.
Undergraduate commencement will be held on Monday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Sun Devil Stadium. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Guests should arrive no later than 7 p.m. and graduating students need to be in their seats by 7:15 p.m. Please note only graduates and staff will be permitted on the field.
Around thirty thousand people are expected to attend — as with any large event, traffic in the area will be heavy so plan accordingly.
For ceremonies at Wells Fargo Arena, graduating students should arrive one hour prior to ceremony start time to check in and will enter the arena via the west tunnel. For families and friends, entrance is on the concourse level.
No tickets are required to attend undergraduate commencement, though they are necessary for some ceremonies. Be sure to check the schedule at graduation.asu.edu ahead of time.
Wells Fargo Arena and other venues have recently implemented more stringent policies for venue access. You should have your ASU ID or another state or federally issued ID with you in order to access the ceremony venue and check in. Guests should be prepared to show ID. For events that require tickets, the ticket will be required to access the venue.
For other frequently asked questions, please visit ASU’s graduation website.
Parking
ASU makes it easy to get your hands on information about free shuttles, the light rail and other options to get to Wells Fargo Arena ceremonies on time.
Finding a parking spot can be a hassle, especially with the many ceremonies taking place on campus. We highly encourage families and friends to use public transportation. Visit Valley Metro or ASU’s Parking and Transit Services’ websites for information about neighborhood shuttles and public transportation options. The easiest access to Sun Devil Stadium and Wells Fargo Arena is via the light rail, which drops you off just about a block away. Traveling via light rail eliminates worry about finding a parking spot, traffic, paying for parking and other stressors.
For those driving, free parking is available in ASU parking lots and structures around the different campus venues during the week of commencement and convocations. Make sure you review information and parking details ahead of time by visiting ASU Parking FAQs. Avoid the headache of guessing where you should park and know exactly where all the perfect parking spots are!
Disabled parking is available at each and every convocation venue, including in Lot 58 near Wells Fargo Arena and the south entrance of Sun Devil Stadium. A designated area is also available in the limited, barricaded parking lot on the north side of Sun Devil stadium. Identified stalls in parking structures are also an option. You must have your disabled placard or license plate in order to park in these areas. If you need more information about disabled parking, visit ASU Transportation or call 480–965–6407.
Hotels
For all our Sun Devil families and friends who are coming in from out of town, ASU makes it easy to find the best accommodations for your visit.
Treat yourself to the countless beautiful hotels in the Valley; you may even be eligible for hotel discounts. If you are a member of the ASU Alumni Association, make sure you visit the member benefits page for more discounts.
View a list of hotels all over the Tempe area by visiting Where to Stay on the Tempe Tourism site.
Accessibility & Disability Information
Wells Fargo Arena disabled seating is located on the interior concourse level of the arena. An additional guest may accompany the guest with disabilities; however, to ensure all who need to be accommodated can be, we ask that other guests be seated in the rows directly in front of the disabled seating areas. If you need more information about Wells Fargo Arena disabled seating, download the Wells Fargo seating chart.
In order to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable graduation for everyone, wheelchairs will be provided to our guests with disabilities and the elderly on a first-come, first-served basis. You can check out wheelchairs at the north entrance of Wells Fargo Arena. Bring a picture ID or a major credit card in order to check out a wheelchair. Please return the wheelchairs within 30 minutes of the end of the ceremony. They should not leave the building.
Clear Bag Policy
To enhance public safety and make access more efficient, Sun Devil Stadium and Wells Fargo Arena have adopted a clear bag policy. Guests may bring in one clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" or a 1-gallon plastic storage bag. Guests are limited to one clear bag per person, along with a small clutch or purse for privacy.
For more information and a list of prohibited items, please visit thesundevils.com.
Inside Wells Fargo Arena
You may bring in a factory-sealed water bottle smaller than 1 ½ liters, empty plastic water bottles, sealed single serving juice boxes and baby formula or baby food. No other food or drink is allowed, but concession stands will be open. For a list of prohibited items, please visit thesundevils.com.
Can’t make it to the ceremony?
If your loved ones can’t attend the ceremony in person, they can watch the event live around the world. All Wells Fargo Arena ceremonies will be live streamed, so check out graduation.asu.edu for links to where you can watch.
If you have any more questions about Spring 2019 commencement or convocations, visit our website!
We can’t wait to see all the family and friends at graduation celebrating our Sun Devils’ special day. It should be a great week of celebration, and we look forward to hosting all graduates and their families. Go Devils!
