Essentials: Know Before You Go

Congratulations! We look forward to welcoming you and your guests to LMU Loyola Law School’s Hooding Ceremony on Friday, May 16, 2025.

Before making your way to the LLS campus, please review the important information below and on the Hooding Ceremony website about our event policies, security protocols, parking logistics, and other requirements. Information about festivities on Sunday, May 18 is on the LLS Commencement website and in yesterday's Commencement message.

Arrival Time for Hooding Ceremony
Graduates must arrive at LLS between 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 16. The graduate processional will begin promptly at 11 a.m. The campus will open for guests at 9:30 a.m.  All guests must be seated for the procession of graduates at 10:45 a.m. Guests arriving after 10:45 a.m. must wait to be seated until after the processional is complete. Late arrivals will be permitted to join other members of their party after the graduates are seated and the Hooding Ceremony has begun at approximately 11:15 a.m. Graduates and their guests are encouraged to arrive earlier than necessary in anticipation of traffic in downtown L.A. related to sporting and other events in the area.

Name Card and Regalia Required
All graduates should report to Founders Hall Plaza upon arrival. LLS graduates are required to present their name card and regalia to enter the student area. Graduates are required to wear academic regalia to participate in the ceremony.

How to Approach the Stage to Be Hooded
When you approach the stage for the Hooding Ceremony, please have your hood folded in half over your arm, with red and purple on the outside and blue on the inside. The purple should face your wrist, with the red facing your inner arm. Once on stage, you'll hand your hood to your presenter, then turn your around with your back to them as you crouch for the presenter to place the hood over your shoulders. Finally, adjust your hair and stole(s) as needed, and pose for your professional photo before walking off the stage. Watch our hooding video to see this illustrated!

Guest Wristbands Required for Hooding Ceremony
To ensure safety for this intimate event, capacity on the LLS campus is limited. Each graduate has been issued four guest wristbands. To avoid delays being granted access to campus, guests are strongly encouraged to put on their wristbands before arrival on campus. Children 2 years old and younger who are seated on a lap do not need a wristband to attend. Please note that strollers are not permitted inside the ceremony area. Strollers will need to be stored in a designated stroller zone.

Parking for Graduates and Guests
Graduates were provided with two parking passes for their use and for one guest vehicle in the LLS parking garage at 919 Albany Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015. The structure will open at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 16. Passes must be displayed on the dashboard to enter the LLS parking structure. As a reminder, LLS parking passes will not be valid on Friday, May 16.

There will be a rideshare (Lyft/Uber) dropoff/pickup zone at 1400 James M. Wood Blvd.

Parking for Those with Disabilities
The LLS parking structure has ADA parking on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have questions about ADA parking and seating accommodations, please email Campus Operations at dept-operations@lls.edu.

Livestreaming Available
A livestream of the LLS Hooding Ceremony will be available at 11 a.m. PT on Friday, May 16 on the Hooding Ceremony website.

GradImages Photography
LLS' official graduation photographer, GradImages, will be on campus taking photos during the Hooding Ceremony, as well as elements before and after the official festivities. These photos will be made available for purchase to graduates after Commencement weekend. Register now and save 20%. 

Safety and Security Measures
All guests will be required to present their guest ticket wristband for entry, and all graduates will be required to present their regalia and namecard. Prohibited items include:

• Umbrellas
• Firearms, knives, or weapons of any kind
• Aerosol cans (i.e. Mace, pepper spray, hairspray, etc.)
• Signs, banners, or posters
• Staffs, selfie sticks, or flags on poles
• Air horns, whistles, cowbells, drums, or other distracting noisemakers
• Flares, fireworks, confetti, or glitter
• Balloons, permanent markers, or spray paint

Honoring You and Your Fellow Grads
This year, as we honor your accomplishments, we thank everyone in advance for treating this occasion with the decorum and respect it deserves. As always, the law school will enforce its policies and protocols to assure the safety and enjoyment of all attendees. During the Hooding Ceremony, LLS Public Safety will utilize a variety of de-escalation methods ranging from warnings to event removal should a disruption occur. All students attending affinity or commencement celebrations must follow LMU and Law School Community Standards, including the Freedom of Expression Policy and the code of conduct outlined in our Student Handbooks.

Notice of Filming and Photography: When you attend this event, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur. By entering the event premises, you consent to such recording media and its release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction in any medium or format whatsoever now existing or hereafter created. As an attendee, you release all legal and equitable rights relating to copyright infringement, infringement of moral rights, libel, defamation, invasion of any rights of privacy, violation of rights of publicity, physical or emotional injury or distress, or any similar claim or cause of action pertaining to your name, image, and likeness.