Granted, graduates and families are the focus of commencement. But there’s one other group essential to this special day: volunteers. 

The biggest day on the annual calendar at the University of Oregon simply wouldn’t happen without the hundreds of staff and faculty who give their time. With 2025 commencement coming June 15-16, employees from every corner of the university are strongly encouraged to volunteer — sign up now — to make this unforgettable day go smoothly for graduates and families. 

But that’s not the only reason to get involved. There are lots of reasons, and 10 of the best are captured here with the help of regular commencement volunteers Molly Maxwell of Student Services and Enrollment Management, Jadd Tryon of Experiential Learning and Engagement and Drew Terhune Sirman of the Office of the Dean of Students. So read on, click the button at the bottom to volunteer and consider this from Angela Lauer Chong, vice president for the Division of Student Life:

“Each year, we rely heavily on the dedication of university employees who generously volunteer their time to help make this important event a success. Commencement is a momentous occasion that brings the entire University of Oregon community together to celebrate our students’ remarkable achievements and the culmination of their academic journeys.”

1. You can’t beat the mood.

Tryon, an administrative program assistant for Fraternity and Sorority Life, was a bit nervous the first time he volunteered in 2021, afraid he might encounter a high-stress environment and lots of frayed nerves. He found just the opposite. “It is a joyous day and the culmination of all this hard work and you see this relief and the families are beaming and everybody is taking photos. The mood is very much like a party.”

2. It’s your chance to get on the field at Autzen Stadium.

Maxwell, assistant director for administration in student orientation programs, has been on the turf as a volunteer with the Autzen grand entrance team, which helps people to seats for the ceremony. As a Eugene native she’s been in the stadium more times than she can count, but graduation is different: it’s the culmination of student journeys of which she’s been a part for four years.

“I get to see students with whom I’ve worked closely — they’ll leave the line to give me a hug,” she said. “I’m getting a little choked up talking about it. That moment is really special.”

3. You get to use a radio.

If you’re volunteering at Autzen and if you’re the designee for a particular area, that is. To ensure smoothness while working with the crowds, Maxwell said the grand entrance team on the ground communicates by radio with partners above.

“You feel like Seal Team Six a little bit,” she said, laughing. 

4. There’s something for everyone. To do.

Sirman, assistant dean of students, said volunteers are sure to find a task they can handle because the needs for commencement are many, ranging from handing out programs to giving directions to ensuring graduates are queued up correctly — and alphabetically — for the moment when they take the stage to receive diplomas.

5. But you don’t have to sign your life away (or even the whole day). 

“Even a couple hours helps the day go better and helps the people who organize the event a lot,” Sirman said. 

6. You can volunteer sitting down.

If you’re driving a golf cart, that is. Tryon and Sirman have both been behind the wheel as part of the fleet of golf cart drivers who shuttle families and graduates to and from ceremonies to their cars and other destinations. Said Tryon: “You get good at finding the best route through campus.”

7. You can catch up with old friends in other departments.

During breaks, Maxwell has enjoyed reconnecting with former colleagues who now work in other areas at the UO.

“That’s a really fun piece,” she said. “It almost feels like a reunion for those campus partners that you know and with whom you worked, once upon a time.”

8. It’s a great reminder of what the UO is about.

“Commencement is a day when everybody brings their families, their elders, their siblings — that puts into context what it means to get an education,” Sirman said. “These students are fulfilling dreams their families may have had for generations. We are educating people to improve communities and people’s lives. It’s not just about giving out diplomas.”

9. Graduates and families aren’t the only ones left with lasting memories.

Sirman still remembers being approached by a mother after a commencement years ago. “She was requesting a box of leftover programs,” he said. “She wanted as many of them as I would let her take so she could pass them out at work.”

10. The life you change may be your own. 

“Everybody should volunteer for commencement at least once,” Sirman said. “It’s an opportunity for folks to stretch themselves and get out into the university community in ways they might not on their day job.”

Added Tryon: “It makes me proud and happy that in some small way I can contribute to these folks’ growth and moving on to become amazing citizens. There’s a lot of joy. It’s infectious.”