Accessibility

Georgetown University Law Center is committed to providing an accessible and welcoming Commencement Weekend experience for our students, guests, and community members. We strive to design our Commencement events with accessibility in mind and incorporate the accessibility features described below.

Initial information regarding disability accommodations can be found below. All questions and requests for disability accommodations–for both graduates and their guests–should be directed to Mary Ellen Vigeant, Director of Accessibility Services, at mary.ellen.vigeant@georgetown.edu

Georgetown Law Celebration Days

Celebration Days are a series of program and section-specific ceremonies hosted on the Georgetown Law Campus on Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17, under a tent on the Eleanor Holmes Norton Green. Immediately following each section or program ceremony, graduates and guests will be invited to a party on the Paul R. Dean (Library) Green.

Arrival and Parking

Parking is not available on the Georgetown Law campus. If you are using a rideshare, please use 600 New Jersey Ave., N.W. and enter campus at the Eleanor Holmes Norton Green. There are also several parking garages within a few blocks of campus.

Wheelchair and Mobility Device Rentals

Any student or guest requesting reasonable accommodations and/or to borrow a wheelchair on a daily basis must email accessibilityservices@georgetown.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 2. A staff member will respond by Friday, May 9, to arrange for wheelchair pick up and drop off on Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday. Scootaround is an option for guests who wish to rent a mobility scooter or wheelchair for use throughout the weekend.

The designated area for wheelchair pickup is “the horseshoe” behind the security gate at 1st and F Streets. This is the closest point to the accessible seating area in the tent. A volunteer will meet you at “the horseshoe” with the wheelchair upon arrival. The volunteer will ask to hold a driver’s license or credit card while the wheelchair is in use for the day. Guests must provide a valid driver’s license or credit card to borrow a wheelchair. The volunteer will then direct the wheelchair user (and one companion) to the accessible seating section in the tent. The volunteer will remove a chair in the accessible seating section to be replaced by the wheelchair. The wheelchair must be returned to the “horseshoe” at the conclusion of the last section ceremony of the day.

Sign Language Interpretation

The Celebration Days ceremonies will offer an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter. Designated seating will be available near the ASL interpreter. If you are attending an event other than the section-specific ceremonies and would like to request ASL interpretation, please contact the organizer of the event.

Captioning

The Celebration Days ceremonies will display captioning on screens that project the ceremony.

Accessible Seating

The Celebration Days ceremonies will have designated accessible seating for individuals with disabilities and a companion.

Programs in Alternative Formats

A limited number of large-print versions of the order of exercises for each ceremony will be available on site. Please see a staff member to request one.

Service Animals

Service animals are welcome to accompany individuals with disabilities in all areas on campus that are open to members of the public. Personal pets are not allowed inside any campus buildings or in the seating area for outdoor ceremonies.

Livestream of Celebration Days Events

The Celebration Days events will be livestreamed on the Georgetown Law YouTube page. Live captions will be included in the livestream.

Quiet/Sensory Space

We recognize that a high-paced celebratory environment can be overwhelming and overstimulating for many of our students, faculty, staff, and guests. There will be a quiet room with sensory tools available in Hotung 1000.

Georgetown Law Commencement

The Georgetown Law Commencement Ceremony is a Law Center-wide celebration that will take place on Sunday, May 18, on the Georgetown University Hilltop Campus (on the other side of Washington D.C.)

Arrival and Parking

Designated accessible parking spaces are available on a first-come, first served basis in the Southwest Quad garage. Individuals who utilize designated accessible parking spaces must display a state-issued disability license plate or placard. To maximize the availability of accessible parking spaces in the garage, if possible, please consider utilizing the drop-off area located at the entrance of the parking garage prior to parking in the garage.

The University provides free, accessible, shuttle buses for guests with disabilities to escort people from the parking facilities to the graduation site. These on-campus shuttles will make stops around Georgetown’s campus, including the front gates of the University. Please consult the shuttle route map for a list of stops.

The shuttles will make continuous runs on Sunday, May 18, from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The front gates of the University, at the intersection of 37th and O Streets, is an accessible drop-off location.

Accessible Map (Hilltop Campus)

Georgetown provides an interactive, accessible campus map that outlines accessible routes from the Southwest garage to locations on campus commonly accessed by visitors.

Wheelchair and Mobility Device Rentals

Complimentary wheelchairs will be available at Healy Circle. Graduates must email accessibilityservices@georgetown.edu to indicate the need for a wheelchair (for themselves or guests) by May 2. You must provide a valid driver’s license or credit card to borrow a wheelchair. Wheelchairs are for on campus use only and can be checked in and out on a daily basis.

Sign Language Interpretation

The Commencement ceremony will offer an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. Designated seating will be available near the ASL interpreter. If you’re attending other events and require ASL interpretation, please contact the organizer of the event.

Captioning

The Commencement ceremony will display captioning on screens that project the ceremony. If you are attending other events and would like to request captioning, please contact the organizer of the event.

Accessible Seating

The Commencement ceremony will have designated accessible seating for individuals with disabilities and a companion. Graduates are required to indicate the need for accessible seating (for themselves or guests) in their commencement registration form (MarchingOrder).

Programs in Alternative Formats

Accessible programs will be available online at commencement.georgetown.edu. A limited number of large-print versions of the order of exercises for each ceremony will be available at the program tent in Healy Circle (or McDonough Gym foyer in the case of severe weather).

Service Animals

Service animals are welcome to accompany individuals with disabilities in all areas on campus that are open to members of the public. Personal pets are not allowed in any campus buildings or in the seating area for outdoor ceremonies.

Livestream of Commencement Ceremonies

The Commencement Ceremony will be livestreamed on the Georgetown University Facebook page. You do not need a Facebook account to view the ceremonies. Live captions will be included in the livestream.