Processional Check-in and Lunch
For those who will be participating in the Inauguration Procession, the Processional Check-in and Lunch will begin at 12:30 p.m. You will check-in and enjoy lunch before lining up to process. If you prefer to have less time for visiting or lunch, you should plan on arriving no later than 1:15 p.m.
At 1:15 p.m. non-marching guests should move to seating in the Remsen Bird Hillside Theater, and delegates will be lined up in preparation for the Inauguration Processional.
Please Note: We require all visitors to campus be fully vaccinated and boosted if eligible. Masks are required indoors, and are strongly recommended outdoors, especially with large gatherings. Click here for further details.
Processional Attire and Parking
Occidental College Board of Trustees, Senior Staff, and members of the Platform Party will march in the regalia representing the highest academic degree you have earned. Caps are optional. If you do not own your regalia, Occidental will provide it for all those who place their order before the President’s Office deadline. Please wear professional shoes that are comfortable for processing up the hill or steps into the Remsen Bird Hillside Theater.
Regalia ordered through the President’s Office will be available on Saturday morning at the Processional Check-in and Lunch. If you own your regalia, please bring it with you on Saturday morning. A secure room will be available for robing and storing your personal belongings during the ceremony through dinner.
You will receive a confirmation with your color-coded parking pass as well as a map to help direct you to your designated parking lot. Your check-in location is at the Dennis and Mollie Collins Admissions House where you will enjoy lunch, and a member of our staff will help line you up to process into the Remsen Bird Hillside Theater.
Parking will be in high demand, and we strongly recommend using a rideshare service for those considering this option. The designated rideshare drop-off point will be located in the Booth Parking Lot off of Bird Road at the College entrance located on Campus Road and Ridgeview Avenue.
Shuttles will run on designated routes on campus between 12 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 23. Note: after 1:30 p.m., shuttles will no longer run to the main entrance of Hillside Theater for the Installation Ceremony, and will instead take guests needing ADA access to view the Installation Ceremony to the top level of Hillside Theater.
Processional
The Inauguration Procession is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. and will last about 25 minutes. All delegates will march from their check-in locations into the Remsen Bird Hillside Theater. Each group of delegates will have at least one marshal who will lead you to the appropriate seating area for the Installation Ceremony.
Installation Ceremony
The Installation Ceremony will begin promptly at 2:30 p.m. immediately following the processional, and will last until about 4:00 p.m. It is at this ceremony that Harry J. Elam, Jr. will be formally installed as the sixteenth president of Occidental College. Processional delegates will participate in the recessional at the conclusion of the ceremony, which could last until as late as 4:30 p.m.
Community Celebration
Immediately following the ceremony, all guests are invited to attend the all-campus celebration on the Academic Quad. The Community Celebration will include free food, games, music, student performances and festivities for our guests and their families.