Commencement

Commencement Rehearsal - Thursday, May 23rd, 9:30-11:00 a.m.
All students participating in the commencement events must attend the rehearsal on Thursday morning. During this, students will walk through the various elements of the ceremonies to ensure everything goes as well as possible. Attendance is mandatory.

Thursday, May 23rd - Baccalaureate & Senior Dinner at 5:00 p.m.
Friday, May 24th - Closing Chapel & Commencement at 9:00 a.m.

Baccalaureate - This ceremony is the last time our seniors will attend a chapel service together in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd. The service consists of readings from Scripture, a special address to the Class of 2024, and various musical offerings. A limited number of guests will be able to attend with each graduate due to the size of our historic chapel. Overflow seating will be available for others to watch a livestream of the service. Semi-formal dress (ties, dresses, sport coats, etc.) is recommended.

Senior Dinner - The Senior Dinner is held immediately following Baccalaureate on the North Chapel Lawn. The dinner is an SSM tradition to honor the graduates and their families on the night before commencement. The service includes a series of toasts and responses, musical reflections, good cheer, and com​radery . The dinner is prepared by our SSM Food Service Team and includes reserved seating. Due to space constraints, we allow four guests for each graduate. Please note; the dinner is held outdoors under a large tent on a grass lawn. Please dress for the weather and keep the grass lawn in mind when you choose your footwear. 

Closing Chapel and Commencement - These events also take place on the North Chapel Lawn under a tent on a grassy surface. Please keep this in mind as you choose your attire. Graduates receive their gifts and a blessing from the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, they learn lessons from our commencement speaker, several awards are distributed, and the ceremony ends with the conferring of diplomas for the Class of 2024! There is general admission seating and graduates may invite as many guests as they would like. A class photo is taken after the service along with an available lunch in Morgan Dining Hall for everyone in attendance. RSVPs are not required to attend the lunch. Boarding students are expected to clean and checkout of their dorm rooms by 4:00 pm.

Commencement Attire
Seniors who plan to participate in the Commencement ceremony will need to order their attire soon. Approved Commencement attire includes:

• School-approved floor-length white dress of choice
• Black graduation robe
• SSM blazer with patch, khaki dress pants, white collared shirt, and SSM tie

Below is ordering information for those seniors interested in wearing the blazer and tie or the black graduation robe. Please note, it is recommended that families place these orders before our spring term classes begin to avoid backorder delays and to ensure the proper fit.

White Dresses
The white, floor-length dresses should be modist. We do not allow strapless dresses, backless dresses, or those with low necklines or high slits. Footwear to go with the dress should be a shoe or sandal in white, clear, silver, gold, or skin tone. No tennis shoes are allowed. 

Blazer & Tie Ordering
The blue blazers (tailored fit Hopsack blazer from Land's End) are purchased by families through Land’s End. Blazers retail for $155, but promo codes are often available through Land's End. 

The School supplies and applies an SSM patch to the jackets. The khaki dress pants, white button-down shirt, and dress shoes are purchased on your own, but Land's End is preferred for the khakis. The SSM ties cost $27 and can be purchased by contacting Ms. Peper, SSM School Store Manager, either by email or by phone at 507-333-1632. She is happy to help answer questions and provide ordering support.

Black Graduation Robe Ordering
If you choose the black robe option, please either stop in the School Store or email Ms. Peper. She will have an order form available and can help manage the process.

For custom announcements, additional Class of 2024 apparel, and more, Jostens is the one-stop shop. A link will be coming soon to place your orders.