Commencement Newsletter | February 2024

Commencement Newsletter - February 2024

• General Commencement Information
• Commencement Website 
• Cap & Gown Order 
• Grad Fair Resources & Information

Congratulations to our 2024 Class Marshals!

Class Marshals are members of the Commencement Committee, and serve as the student voice at the Commencement planning meetings. Additionally, they play a vital role in relaying important commencement information to their graduating peers in their academic major.

Please help us congraulate our selected Class Marshals for the 2024 Commencement Ceremony!

2024 Class Marshals:

Christian Rose | BFA Environmental Design

Elora Becker | BFA Illustration

Genesis Otero | BFA Digital Media: Animation

Nina Villadolid | BFA Digital Media: Game Design 

Jineni Mei Tieu | BFA Fashion Design

October Anderson | BFA Fine Arts

Jason Ko | BFA Product Design 

Kenzie Waskiewicz | BFA Toy Design

Shelby Lindsley | MFA Fine Arts 

Shaurya Kapoor | MFA Graphic Design 

Cords & Stoles

Students may receive a stole or cord to wear for Commencement for the following recognition or awards: 

Stoles:

• Student Leader (Student Union, Peer Mentor, Campus Activities Board, Resident Assistant, Student Ambassador, Housing Assistant, & TISO)
• Class Marshal 
• Valedictorian

• Liberal Arts & Sciences Honors
• Academic Excellence Recipients
• Outstanding Contribution to the College Recipient
• Veteran

Student Health and Wellness Center Access & Medical Insurance 

• Graduating Seniors can be seen in the Student Health and Wellness Center until July 31st, 2024
• The Student Health Insurance Plan ends August 14th, 2024
• If you have medication that gets refilled by the SHWC providers, request a refill before the end of July
• Future employers may request your immunization records, these can be found on OwlCare through MyOtis
• Ask future employers about whether or not they offer health insurance benefits. You may have to get your own insurance through Covered California if they do not or if you decide to freelance
• If you need any questions regarding insurance or managing your health outside of Otis, please stop by the SHWC.

Advising & Degree Progress

• Check degree progress on Degree Works. Contact Academic Advising for degree progress inquiries.
  • Zac Henderson: zhenderson@otis.edu
• Contact your studio department chair for course substitution approvals.

Clear your Holds!

• Check MyOtis and ensure that all holds are cleared.
• Active holds will prevent diploma issuance: student account, financial, and library holds.

Exit Counseling (Federal Loan Borrowers)

• Complete Mandatory Exit Counseling (if applicable).
• Loan borrowers are required to complete both online exit counseling and in-person exit counseling.
• Loan repayment begins 6 months after commencement. Expect first payment due November 2024. Visit studentaid.gov for details.

OPT (F-1 Visa Students)

• OPT Workshops | 2/15, 2/20, and 2/22
  • 11:15am - 12:15pm (Zoom)
• Check your Otis email for RSVP information prior to these workshops.
• Attend OPT Workshop prior to submitting OPT Application online.
• For questions regarding OPT workshops contact international@otis.edu.

Petition for Graduation & Diplomas

Advising & Degree Progress

• Check your Otis email on March 1, 2024 for the Petition to Graduate Form. This is a required form to indicate your intention to graduate in Spring 2024, and must be completed prior to Commencement. 
• This form will be sent by the Registration Office.
• Email registration@otis.edu with any questions. 

Diploma Information

• Your degree will confer on your student record after final grades are posted in May 2024.
• After degrees are conferred, check your personal email for the Diploma Release Form and/or instructions for clearing final holds (June 2024).
• Once your Diploma Release is received, your diploma will be issued and mailed to you within 3-4 weeks. You will also be issued a secure "eDiploma" (June - Aug. 2024)

Up-To-Date Contact Information:

• Make sure your contact information, especially your personal e-mail is up-to-date.
• Double check your mailing address in Self-Service. If mailing address is not valid, submit Address Change Update to update address.
  • Log into MyOtis, scroll to Student Personal Info on homepage, click on View/Update Address

Career Resources & Job Opportunities 

1) Use HANDSHAKE to find jobs, career workshops, recruitment events, career counseling appointments, and more - as a student and an alum!

• https://otis.joinhandshake.com/login (or via mobile app)
• Students: Log in w/ SSO (Otis email & password)
• Alumnx: Log in w/ personal email address (BELOW SSO by clicking "sign in with your email address" and “log in using your Handshake credentials”)

2) Upcoming Recruitment Events (in-person) – mark your calendar!

• Internship & Recruitment Day (IRD): March 14, 2024
• Annual Exhibition - Industry Night for Senior Show: May 10, 2024

3) Complete the Leaving the Owl’s Nest (LTON) Survey - sent to Otis email March - April 2024!

• Completing the LTON Survey will automatically direct you to the Commencement Participation Form. 
• This is how we'll collect your personal email address for your alumnx Handshake account

Alumni Relations

Stay Connected:

• Newsletters, social media @otisalumnx
• https://www.otisalumniassociation.org
• Always keep your contact information updated
• Share your successes in Alumni Stories
• Industry Night

Community: 9,500+

• Alumni worldwide in all creative fields
• OtisKorea @otiskorea.offical

Support System:

• Support each other
• Alumni Benefits Page

Network:

• Your classmates and faculty are your strongest network, build a profile in the alumni association
• Alumni Board
• Alumni Reception during O-Launch!