Commencement Information

Find out more about Commencement 2025: https://cottey.edu/cottey-commencement/

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Signature Programs

Exploring Women’s Leadership, Social Responsibility, and Global Awareness in Washington D.C.

For this immersion experience, students travel to Washington, D.C. to explore the threads of women’s leadership, social responsibility, and global awareness. Through this experience, students will consider how civic engagement shapes their identity; explore women’s history, government in action, and current issues; and learn how the perspectives of diverse others have a role in shaping communities.

Travel, lodging, and meal costs for the immersion are provided by the Serenbetz Institute.

Students who are eligible include baccalaureate-seeking students with a 2.50 cumulative grade point average.

Students are selected based on an application process, are required to attend at least two pre-immersion meetings, travel during spring break, and attend one post-immersion meeting.

Itinerary Stops in Washington D.C.

An exciting stop on the itinerary is the Occoquan Workhouse in Lorton, Virginia; a site where suffragist Lucy Burns (among others) was imprisoned as she fought to secure the passing of the 19th Amendment, granting women in the United States the right to vote.

This visit includes a docent- led tour at the Lucy Burns Museum located at the Occoquan Workhouse.

Other stops may include:
  • The Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, home to the National Woman’s Party for more than 90 years.
  • The National Museum of Women in the Arts, which advocates for better representation of women artists.
  • A stop at the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, commemorating the 265,000 women who served in the Vietnam War.
  • A special treat will be a reception for students hosted by Virginia State P.E.O.s!
Cottey students doing service work in a community garden

Beyond The Common Reader 2024

This immersion experience was inspired by the fall 2023 common read, What the Eyes Don’t See by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha. In this book, Dr. Mona recounts her experience and hard-fought battle to bring attention to the Flint, Michigan water crisis. Similarly, our immersion to New Orleans focused on environmental justice issues along with the organizations and individuals working to address those issues. 

Led by Denise Carrick Hedges and Dr. Mary Mba, students traveled to New Orleans March 3-7, 2024 to participate in guided tours to see the environmental justice issues at play in New Orleans, meet with leaders working to address those issues, and volunteer with a non-profit organization. 

Additional Programs

WE WHO WOW

This annual event is meant to compliment the first-year writing seminar curriculum and is required of all first-year students and open to the all students, faculty, and staff. The purpose is to expose our campus to people who are leading change efforts in their communities in order to inspire and empower our students to work for change in their own communities.

WOW AT WORK

This annual event is meant to compliment the Writing 102 curriculum.This panel discussion highlights panelists who have found success in the workplace. During the panel, the audience learns about each panelists’ educational background, their career path, and how writing plays a role in their work.