Rosemont vs. Elmhurst – Commencement Venue Change Leads to Pushback From Students

Breaking a long-held tradition, Elmhurst University announced via email earlier this month that the 2025 commencement will be held at Rosemont Theatre, in Rosemont, Ill. — rather than on the campus mall.

While some students celebrated the venue switch, others took to Yik Yak to express disappointment and to petition for a reversal.

The Change.org petition, “Move Elmhurst University Graduation Back,” was started by someone only identified on the website as “Concerned Student,” and states that the Class of 2025 has been expressing “devastation” about the ceremony’s move from the Mall.

The petition has only garnered seven signatures so far, but whoever created it expressed great disappointment on behalf of the entire graduating class.

“The Mall that we started our Elmhurst journey on. The Mall that we’ve been looking forward to bittersweetly ending our journey on, bringing us full circle,” the petition reads, showing how valued this tradition truly is to the 2025 class.

While the creator of the petition did not respond to The Leader’s request for comment, students on Yik Yak anonymously discussed the reasoning behind their calls for a reversal, with some citing that beloved departmental traditions could no longer take place, and others mourning the loss of the Mall as a backdrop for their graduation photos.

One other large concern was the distance between campus and the venue, as some students on Yik Yak pointed out that it would be a further commute for students and their families.

Elmhurst University’s Commencement Planning Committee spoke to The Leader via email about the decision to switch commencement to The Rosemont Theatre, “It was the best option that was relatively close to campus and able to provide the quality graduate experience that we expect.”

The committee continued, “As commencement planning progresses, we will continue to explore what, if any, transportation assistance is needed. We plan to provide a more detailed commencement update in January.”

For the petitioners, though, it’s about more than distance, it’s about the meaning behind the location.

“Graduating on the Mall means so much to our class. Even if we aren’t able to move it back where we have been picturing it, at least we can say we tried,” the petition ends.

While some students hold out hope for a reversal, others from the Class of 2025, like senior Josie Finney, are excited about the venue change and think it’s a step in the right direction.

“I think it’s really nice that they took into account the feedback from last commencement,” Finney said, discussing how she attended the ceremony for a friend last spring and the challenges that came with that.

“The mall was extremely hot and very inaccessible. My friend’s 90-year-old grandmother attended with us, and she barely made it to the mall because we had to park all the way by the railroad tracks, and it took so long to walk to the mall. And then it was, like, at least 80 degrees on top of that,” Finney explained.

Finney says she’s looking forward to seeing this change instated for her graduation and hopes to see the change continue. “I’m very excited for air conditioning, comfortable seating, and a place that’s more accessible with more parking.”

The Commencement Committee says they have received and taken feedback into consideration in terms of the length and number of ceremonies, as well.

“Over the last few years, we received feedback of a preference for two ceremonies rather than three. The options for timing of and assignment of graduates to those ceremonies are currently being discussed,” they explained. “While the commencement ceremonies may be somewhat longer, we are always looking to balance a high-quality, meaningful experience with timely ceremonies.”

In terms of concerns regarding long-held EU traditions, the Committee assures that the ceremonial commencement traditions such as the awarding of honorary degrees and the ringing of the Hash Bell will still continue, and mentions working with student organizations to establish new ways to celebrate graduates back on campus.

“We are currently in the early stages of commencement planning, and the planning team members are discussing ideas to enhance a celebratory feeling across campus for the upcoming commencement, including additional photo opportunities and gathering areas around campus,” said the Commencement Planning Committee. “The commencement committee welcomes ideas and input from our students, which can be sent to commencement@elmhurst.edu.”

Those interesting in supporting or wanting to learn more about the petition can find it at https://www.change.org/p/move-elmhurst-university-graduation-back.