2026 Blessing of the Graduates (Baccalaureate)
A Spiritually-Inspired, Multifaith Ceremony for our Graduates
Friday, May 29 at 4:00 pm
La Verne Church of the Brethren (2 blocks from campus)
RSVP
- For Students: Please RSVP on the Commencement Participant Form sent to you by email. You will receive this form once you are cleared for graduation (the earliest the link is sent is sometime in March and after you have been cleared). If you have been cleared for graduation, check your email for an email from Commencement@laverne.edu, which will include a link to the Commencement Participant form. If you cannot find the link, please email commencement@laverne.edu.
- For Faculty and Staff: Please RSVP (link coming soon)
Information about the Blessing of the Graduates!
The Blessing of the Graduates (also known as Baccalaureate) is a spiritually-inspired, multifaith ceremony to honor and bless our graduates!
The ceremony includes an inspirational keynote speaker, readings and music from a diversity of spiritual and philosophical traditions, and a special blessing to honor the gifts and personhood of each graduate as they complete their degree, move on, and continue their journey. The ceremony is led by University dignitaries. Graduates and Faculty process in and out in their regalia.
Graduates are invited to bring their friends and family to enjoy this celebration and ceremony. There is no seating limits. Guest tickets are not required. We ask that graduates RSVP above to let us know you are coming!
Graduates: Please arrive at 3:15 p.m. with your regalia to line-up and prepare for the procession of graduates and faculty. Graduates will line-up on the patio of the La Verne Church of the Brethren. Guests can be seated anytime after 2:30 pm. The La Verne Church of the Brethren is located at 2425 “E” Street, La Verne, CA 91750.
Remember to bring your cap and gown!
If you have questions about the Blessing of the Graduates Ceremony, please contact the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Mission Integration at iemi@laverne.edu or 909-448-4948.
Baccalaureate Speaker
Ngoc H. Bui, Ph.D. is the Associate Dean for Effectiveness, Planning, and Faculty Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of La Verne. She is also a tenured full professor in the Undergraduate Psychology Program and Psi Chi Chapter Advisor. She received her master’s and doctorate degrees in social psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Her research interests include social cognition, attitudes, procrastination, and media psychology. Dr. Bui has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and her favorite courses to teach are experimental psychology and social psychology. She has served as President of the Board of Directors for Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology, and currently serves as a member of the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Associate and Baccalaureate Education (CABE).
Dr. Bui has been awarded the Outstanding Club/Organization Advisor Award (2007, 2008, 2009), the Psi Chi Regional Faculty Advisor Award (2006), and the Psi Chi/Florence L. Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award (2012). She has been recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Student Mentoring for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of La Verne (2016), and was inducted into the La Verne Academy (2017), which is dedicated to collegial leadership in research and scholarship. She has served on a variety of committees, including the University Promotion and Tenure Committee, the Institutional Review Board, the Sabbatical Committee, the General Education Committee (as co-chair), and the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Professional Support Committee.
She lives with her husband, Kent, her two children (Grace and Ben), and her three cats. In her free time, Dr. Bui is an avid reader of dystopian fiction, fantasy, and YA novels.