Graduation
Jump to a Section
- McCormick PhD Hooding and Master’s Degree Recognition Ceremony
- Register for Your Ceremony
- Order Regalia
- Ceremony Tickets
- Department and Program Celebrations
McCormick PhD Hooding and Master’s Degree Recognition Ceremony
Saturday, December 14, 2024, 4 p.m.
Location: Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive map it
Watch the PhD and Master's Ceremony Livestream here
Graduation Speaker
Sanjay Sood is senior vice president and chief technology officer at CDW, a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education, and healthcare organizations in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Sood joined CDW in 2020, bringing more than 15 years of experience in driving innovative change within complex technology environments. Sood has been instrumental in shaping the company’s future technology vision and strategic direction while building and implementing platforms that support customers, coworkers, and partners. He is responsible for not only establishing the company’s technological roadmap, but also ensuring that its infrastructure is robust, secure, and scalable to meet the evolving needs of its stakeholders.
Previously, Sood served as the vice president of Highly Automated Driving & Core Map Engineering unit at HERE Technologies, where he played a crucial role in advancing autonomous driving technologies. Prior to this, he was the senior vice president of consumer platforms at YP, The Real Yellow Pages (formerly AT&T Interactive), where he was responsible for developing and managing consumer-facing platforms that connected millions of users with local businesses.
In addition to his professional roles, Sood serves on the board of directors at Per Scholas, a nonprofit organization that provides technology education and job training to underserved communities. He is also an adviser for Northwestern’s MBAi Program, where he shares his knowledge and experience with future business leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
An owner of more than a dozen patents in the fields of machine learning, information retrieval, and digital mapping, Sood earned his BS and PhD degrees — both in computer science — from Northwestern Engineering.
Register for Your Ceremony
Graduates who wish to attend the McCormick PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony must register by Tuesday, November 19:
- Visit northwestern.marchingorder.com.
- Select 'Register' under New Users.
- Register using the email address where you received this email.
- Instructions for setting your password will be sent to your email address. Select the ‘Set Password’ link included in the email.
- Your ceremony will appear after you have finished logging in. Select 'Register Here.'
- Complete the registration form and select ‘Submit.’
If there are any errors on your registration form or if you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected].
Order Regalia
Regalia must be worn by all participating graduates. It is important to order as soon as possible.
Master's Regalia Information and Deadline
Master's students can purchase regalia online to be shipped to their home, or in-store at the bookstore. Regalia will be available for in-store purchase for master's degree candidates beginning Monday, November 4. No pre-order is necessary for these orders and it is highly recommended that Master's degree candidates purchase regalia at the bookstore.
Tuesday, November 19 – order deadline for master's regalia to be shipped to your home.
PhD Regalia Information and Deadline
PhD regalia can be ordered via the form below and will be available for pickup at the bookstore, where PhD candidates will make the final purchase for the rental regalia. Ship to home is not an option for PhD rental regalia.
Tuesday, November 19 – order deadline is Tuesday, November 19. PhD regalia will be available for pickup at the bookstore only.
Ceremony Tickets
Tickets are not required for guests at the PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Department and Program Celebrations
Our departments and programs are planning other opportunities to celebrate their graduates. Please watch for more information regarding their specific plans in the coming weeks.