A Higher Standard
The USD Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering hosts two nationally-recognized, time-honored ceremonies annually every fall semester — The Order of the Engineer and The Pledge of the Computing Professional. Both ceremonies are intended to promote and recognize the ethical and moral behavior of graduates, upholding devotion to the standards and dignity of the respective professions as they transition from students to working professionals.
Professional Ethics Induction
The Order of the Engineer and the Pledge of the Computing Professional are rite-of-passage ceremonies for graduates from USD's undergraduate engineering and computer science degree programs. Participation in the Senior Ceremony is not required for graduation, however, graduates must attend in person and participate in their oath ceremony to receive their computer science lapel pin or engineering steel ring.
Order of the Engineer
The Order of the Engineer was initiated in the United States to foster a spirit of pride and responsibility in the engineering profession, to bridge the gap between training and experience, and to present to the public a visible symbol identifying the engineer. The Order is not a membership organization; there are never any meetings to attend or dues to pay. Instead, the Order fosters a unity of purpose and the honoring of one’s pledge lifelong.
Pledge of the Computing Professional
The Pledge of the Computing Professional is an organization to promote the notion of computing as a recognized profession at the time of graduation for students in computer science. The Pledge of the Computing Professional is solely intended to recognize the ethical and moral behavior of graduates of computer science degree programs as they transition to careers of service to society.
Join Us
2026 Senior Ceremony
USD's Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering will welcome all seniors graduating Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027 to participate in our official Senior Ceremony. This annual celebration is a major milestone in the academic careers of our engineering and computer science grads and recognizes the completion of their undergraduate degree programs at USD. Some of our students are finishing their classes this semester, and others will finish in the spring or summer. This is a way to have a special, more intimate recognition for our students and their families, separate from the large commencement ceremony in May.
A DAY OF CELEBRATION
Celebrating Grads and Guests
A day to remember! December 8, 2026 will be a special day of celebration for our graduates and their guests. We recognize that many guests may be traveling from far and wide to support the accomplishments of their grads. To maximize all of our guests' visits to the University of San Diego, we will be hosting the Senior Ceremony and the Engineering and Computing Expo all on the same day.
Senior Ceremony Date, Time & Location
Senior Ceremony
Tues., Dec. 8, 2026 | 12:00 - 2:30 p.m. | Hahn University Center/UC Forums
The Senior Ceremony includes the Dean's Welcome, an alumni welcome, an alumnus guest speaker, a sit-down lunch, the Pledge of the Computing Professional, the Order of the Engineer, class photo and more. Space is limited to two guests — parents and spouses will receive invitations. Professional attire is recommended.
Expo Date, Time & Location
Engineering & Computing Expo
Tues., Dec. 8, 2026 | 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. | Belanich Engineering Center
We welcome unlimited family members, friends and invited guests to explore the latest innovative design concepts that will be presented by our engineering and computer science seniors as they unveil their preliminary Capstone Design and Simulation projects.
RSVP
Graduates and parents/spouses received email invitations to register for the Senior Ceremony. Space is limited to two guests per graduate. RSVP closes November 20, 2026. Please contact Michelle Sztupkay for questions about registration.
No registration is required for the Expo. There is no limit to the number of guests that the graduates can invite to the Expo.
Parking
Visit USD's Parking Services for general visitor instructions. Main Parking for the event is closest to the Belanich Engineering Center and UC Forums. If that lot is full, the West Parking lot has trams that come every 8-10 minutes. Exit at the second stop (the Law Circle). Allow ample time for parking.
Gifts & Photos
Welcome Alumni: Graduates will receive an alumni gift bag during the Senior Ceremony to welcome you as Torero alumni!
Class of 2027: A professional Class of 2027 group photo will be taken outdoors following the Senior Ceremony. Photos taken during the event will be shared electronically with graduates and invited guests.
Make-up Ceremony
A small make-up ceremony will be scheduled at a later date for graduates who are unable to attend the Senior Ceremony on December 8, 2026. Contact Michelle Sztupkay to coordinate participation in the make-up ceremony.
Preparation for the Senior Ceremony
Grads: We need your help
Invitations to the Event
Graduates may invite parents or spouses to the Senior Ceremony for a maximum of two guests per graduate due to limited seating. Please note: To facilitate sending guest email invitations, we will need graduates to include their parents'/spouses' names and email addresses on the registration form, as not all contacts are in the USD database.
Phonetic Name Pronunciation
Each graduate will be acknowledged individually during the ceremony. We ask that you phonetically write out your first and last name, so that we properly pronounce it during the event (e.g. Reuben Kuykendall = roo•bin koo•kin•doll).
Registration
Registration and phonetic name submittals care due by November 20, 2026 (Google Form forthcoming). The form allows graduates and guests (parents/spouses) to register themselves separately — follow the form instructions to minimize duplicate registrations. Questions about your phonetic name submittal, contact Hattie Morgan.
Computer science graduates will receive a lapel pin — the symbol of the Pledge of the Computing Professional is a matrix with the word “Honor” encoded in ASCII. No sizing is required.
Engineering graduates will receive a stainless steel ring for the fifth (pinkie) finger on your working/dominant hand. Visit BEC 344 to physically measure your ring size at the ring station outside of Hattie Morgan's office, or click on the links below for ring sizing instructions and for additional ring sizing methods. The ring station closes Friday, November 20, 2026.
Please note: This steel ring is not your class ring.
Additional Ring Sizing Methods
Photo Presentation
We will be creating a PowerPoint presentation of our graduates for the event, so if you would like to include a photo from your time at USD (fun or professional) upload these in the Google Form below. Remember, parents love to see you up on the big screen!
Submit Your Ring Size and Photos
Once you have obtained your correct sizing, we ask that you submit your ring size (Engineering) and photos (Engineering and Computer Science) no later than November 20, 2026 using this Google Form (forthcoming).
Yes. In order to be inducted into your respective professions, you must attend the event and take the obligation pledge during the ceremony. Please note: Participation is not required for graduation.
What is the dress code?
This is a time-honored celebration, so please dress in professional attire for the ceremony event.
What is the cost for the event?
There is no cost to participate in the event.
Can I invite guests to the Senior Ceremony?
Graduating seniors, faculty, staff, guest speakers, parents and spouses will attend the Senior Ceremony. We have limited seating space, so we must adhere to two maximum guests per graduate. Parents and spouses receive separate invitations, so please include their names and addresses on your registration Google Form (forthcoming). Registration closed November 20, 2026.
What if I Can't Attend the Senior Ceremony in December?
A small make-up ceremony will be scheduled at a later date for graduates who are unable to attend on December 8, 2026.
Who may I contact if I have questions?
If you have guest registration questions or questions about the events, contact Michelle Sztupkay.