ACE Commencement
Congratulations, class of 2023!
Get Ready for Commencement!
2023 ACE Commencement will take place on July 29, 2023 for both virtual and in-person registered graduates.
Commencement Venue
Murat Theater
in the Old National Centre
502 N. New Jersey St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
- The main entrance to Murat Theatre is located on the Alabama Street side of the venue.
- The entrance to the onsite parking lot can be found off Alabama Street.
- Paid parking is available onsite for $10.
- Street parking is also available via paid meters.
For information on local accommodations and other Indianapolis attractions, please head to VisitIndy.com.
Ed.D. Hooding Ceremony
All 2023 Ed.D. graduates are invited to participate in the Ed.D. Hooding Ceremony, a separate ceremony which takes place the morning of July 29. The doctoral hooding ceremony is a time-honored tradition in academia where a graduate is recognized for their achievement as a doctoral scholar.
Doctoral graduates are welcome to only participate in the Ed.D. Hooding Ceremony, as they will walk the stage and have their degree conferred to them at that time. Ed.D. graduates will not be asked to walk the stage again during the Full Ceremony. However, if Ed.D. graduates would like to stay for the afternoon Full Ceremony, they are welcome to do so. Please note that the 2023 keynote address will only be given during the Full Ceremony.
2023 Keynote Speaker
Kim Bearden
Kim Bearden is the cofounder, executive director, and language arts teacher at the highly acclaimed Ron Clark Academy, an innovative, nonprofit middle school and educator-training facility in Atlanta. The Academy seeks to extend its reach upon its student body by having an impact upon students everywhere through its immersive professional development programs. More than 115,000 educators from around the world have visited Kim’s classroom and have attended her workshops to learn better ways to engage students, promote academic excellence, build relationships, foster creativity, and create a climate and culture for success.
Throughout her career, Kim has received numerous accolades, such as being honored at the White House for being inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. She was chosen from over 70,000 nominations to be honored as the Disney American Teacher Awards Outstanding Humanities Teacher, and the Milken Family Foundation selected her to receive the Award for Excellence in Education. She is the winner of the InfluencHer Award, the University of Georgia Outstanding Educator Award, and the Turknett Character Award for Servant Leadership. A former Cobb County Teacher of the Year and finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year, she is also the recipient of the Atlanta Dream Inspiring Women Award, the Atlanta Phenix Award, and the Atlanta Tribune’s Power of Education Hall of Fame. Mercedes-Benz recognized Kim in their Greatness Lives Here campaign, and Women Works Media Group named her one of Georgia’s Most Powerful and Influential Women.
Over the past thirty-six years, she has been a teacher, instructional lead teacher, curriculum director, school-board member, staff-development trainer, and middle-school principal. Kim is a bestselling author of three books: Fight Song, Talk to Me, and Crash Course.Additionally, Kim shares her passion and love for her craft with audiences around the world as a keynote speaker and professional development trainer.
Kim resides near Atlanta with her husband Scotty. She is also a mother of four. Her three sons and daughter are now adults who all reside in the metro Atlanta area.
Our Graduation Partner
Jostens has been a leader in graduation celebration services since 1897 and are the preferred provider for ACE regalia and other graduation products. However, graduates are allowed to purchase their regalia from other vendors if they so choose.
Please note that ACE will provide eligible registered graduates with honors and/or KDP cords. These cords do not need to be purchased separately by graduates.
Jostens provides the following services for ACE graduates:
Graduation Caps and Gowns
Fine Quality Regalia
Affiliation Accessories
Custom Diploma Frames
Graduate Rings
Announcements
If you have any questions during the ordering process, please contact Jostens Customer Care directly at 800-854-7464 Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm CT.
Share Your Accomplishments
We’re so excited to celebrate your accomplishments with you! Below, you’ll find a number of congratulatory images that you can click to download, print, or share on social media. We invite you to share your photos with us by using the hashtag #ACEGrad2023 and #ACECommencement on social media.
