GRADUATION

Welsh-Ryan Arena – 2705 Ashland Ave, Evanston, IL 60208
Ryan Fieldhouse – 2333 Campus Dr, Evanston, IL 60208

Travel times from both O'Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport can range from 45 minutes to one and one half hours.

From O'Hare, take Mannheim Road north to Oakton Street. Turn right and follow Oakton east to Gross Point Road. Turn left and follow Gross Point north to Dempster Street. Turn right and follow Dempster east to Chicago Ave.. Turn left on to Chicago Ave. to the campus.

From Midway, take Cicero Avenue north to Interstate 55 (Stevenson Expressway). Follow I-55 east to Lake Shore Drive. Follow Lake Shore Drive north to Sheridan Road. Follow Sheridan into Evanston to the campus.

From the west or north, take Interstate 294 (Tri-State Tollway) or Interstate 94 (Edens Expressway) to the Dempster Street east exit. Follow Dempster to Chicago Avenue in Evanston and turn left to reach the campus.

From the east or south, take Lake Shore Drive north to Sheridan Road. Follow Sheridan into Evanston to the campus.

Please be sure to check the Metra Tracker or CTA Transit Tracker before leaving as transit times may vary.

From downtown Chicago, take Metra’s Union Pacific North (UP-N) commuter train to the Evanston Central Street station. Another option is the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) elevated Red and Purple Line trains (“L” train) to the Central Street stop for Welsh-Ryan Arena and Noyes Street stop for Ryan Fieldhouse.

Parking Permits

University parking permits are not required for parking in campus lots or garages during Graduation celebrations.

Maps

Download a PDF of the Welsh-Ryan Arena Map

Download a PDF of the Ryan Fieldhouse Map

Accessible Parking & Drop-Off

Accessible parking is available in all campus parking lots. Parking for vehicles displaying a valid handicapped tag as well as a drop-off site for guests with disabilities are available. The accessible drop-off for Welsh-Ryan Arena is located on Ashland Avenue (see map for detailed information). The accessible drop-off for Ryan Fieldhouse, is located on Campus Drive (see map for detailed information).

The University provides complimentary shuttle bus service between the main Evanston campus and Welsh-Ryan Arena. Shuttles will begin one hour prior to events and will conclude approximately one hour after the completion of convocations. Parking in the Welsh-Ryan Arena area will be limited. It is highly recommended that graduates and their guests take shuttles early to avoid long wait times at shuttle stops.

Download a PDF of the On Campus Shuttle Map

1901 W. Madison Street Chicago, IL 60612

From the North: Take I-90 East to the Madison Street exit and make a right onto Madison Street. The building will be on your left.

From the South: Take I-55 North to the Damen exit and make a left, going northbound for approximately 7 minutes. The building will be on your right.

From the East: Take Madison Street west from the Loop.

From the West: Take I-290 East to exit 28A (Damen Avenue). Take Damen Avenue north to Madison Street. Make a right onto Madison Street and the building will be on your right.

Please factor construction delays into your travel plans, check your map apps for the most up-to-date traffic information, and allot extra time to get to the United Center. 

Please be sure to check the CTA Transit Tracker before leaving as transit times may vary.

Take the Orange, Green, Purple, or Brown lines to Madison. Take #20 Madison buses west.

To the United Center: The #20 Madison Bus travels west on Madison Street, starting downtown at Wabash Street and runs every few minutes, making all stops to the United Center.

From the United Center: The #20 Madison buses run every few minutes, departing from the eastbound side of Madison Street. Buses make all stops.

Maps

General Parking Information

Parking lots and Uber lot will be open to guests two and a half hours prior to event time. Parking is free for all guests.

Download a PDF of the United Center Parking Map

Accessible Parking

Vehicles displaying a current handicapped license plate or window placard are permitted to park in Lot G South, which is located at the southwest corner of the building at Damen Avenue and Monroe Street.

Parking Policies

• No solicitation allowed.
• No consumption of alcoholic beverages on lot or in parked vehicles.
• No tailgating or similar activities.

The Rideshare/Uber Zone at the United Center is located on the corner of Madison Street and Wood Street (shown in yellow). Guests will enter and exit through the sidewalk entrance located on Madison Street and cars will enter the lot by turning into the Uber Zone from Madison Street. Cars will exit on Warren Blvd.

Additionally, if you are planning on using ride shares, please anticipate lengthy wait times for cars in Evanston and increased driver cancellations. This is typical of any event with a high volume of requests coming from the same location at the same time. 

Download a PDF of the United Center Parking Map

Shuttle Service to the United Center

Limited shuttle service will be available from the Evanston campus to the United Center for Commencement.

Limited shuttle service will be available for guests traveling from the Evanston Campus to the United Center.

Shuttle buses will pick up graduates and guests from the Noyes/Haven/Sheridan Parking Lot #132. Please note, there will be NO PARKING in this lot or on the surrounding streets. As a reminder, if you have access to a vehicle, we encourage you to drive to the United Center.

• Graduates – you need to be at the United Center by 9:30am to line up for the processional. If you are taking a shuttle, you will need to arrive to this lot between 7:45am and 8:30am. The first shuttle will depart at 8:00am, and shuttles will depart continuously after that time once full. Graduates will need to be on a shuttle that departs no later than 8:30am to ensure your arrival to the United Center in time for line u
• Guests – the ceremony begins at 10:30am. If you are taking a shuttle, you will need to arrive to this lot between 7:45am and 9:30am. The first shuttle will depart at 8:00am, and shuttles will depart continuously after that time once full. Guests will need to be on a shuttle that departs no later than 9:30am to ensure your arrival at the United Center for the start of the ceremony. The last shuttle bus will depart campus at 10:00am for latecomers, and guests aboard this bus are NOT guaranteed to arrive in time for the processional. No shuttle transportation will be available after 10:00am. 

Please note: graduates and guests may ride the shuttle together but are not required to do so. Graduates need to arrive to the United Center by 9:30am, and guests may wish to arrive closer to the start of the ceremony.  

When the shuttle buses arrive to the United Center, they will drop you off on the south side of the building in Lot K. Graduates will enter the building through the North and South Atrium entrances, and your guests riding the shuttles will enter through Gates 6 and 7.

Download a PDF of the Commencement Shuttle Pick Up and United Center Drop Off Maps

Accessible Shuttle Service to the United Center

Graduates and guests requiring accessible transportation to the United Center will load onto accessible buses from the Library Place/Sheridan Road Lot #130. There WILL BE LIMITED parking available in this lot, and this parking is restricted to those graduates and guests who are planning to take an accessible shuttle to the United Center. Each accessible bus has space for several guests using wheelchairs and their families.

• Graduates – you need to be at the United Center by 9:30am to line up for the processional. If you are taking an accessible shuttle, you will need to arrive to this lot between 7:45am and 8:30am. The first shuttle will depart at 8:00am, and accessible shuttles will depart continuously after that time once full. Graduates will need to be on a shuttle that departs no later than 8:30am to ensure your arrival to the United Center in time for line u
• Guests – the ceremony begins at 10:30am. If you are taking an accessible shuttle, you will need to arrive to this lot between 7:45am and 9:30am. The first shuttle will depart at 8:00am, and shuttles will depart continuously after that time once full. Guests will need to be on a shuttle that departs no later than 9:30am to ensure your arrival at the United Center for the start of the ceremony. No accessible shuttle transportation will be available after 10:00am.

Please note: graduates and guests may ride the shuttle together but are not required to do so. Graduates need to arrive to the United Center by 9:30am, and guests may wish to arrive closer to the start of the ceremony. 

When the accessible shuttle buses arrive to the United Center, they will drop you off on the south side of the building in Lot K. Graduates will enter the building through the North and South Atrium entrances, and your guests riding the shuttles will enter through Gates 6 and 7.

Download a PDF of the Accessible Shuttle Pick Up and UC Drop Off Maps

United Center Pick Up/Drop Off Map

On Campus Drop Off

We hope you will all make your way back to the Evanston Campus after Commencement for an evening of fun and celebration! As a reminder:

• Baccalaureate begins at 4:00pm in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall (tickets are not required)
• March Back Through the Arch for undergraduate students begins at 6:00pm on Deering Meadow
• Graduating Students Reception featuring a picnic style dinner from 7:00pm – 9:00pm in the Lakeside Tent with fireworks honoring the Class of 2024 at 8:45pm over Lake Michigan

Shuttle buses (including accessible buses) will depart the United Center from the same place you were dropped off – in Lot K. Buses will leave continuously immediately after the ceremony. There will be three drop off points on the Evanston campus: Weber Arch, Technological Institute, and Patten Gym. No additional stops will be made.

Download a PDF of the On Campus Shuttle Drop Off Map