By Chelsea Hackney, Student Reporter

The Living Room of the Campus Center buzzed as graduating seniors took part in the Graduation Fair on Monday and Tuesday. They had the opportunity to try on class rings, pick up their caps and gowns and fill out paperwork in one place.

“The purpose of the fair is to get everything you need for graduation under one roof,” said Samantha Adkins, coordinator of Alumni Programs.

To make the process as convenient as possible, the fair lasted two days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Because of its central location and long hours, turnout for the event is usually high, between 60 percent and 75 percent of the graduating class, Adkins said.

Caleb Archer, senior political science major from Southlake, visited the fair during his lunch break and finished everything with time left to eat. The event was “painless,” he said.

The fair is once a semester and is organized by the ACU Alumni Association, in partnership with The Campus Store. This semester, students spoke with representatives from the following offices: Alumni Relations, Career Center, Alumni Records, Registrar, Student Financial Services, The Campus Store and Jostens.

More students each semester are taking advantage of what the Graduation Fair has to offer, said Bill Hughes, transfer student adviser and veteran coordinator.

“A lot of people are becoming more and more responsible and thinking it’s not going to magically happen,” Hughes said. “There’s a whole process. You don’t just show up and say ‘Oh, I think I’ll graduate.'”

The fair is also a chance for students to let the university know about their post-graduation plans. Alumni Records and the Career Center try to keep student information as up-to-date as possible to keep students involved.

“They want to know what you’re doing so they can have eyes and ears out there to help students later in life,” Adkins said.

For students who still are making decisions about their future, the Career Center has many resources they can use. The office has a large alumni network that they work with to connect students with the right career opportunities, said Daniel Orozco, associate director for the Career Center.

Students can contact the Registrar’s office or their academic adviser to find out if they have completed all graduation requirements.

Commencement is scheduled for May 9 in Moody Coliseum. Typically, about 500 students graduate during the spring Commencement.