Help get Emory ready for its day of pageantry, Commencement Day, by volunteering for the Chair Rodeo.

The annual opportunity to help set up 14,000 chairs on the Quadrangle is Wednesday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to noon. The chairs are placed in perfect rows and zip-tied together for safety. Lunch is provided for volunteers.

There are more opportunities to volunteer at Commencement on May 11, when Emory welcomes thousands of guests and salutes the class of 2015.

Volunteers can participate in Commencement Day Guest Relations from 5:30-11:00 a.m. or until 2 p.m., depending on the role. Breakfast is provided for all volunteers and lunch for those with shifts until 2 p.m.           

Ambassadors, with their iconic straw Emory hats, answer questions, calm late students running across campus, and help ensure that everyone is in the right place. Ushers assist in the general and special-needs seating areas. Information booth, program table and Coca-Cola distribution volunteers provide information and hydration.

Following the Emory College of Arts and Sciences Ceremony, volunteers are needed from approximately 12:30-3:30 p.m. to assist with the cleanup of the Quadrangle, including stacking chairs. Light refreshments are provided.      

“We need more volunteers this year than ever before, and we hope that you will join us,” says Michael Kloss, director, Office of University Events.

As a bonus, all Commencement volunteers who serve a full shift will be entered in a drawing for a $50 gift card.