Southeastern Louisiana's 2026 Grad Fair Offers Seniors a One-Stop Commencement Shop

Southeastern Louisiana University's 2026 Grad Fair brought graduating seniors to the Student Union Ballroom on March 10 and 11, offering 21 vendor tables stocked with nearly everything needed to cross the commencement finish line, from cap and gown purchases to diploma plaques, class rings, Lion Legacy packages, yearbooks, commencement announcements, packaged grad kits, and bookstore gear.

The fair ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, on the third floor of the Student Union. The two-day format gave seniors flexibility to work around class schedules, and the concentrated vendor setup meant most commencement logistics could be handled in a single visit rather than spread across multiple offices and vendors throughout the semester.

Among the 21 tables, Table 12 was occupied by Candid Canvas Photography, where seniors had their portraits taken at no charge. The free sitting came with a timeline attached: photo proofs from Candid Canvas arrived seven to ten days after the fair, at which point students could choose to purchase photo packages.

The event drew families as well as seniors. Many students brought parents, both for the occasion itself and for the practical reason that the purchases add up quickly. Senior Jaleia Powell brought both her mother and her father. "It's a convenient way to get prepared and provide everything a senior could need to be ready for graduation," Powell said. "It's also a great time for those parents to spend time with their senior and a bonding experience for families."

Powell, who plans to pursue a master's degree in physics and a second degree in aerospace engineering after commencement, said she was eager to gather her materials and learn more about the graduation process. Her post-graduate ambitions underscore what the Grad Fair is designed to mark: not just an administrative errand, but a transition worth preparing for deliberately.

The fair is offered each semester, giving graduating seniors a recurring window to handle commencement needs in one place.