Behind the Scenes, Crews Transform Princeton From Reunions to Commencement

As alumni celebrate Reunions and seniors prepare to graduate, the campus can seem effortlessly transformed, with tents raised, tables set, and chairs lined up in neat rows. What most people never see is the behind-the-scenes operation that makes it all possible.

In a typical year, Princeton University Facilities supports approximately 275 year-end events: 170 Reunions events, 70 Class Day events, 35 Commencement events, and nine days of move-out. Much of that work is compressed into the narrow window between the end of Reunions and the start of Commencement, leaving little time for the campus to transition between two of its most important events of the year.

According to Facilities spokesperson Frances Hannan, the staff plan for one extended operational season since much of the infrastructure, including tents, staging, electrical distribution, accessibility routes, and traffic patterns, is shared.

“It’s closer to a gradual handoff than a hard switch,” Hannan says. While Reunions is still underway, crews begin preparing Commencement elements in spaces that won’t disrupt alumni programming. As Reunions activity winds down, campus enters what Hannan describes as a carefully sequenced reset, with teams clearing, cleaning, reconfiguring, and relabeling spaces so that Commencement guests arrive to a fully transitioned campus.

The process begins long before May. Initial planning for Reunions 2026 began in January 2025. Smaller meetings continued through the summer before ramping up in September. Facilities began connecting with campus partners to make sure logistics for tents, staging, utilities, mark-outs, and permitting were in place.

The most visible transformation begins early Sunday morning, the final day of Reunions and the first day of Commencement. Approximately 7,000 chairs are installed on Cannon Green for Baccalaureate, Class Day, and Graduate Hooding ceremonies. Jadwin Gymnasium is also prepared for the Senior Prom and as a rain location for ceremonies, while Princeton Stadium is converted for the main Commencement ceremony. Elsewhere, the rest of the campus continues to transition for department-specific Class Day and Commencement events.

For Class Day and related activities on Cannon Green, up to 50 staff members help set up and reconfigure chairs. For Commencement at Princeton Stadium, about 20 custodians set seating. Throughout the Reunions and Commencement period, Facilities places around 30,000 chairs.

“It takes a large cross-campus team and it is a highly coordinated effort,” Hannan says. Facilities departments work around the clock and play central roles in the physical setup of event spaces. Building Services, Sanitation, Movers, Campus Grounds Crew, Maintenance Shops, and Event Support and Logistics are all on the ground. They are joined by Transportation and Parking Services, Public Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Office of Information Technology, Audio-Visual Services, Campus Dining, Venue Services, and the event-planning teams in Advancement, Finance and Treasury, and Conference and Event Services.

Rob Staudt, associate director of Campus Grounds and one of the leaders of the transition effort, says his most memorable moments come when the work is done: when he sees first-generation Princeton graduates celebrating with proud families or grandparents and grandchildren in class jackets hugging after Reunions.

“These events create this incredible culmination of history,” he says. “They celebrate the past, capture the current moment, and really send graduates off for the future.”

Some of the most demanding work includes: power and lighting distribution, floor and ground protection, restroom trailers, staging, fencing, and protecting lawns and pathways from heavy foot traffic. Weather contingencies, drainage, accessibility routes, seating, restrooms, and viewing areas all require months of planning.

“Facilities takes a lot of pride in the work it takes to make campus change,” Hannan says. “It’s a powerful reminder that these events are built by people, by teamwork, dedication, and a shared commitment to giving alumni and graduates the experience they’ll remember for a lifetime.”