Questions about the ceremony

How long is the ceremony? About an hour.

Where do I go? Assemble in Kingston Hall, next door to Grant Hall, at least forty-five minutes prior to your ceremony. In Kingston Hall you will be directed to a room specific to your academic discipline or Senior Candidate status.

What happens before the ceremony? You will be issued with an envelope containing your Obligation Certificate and ring. Do not put the ring on. You will do this as part of the ceremony. Shortly before the ceremony you will be directed into Grant Hall, where you will stand on either side of a chain that will be laid out on the floor.

Can I leave once I have my ring? No. The ring is a symbol of having taken the Obligation. You must complete the Obligation ceremony in order to have the right to wear the ring.

What if I want to stand near a friend who is in a different academic discipline? E.g., so we can easily both receive our ring from the same Obligated Engineer? Once you have received your ring you may join your friend in their discipline room, so that you go into Grant Hall together. If you intend to do this, please let us know in advance. Contact queens@camp3.ca, rmc@camp3.ca, or seniorcandidates@camp3.ca as appropriate.

What if I’m assigned to the first ceremony but need to attend the second ceremony (or vice versa)? We can arrange this, provided you have a good reason for your request. This could be, e.g., because there’s a guest coming to ring you who is also ringing a person at the other ceremony, and they only want to attend one ceremony. Send your request by email to queens@camp3.ca. You will need to go to the Warden’s room prior to the ceremony to pick up your ring and obligation certificate.

Who may attend the ceremony in Grant Hall as a guest? Due to capacity restrictions on the venue, only Engineers who have completed their undergraduate degrees and have already been Obligated may attend the ceremony in Grant Hall. This includes relatives or friends who have already been Obligated. Current undergraduate students who are obligated at the first ceremony are not permitted to attend the second ceremony. As we have limited capacity, we request that Obligated Engineers attend only if they have been asked to ring a specific candidate. If you were obligated in a remote ceremony in 2020 or 2021, you are more than welcome to attend the 2023 ceremony for the in-person experience.

How can others watch the ceremony? We have arranged a live video stream to be broadcast to the Dunning Hall and Ellis Hall auditoriums. Guests who are not obligated Engineers are welcome to watch from that location.

Who can attend the receptions? All friends and family of newly-obligated engineers, as well as previously-obligated engineers, are welcome to attend the receptions.

Do guests need to register? No. When candidates register we ask that they indicate the number of guests they expect to have at the ceremony and at the reception, for planning purposes only.

When do guests need to arrive? Guests must arrive at Grant Hall at least thirty minutes prior to the ceremony.

Who puts the ring on my finger? Any one of the Obligated Engineers in attendance may put the ring on your finger. If you have someone specific attending to ring you and are approached by someone else, simply advise them of that fact.

What am I expected to wear? Business casual is acceptable, as are jacket and tie or equivalent.

Is the ceremony bilingual? The early afternoon ceremony will be in English with a bilingual Obligation. The late afternoon ceremony, which includes the fracophone students from RMC, will be fully bilingual.

Where do I wear my ring? On the little finger of your working (writing) hand.

What if my ring is the wrong size? We will have in-person ring exchanges for RMC and Queen’s students in the weeks following the ceremony. Details will be provided later. You will have up to sixty days to exchange your ring at no cost. After that you will be required to purchase a replacement ring.

What if I lose my ring? You can purchase a replacement ring.

What happens if the Camp determines I’m not eligible to take the Obligation after registering? You will receive a full refund on your credit card.