NAACO is proud to offer members an exclusive opportunity to participate in the Certificate Program in Academic Ceremonies. Offered exclusively at the NAACO Annual Conference, the mission of the certificate program is to help participants reach their highest potential by recognizing, teaching, training, and promoting excellence in Academic Ceremonies; and providing a process to access the knowledge and skills necessary to provide University and College stakeholders with exemplary ceremonies while upholding tradition and honoring the host institutions.

The NAACO Certificate Program in Academic Ceremonies is designed to be a tool for professional development among ceremony officers. Those new to the field will have the opportunity to cover a wide range of basics and return to their campuses with information to advance both their ceremonies and their professional standing. More experienced ceremony officers will enjoy the emphasis on special topics and more in-depth presentations on event issues offered in the second year of programming. Previous topics have included accessibility, sustainability, leadership, speechwriting and new technology.

The program has been designed for academic ceremonies professionals at all stages of their careers and is presented in two levels. Level 1, The Foundational Level, covers basic topics, appealing to those with 2-3 years of experience, but also allows more seasoned professionals the opportunity to reflect on their ceremonies and traditions. Level 2, The Applied Level, delves into more advanced topics and is especially interesting for those who have 5+ years of experience in their careers, but also challenges those with less time in their roles to look at ways to grow their ceremonies and their own professional practice.