ECU fall graduation set for Friday

It's an exciting time for a couple thousand ECU students as they prepare for graduation Friday.

"It's been kind of crazy trying to get my cap and gown together and trying to get the perfect dress," says ECU student Desiree Boston.

Boston is an ECU Senior who will graduate Friday. She says many people she's talked to don't know about the fall graduation.

Desiree says, "A lot of people thought that I was going to be finished but I wasn't going to be marching until May."

That's just one difference when compared to ECU's spring commencement.

"Typically starting on Thursday before graduation we see a pretty big increase in volume," says David Hollinger who is the Texas Roadhouse Managing Partner.

He says that will still be the case for Friday's graduation but it's because the ceremony falls during holiday season.

"We're in the Christmas season so we typically see a lot of groups for the holiday parties and graduation parties," says Hollinger.

The general manager of Wingate by Wyndham in Greenville says 70% of their rooms are filled for graduation Friday.

"Right now we still have about 30% left to be sold," says Manager Edgar Ramirez Leandro.

He says that's nothing compared to spring commencement when the hotel is usually overbooked.

"Graduation or anything ECU related, it does bring a lot of business in," says Leandro.

The hotel is already overbooked for this year's spring commencement which usually sees two times as many graduates.

Friday's graduation is set for 9:00 a.m. at Minges Coliseum where 2,300 students are set to graduate.