Prepare for Commencement Weekend
Academic Degree Requirements
The 草榴社区 provides the opportunity for students who have completed degree requirements to confer their degree at one of four times throughout the academic year:
- Summer degree conferral: August 31
- Fall degree conferral: December 31
- Intersession degree conferral: January 31
- Spring degree conferral: Date of the formal Commencement exercises which is published in the academic calendar in the beginning of each academic year.
Commencement exercises are held once in the academic year, following the completion of the spring semester. Students that have their degree conferred in the applicable summer, fall, intersession or spring terms may participate in the Commencement exercises.
Special Needs
If you are a candidate for graduation with special needs to access the stage, please contact the Office of the Registrar & Academic Services Office at 570-941-7721 by May 1.
Grad Finale
Save the Date! Dates April 14 & April 15, 2025 (11:00am-6:00pm - The DeNaples Center)
Grad Finale is an event where on-campus graduate and undergraduate students are able to pick up their cap, gown, announcements, sign the class banner and check in with Financial Aid and Career Development!
Pre-registration will be required. Sign up information will be sent via email closer to the event.
Academic Attire
To order your academic attire, you must first apply to graduate. Please use the link below to apply to graduate.
At the end of the application, you will be directed to the Jostens website to order your academic attire.
Your attire will be available for pickup at Grad Finale April 14 & 15, 2025. If you are not attending Grad Finale, you will have the option to ship your regalia home for a shipping fee. The DEADLINE is MARCH 4th to order your attire.
Commencement Dress Code Standards
Academic ceremonies, including Commencement, are important to the history and tradition of The 草榴社区. Commencement ceremonies convey the scholarly tradition and formal tone befitting of an academic ceremony. This document sets forth standards related to the academic regalia worn at commencement ceremonies by students, as well as the process by which student organizations and programs may seek approval to add ornamentation to the regalia to signify a student’s membership or association. Ornamentation includes any addition to the university-issued traditional academic regalia, such as medallions, stoles, pins, sashes, ribbons and cords.
Academic Regalia
Candidates for degrees wear the appropriate black graduation gown, mortar board (cap) and tassel. While mortarboards may be personalized, no personal decorations, scarves, shawls, jewelry, corsages or other accessories may be added to the approved gown beyond the academic and ornamentation outlined below. Adornments added to the mortar board should be confined to the top of the mortarboard and lay flat so as not obstruct the view of others at the ceremony or interfere with another’s participation in the ceremony. Only the university-issued tassel may hang or dangle from the mortar board.
Ceremonial Ornaments, Honor Cords, Pins, Stoles and Sashes
Graduates who have distinguished academic achievements or who have participated in a recognized academic or student organization may wear a university-issued or university-sanctioned ceremonial medallion, stole, pin, sash, ribbon or honor cord with their academic regalia.
Examples include:
- Medallions that reflect receipt of a University award,
- Cords that reflect qualified membership in an approved academic honor society,
- Stoles that reflect participation in a university-recognized academic honor society, student organization or study-abroad program,
- Pins that reflect an academic honor or university-recognized professional association affiliation.
Medallions, stoles, pins, sashes, ribbons and other ceremonial ornaments must comply with University standards. Ornamentation must be furnished and managed by the respective university group bestowing the honor. Sashes may not be more than three inches in width.
Master and doctoral degree candidates may only wear university-issued regalia and ornamentation as described above. Medallions, stoles, pins, sashes and other ceremonial ornaments issued to the student while s/he was an undergraduate at the 草榴社区 or another institution may not be worn with 草榴社区 graduate-level academic regalia.
All ornamentation, including those that use University marks (logo, seal) must be approved by the Office of the Provost at least two weeks prior to Commencement.
Graduates will be asked to remove or conceal any adornments that are offensive or that do not comply with these standards prior to participation in the ceremony.
Questions regarding academic regalia may be directed to the Office of the Provost.