What is the difference between Graduation and the Graduation Ceremony?
Graduation means that you have met all the requirements within a specific program of study. A graduate will have the credential reflected on the transcript and can request to receive a diploma.
Commencement or the Graduation Ceremony is the event to celebrate your accomplishment.
Celebrating your accomplishment by participating in the commencement is personal preference.
You do, however, want to be considered a graduate when you have completed your degree or certificate requirements. Submitting the application for graduation is an important step to ensure you are considered a graduate. If the transcript does not reflect the earned degree or certificate, you can’t prove to a potential employer that you have met certain employment requirements based on education.
Important Dates:
March 31, 2023 – Priority deadline to submit Summer 2023 intent to graduate (completing degree or certificate requirements in August 2023.)
December 20, 2023 – Deadline to purchase cap and gown for May 2024 ceremony. Purchase here.
June 1, 2023 – Diploma payment deadline for Summer intent to graduate students.
May 10, 2023 – Graduation Commencement Exercises – Wallace and Sparks Campuses. Honoring Graduates from Summer 2022, Fall 2022, and Spring 2023.
Select Your Graduation Option