Graduating students should purchase their regalia from Herff Jones no later than four (4) weeks prior to their ceremony.
Purchase Timeline:
It is important that you check your regalia upon receipt and contact Herff Jones Customer Support with any concerns. They will need your confirmation number (Starting with CPA###). It may take them a few days to resolve any issues so please do this as soon as you receive your order.
Graduating students should wear business casual, light attire under their cap and gown. Be prepared for walking on stage; there may be turf, stairs, or ramps throughout your degree recognition and stage crossing as well as standing for extended periods of time. It is highly recommended that you wear flat-soled shoes (avoid heels).
WCU graduates affiliated with an academic honor society may wear honors accessories (pins, cords, sashes) on their gowns. You may also wear up to one cord (honors, veterans, honor society, etc.) and items representing your heritage or culture.
Graduates are permitted to wear sashes or decorate their cap as long as the content is in good taste and aligns with the academic traditions of the ceremony. You may be asked to remove the decorations from your cap (or remove your cap altogether) if WCU personnel, at their sole discretion, deem the decorations inappropriate.
Place the cap on your head with the point in the front. Mortarboards should be parallel to the ground so that the tassel can fall straight down the side of your face. Bobby pins are sometimes used to secure the cap in place.
Wear your tassel on the right side at the start of the ceremony. After the degree recognition the full class will move their tassels to the left side in unison. For those doctoral candidates wearing a tam, you can choose to wear your tassel on the left, signifying your previous degree or degrees.
Now that you have all of the tools to rock your regalia, don’t forget to tag us in your social posts so we can celebrate alongside each one of you!
For undergraduate students who have earned honors distinction, your gold Honors cords will be distributed when you check in at Commencement. You will be notified via email by the Commencement team if you qualify for this academic achievement.
Undergraduate Honors achievements are awarded as follows:
West Coast University is proud of our graduates who are veterans of the Armed Services and thank you for the sacrifices made in service to our country. All graduates whose student records reflect that they are an Armed Services veteran will be awarded a red, white, and blue Veterans cord. The cord will be distributed when you check in at Commencement. Veteran cords will not be awarded to graduates who are not veterans but who utilized benefits as a dependent of a veteran.
Place the cap on your head with the point in the front. Mortarboards should be parallel to the ground so that the tassel can fall straight down the side of your face. Bobby pins are sometimes used to secure the cap in place.
Wear your tassel on the right side at the start of the ceremony. After the degree recognition the full class will move their tassels to the left side in unison. For those doctoral candidates wearing a tam, you can choose to wear your tassel on the left, signifying your previous degree or degrees.
Graduates receiving a Master's or Doctoral degree will be hooded onstage. Unbutton your hood and wear it draped over your left arm as you walk on stage.
If you would like to wear your hood ahead of time for pictures, here are some tips for how to wear it:
Now that you have all of the tools to rock your regalia, don't forget to tag us in your social posts so we can celebrate alongside each one of you!
#WestCoastUniversity
#WCUProud
#WCUCommencement