2026 Commencement Central
Cypress College’s 59th Commencement
Friday, May 29, 2026 at 4 p.m.
Graduation is a momentous occasion and participating in the commencement ceremony is a privilege you have earned through your hard work and dedication to pursuing your educational goals.
Purchase and wear academic regalia in celebration of this occasion!
If you’re planning to participate in the commencement ceremony, you must wear academic regalia (cap and gown) to participate. Cap, gown, and tassel packages may be purchased for $28 plus shipping and tax through February 28. Honor cords are available for an additional $12.
The final deadline to order academic regalia is Tuesday, March 31. More information about academic regalia is available in the accordion below.
Commencement Ceremony
Cypress College is excited to recognize and celebrate student achievement! The college’s in-person, on-campus celebration for this year’s 59th Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026.
Note: Participation in the commencement ceremony is not required to graduate. If you plan to participate, an RSVP will be requested to assist us with planning and logistics, but not required. A link to the RSVP page will be emailed to those in the Class of 2026 around the start of April.
You must purchase and wear academic regalia (cap and gown) to participate in the commencement ceremony.
Regalia & Free Pathway Sashes
If you’re planning to participate in Cypress College’s 59th Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 29, you must wear academic regalia (cap and gown) to participate.
Students graduating with High Honors or Honors who would like to purchase an honor cord should refer to the following when determining which color to purchase:
- High Honors (gold cord) is based on an overall grade point average of 3.75–4.00 during your entire college career.
- Honors (silver cord) is based on an overall grade point average of 3.30–3.74 during your entire college career.
The final deadline to place your academic regalia order is Tuesday, March 31.
Note: Graduates and graduate candidates in certain special programs, like EOPS, Puente, and Legacy may have their regalia provided for them by the program. Please inquire with your program for more information.
Have a question or need assistance? Please reach out to Student Life and Leadership by emailing studentlife@cypresscollege.edu, calling (714) 484-7198, or stopping by the Student Life and Leadership Center (Bldg. 8) during regular business hours (Monday-Thursday at 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.).
Important Day-Of-Commencement Information
On Friday, May 29, graduates must meet behind the Student Center in the pond area next to the Veterans Resource Center by 3 p.m. Please arrive dressed in your cap and gown, and do not be late.
Graduates will be grouped by academic pathway (i.e. Business/CIS; Career Technical Education; Fine Arts; Health Science; Kinesiology; Language Arts; Science, Engineering, Mathematics; Social Sciences; and Counseling, liberal arts, and other majors in We Journey Together). There will be a short briefing before you proceed to the ceremony area. You will also be handed a reader card, which you will need to fill out so the graduate reader can announce your name as you walk across the stage. The processional will begin and recessional will end at the pond.
Etiquette
Please adhere to the following etiquette during the commencement ceremony:
- Graduates MAY NOT bring any bags, purses, or other items that may hinder them during the ceremony.
- Decorum is an expectation at commencement. Out of respect for your fellow graduates, you must remain present for the entire duration of the ceremony; do not leave the ceremony after your name has been called and you have walked across the stage. You will be promptly directed back to your seat. If you or your friends and family intend to make dinner reservations or other celebratory plans, please make sure to schedule them accordingly.
- Excessive noisemakers, such as airhorns, cowbells, thunder sticks, whistles, etc., are prohibited at the event. All attendees are expected to be courteous to the speakers, fellow graduates, and other families/guests waiting to hear their graduates’ names called.
- Guests with balloons must either sit in the very back of the seating area or leave the balloons in a vehicle during the ceremony so as not to obstruct the view of other guests.
Guest Information
You are welcome to invite as many guests as you would like; however, all guest seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserving of seats at the event is strictly prohibited.
Immediately following the ceremony, all graduates, as well as their friends and family, are invited to meet behind the Student Center (in the pond area next to the Veterans Resource Center) to meet and take photos with some of your favorite faculty and staff members.
On-Campus Parking and Accessibility
Parking will be free on the day of commencement. Lots 1 and 9 are recommended for all attendees; however, all lots will be open if additional parking is needed. Lot 1 is recommended for accessible parking.
A priority seating area will also be available at the ceremony for guests with physical/mobility disabilities.
Gifts and Photography
At the event, the Cypress College Bookstore will have a booth offering flowers, balloons, and collegiate gifts available for purchase. Our campus food service will also have light snacks for sale.
A professional photography service will also be on-site during the ceremony taking photos of individual graduates as they walk across the stage. These individual photo packages should be available for purchase online within two weeks following the event. Media wall photo opportunities will be available for personal photography at the event.
2026 Outstanding Graduate
Every year, one student graduating in the current academic year who has earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.75 and demonstrated great personal achievement in addition to their scholarly success is selected as the Outstanding Graduate of the Year.
The 2026 Outstanding Graduate will be announced in May 2026.
2026 Presidential Scholars of Distinction
In 2019, Cypress College started a new tradition with the selection of the inaugural cohort of Presidential Scholars of Distinction, an academic recognition and scholarship intended to honor nine students who exemplify what it means to be a Cypress College student. The Presidential Scholars are nominated by the faculty in their specific academic major clusters, selected by the members of that academic pathway, and affirmed by President Scott W. Thayer, Ed.D.
The 2026 Presidential Scholars of Distinction will be announced in May 2026.
2026 Alumnus of the Year
The alumnus of the year is an award administered by the Cypress College Foundation to recognize the achievements of Cypress College alumni and their contributions to their profession and community.
The 2026 Alumnus of the Year will be announced in May 2026.
2026 Outstanding Faculty Awards
Each year, the Academic Senate conducts a nomination and selection process for three faculty awards: the Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award; the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award; and the Charger Award, presented to the faculty member who goes above the call of duty for professional duties outside the classroom.
The 2026 Outstanding Faculty Awards will be announced in May 2026.