2023 Commencement Central
Cypress College’s 56th Commencement
Friday, May 19, 2023 at 4 p.m.
Order your regalia!
To participate in the commencement ceremony, graduates MUST purchase an academic regalia (cap, gown, and tassel) package online and have it shipped directly to them.
Details available in the “Regalia” section 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 56th Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 19, 2023.
Note: Participation in the commencement ceremony is not required to graduate. If you plan to participate, an RSVP is requested to assist us with , but not required; simply purchase your academic regalia and follow the instructions in the “Important Day-of-Commencement Information” tab.
Important Day-Of-Commencement Information
On Friday, May 19, 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.
Regalia
Purchase your academic regalia to wear on this special occasion! To participate in the commencement ceremony, graduates MUST purchase an academic regalia (cap, gown, and tassel) package online and have it shipped directly to them. Please place your order as soon as possible to allow time for delivery.
Purchase your academic regalia to wear on this special occasion! Cap, gown, and tassel packages can be purchased for $21 plus shipping and tax. Honors cords are available for an additional $11.
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.
Please adhere to the following with your regalia:
- Graduates are encouraged to decorate their caps; however, gowns MAY NOT be decorated.
- Hemming of gowns is permitted within reason. Sleeve ends should reach your wrists and gown length should fall roughly eight to ten inches above the ground.
- Please be mindful to wear comfortable shoes as you may be standing for extended periods of time.
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.
Eligible students will be emailed an invitation to submit an application for this honor. All submissions are reviewed by the Outstanding Graduate of the Year Selection Committee with the final selection provided to the Cypress College president. The conferring of this award will be coordinated with the finalist by the Office of Campus Communications in advance of the commencement ceremony.
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 JoAnna Shilling, Ph.D.
The 2023 Presidential Scholars of Distinction will be announced early May 2023.