Commencement Regalia & Attire

Caps & Gowns
Caps (also known as mortarboards) and gowns are required during the commencement ceremony. The caps and gowns are provided to graduates by the college prior to the ceremony. Custom size gowns may be ordered with advanced notice.

Caps are worn parallel to the floor with the tassel on the right. Decorations are allowed on the cap and should be positive and celebratory in nature. Graduates with decorated caps that are unduly distracting, defamatory or objectively offensive may be asked to remove their decorations or wear a new cap during the ceremony.

What to wear underneath your gown
Clothing is required. Typically, graduates wear business casual or business professional attire underneath their traditional Lewis & Clark regalia (caps and gowns). Your clothes should have at least one pocket to carry essential valuables such as keys, wallets, and a cell phone, as you will not be able to store personal belongings at the commencement location. Graduates should wear comfortable shoes. Mask wearing is left up to each individual and their comfort level.

Tassels, Cords, and Medallions
A graduation tassel is the collection of threads that hangs from your graduation cap and is associated directly with a portion of your graduation program. An honor cord is a token consisting of twisted cords with tassels on either end. A medallion is a decorative piece or jewelry often in the shape of a pendant. The wearing of these academic symbols signifies specific and/or significant academic and co-curricular achievements recognized by the college and noted in the official commencement program. By tradition, more than one cord may be worn at the same time. Cords, medallions and tassels are traditionally designed, selected, issued, and paid for by the College. Departments wishing to issue a new tassel, honor cord, or medallion, must receive approval from their appropriate dean or designee. Applications for new tassels, honor cords, or medallions can be found here.

Approved Cords and Descriptions:

1. Gold tassels: Departmental honors
2. Gold cords: Resident advisors
3. Silver cords: Student government, both ASB (Associated Student Body) and ISLC (International Students of Lewis & Clark College), as departmental representatives of SAAB
4. Emerald cords: Latin honors. Cum laude graduates earned a GPA of 3.7 to 3.799, magna cum laude graduates, 3.8 to 3.899, and summa cum laude graduates, 3.9 to 4.0.*
5. Orange cords: Varsity athletics
6. White cords: Student Media Board (REQUEST A STUDENT ORGANIZATION CORD) 
7. Light blue cords: Completion of the Peer Collective Leadership Program
8. Royal blue cords: Student Alumni Board ambassador
9. Copper cords: Recognized Student Organization leader (REQUEST A STUDENT ORGANIZATION CORD)

* Latin honors cords are distributed based on calculations run weeks before commencement. Official Latin honors, however, will be determined once all grades have been submitted to the Registrar. Only official Latin honors will appear on Lewis & Clark diplomas and transcripts.

Stoles
A graduation stole is a decorative vestment sometimes worn by students who are members of college organizations or affinity groups for the purpose of recognizing membership or achievement. A stole takes the form of a cloth scarf-like garment worn over the shoulders adorned with the awarding organization’s colors and/or insignia and may include text. Stoles are traditionally designed and paid for by the sponsoring organization or department. Student Organizations wishing to create a new stole should seek approval from the Office of Student Engagement. Stoles will not be noted in the official commencement program.

Ribbons
A ribbon is a long, narrow strip of fabric and a decorative item that may represent participation in an overseas study abroad program or in a recognized student organization/group. Ribbons worn by graduating seniors will be approved and purchased by the administrator who oversees the program, department or office related to the recognition. Ribbons will not be noted in the official commencement program.

Other Regalia and Commencement Items
Cultural and ethnic regalia is welcomed at commencement. Additional regalia and commencement items, such as class rings, announcements, and frames are available via our selected regalia retailer, Jostens, and the Lewis & Clark Bookstore.