What do commencement speakers wear

They remind us of all those who have since nurtured those seeds, and of the scholars of ancient times. It is their vision and dedication that carries us now into the future. The most obvious feature of our ceremonies is one that we share with universities most notably Oxford and Cambridge dating back to the Middle Ages—academic regalia.

When European universities were taking form in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the scholars usually were clerics as well, and they adopted garb similar to that of their monastic orders. Buildings were cold and drafty, so caps and warm, floor-length capes with hoods were necessities.

As the control of education passed from the churches, the garb was modified in various ways, and there was great diversity in color and style of cap, gown, and hood worn at the different institutions. The custom of wearing academic dress was brought to America in colonial times, but it was not until that a standardized code of academic dress was established and followed by most colleges and universities in the United States.

Gowns and hoods worn by the members of academic procession are distinctive for each degree. UW faculty members wear doctoral gowns during Freshman Convocation click on photo to enlarge. Katherine B. Commencement is both a joyful occasion and a solemn event.

Please express your excitement in ways that will not prevent others from hearing the speaker and enjoying the ceremony. Alcohol and other illegal substances are not permitted in the Raleigh Convention Center during Commencement. Sunday, September 26 Returns : 8 a. Protocol and Fit Gowns The graduation gown should fall midway between the knee and ankle. Hoods There are different styles and colors of hoods.

Caps, Tams, and Tassels Traditionally, women wear academic caps at all times, and men remove their caps during the National Anthem and opening invocation and replace them for the conferring of degrees. Adornments The university is happy to consider proposals for any adornment to the commencement gown that is related to academic merit. Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube. This rule still applies to those who are to be individually hooded during the commencement ceremony; they should not wear the hoods in the preliminary academic procession.

However, when degrees are to be conferred en masse, without individual hooding, the groups involved, e. There is wide variation in customs concerning academic processions. In some institutions, the procession is led by a mace bearer, in others by the chief marshal. Either may be followed by a color guard. On some occasions the colors are displayed on the stage and are not moved during the ceremony. At some institutions there are more divisions in the procession than are indicated below, e.

Such groups have traditional places in the procession, determined by the individual institution. The Preliminary Procession. The commencement procession is usually composed of the following divisions:. The divisions may march in the above order, or in reverse order. If the latter procedure is chosen, the candidates for degrees after reaching their seats, face toward the center aisle as a mark of respect while the faculty and trustees proceed to their places.

The Commencement Ceremony. The essential elements of the ceremony are the conferring of degrees and the commencement address. Earned degrees are usually conferred in ascending order, with baccalaureate degrees first and doctorates last. Honorary degrees are conferred, with individual citations, after the earned degrees.

At some institutions, this order is reversed, with baccalaureate degrees conferred last. The Subsequent Procession. The platform party and faculty leave the hall in that order. Recipients of degrees may be required to join the procession or may be permitted to disperse from their seats when the first two divisions have left the hall.

The preliminary procession for the baccalaureate service differs from that for commencement exercises in the following main respects:.

When a president or chancellor of a college or university is to be inaugurated, it is traditional for the academic procession to include at least the following divisions in the following order:.