Commencement Ceremony Details
Commencement Ceremony Dress Code, Cap Decorating, Honor Cords, Organization Cords, and Cultural Heritage Representation
There is no greater expression of community at Sentara College of Health Sciences than our Commencement Ceremony. Guidelines for appropriate attire preserve the dignity and importance of the occasion and show respect for the college, its graduates, and their families and friends.
Graduates must be in proper academic regalia (cap, gown, hood, and academic tassel) to participate in the Commencement Ceremony. The degree that students earn from Sentara College of Health Sciences is represented by the academic gown and hood worn at Commencement. The tassel is worn to the right side of the cap prior to the degree being conferred and on the left side after the degree is conferred.
Dress Code
The following are PERMITTED: dress pants/skirts/dresses, dress shoes (black/navy preferred), cultural heritage stoles, GPA honor cords, veterans' cords, and Sentara College's organizations' membership cords (e.g. SNSA, SCOPE). For your own safety, we strongly recommend a maximum heel height of 2" as you will be going up and down stairs and encountering seams on the stage that could catch heels.
The following are PROHIBITED: unapproved graduation accessories or gown and/or hood alterations.
The morning of the commencement ceremony, the college’s Graduation Committee members and employees will be monitoring graduation attire, including decorated caps and cultural heritage stoles, to ensure adherence to the above guidelines. If it is deemed that the graduate’s attire does not meet the guidelines, the graduate will be given the choice to remove the non-compliant item or not participate in the commencement ceremony. Please remember graduates must be in proper academic attire (as described above) to participate in the ceremony. There will be no exceptions.
Cap Decorating
Please use the guidelines below if you choose to decorate your graduation cap. Caps will be reviewed and approved at the pinning ceremony the evening before the commencement ceremony. For graduates not planning to attend the pinning ceremony, but want to decorate their cap, please contact Mrs. Brioso-Ang at vbrioso-ang@sentara.edu, to set up an approval day/time.
Failure to follow the guidelines below will result in the removal of the cap. Graduates will be provided with a replacement cap (limited supply). If none are available, you will be denied the ability to walk in the commencement ceremony.
Only the flat, top area of the cap may be decorated.
Only the tassel that comes with the cap is allowed to dangle or hang from the cap. Bows, flowers, chains, letters, etc. are strictly prohibited.
Decorations must be flat to the surface of the cap. 3-D creations are prohibited. Nothing can be raised more than 1/2 inch off the top of the cap.
The cap’s decoration cannot contain advertisement, symbols, abbreviations, initials, words, slogans, patches, or pictures that refer to drugs or controlled substances, illegal activity, tobacco, alcohol, weapons, politics, anything of a sexual or inappropriate nature, or anything that advocates disruptive behavior detrimental to the safety and welfare of others.
There should be no language or imagery that can directly/indirectly be interpreted or inferred to be obscene, vulgar, or lewd.
Loose glitter on the cap is NOT permitted. The use of glitter glue is permitted.
The cap CANNOT make/emit noise or light up. Bells, horns, blinking or steady lights, or anything that emits disruptions or distractions during the ceremony are strictly prohibited.
Considerations for decorating your cap:
Thank a parent, grandparent, significant other, professor, advisor, or friend; recognize the field or job you are entering, a branch of the military that you serve or served in, inspirational quotes, symbols, or powerful sentiments.
Cultural Heritage Representation
"Cultural Heritage is an expression of the ways of living developed by a community and passed on from generation to generation, including customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions, and values" (International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, 2020). Sentara College of Health Sciences recognizes the rich diversity of the college's student body and embraces representation in the form of approved stoles.
Graduates may wear approved cultural heritage based stoles (see information below). No customization is permitted (no logos, designs, pins, or wording can be on the stoles).
Please view the tutorial video or read the instructions on how to design your stole FIRST. Incorrectly ordering your stole will result in the inability to wear it at the commencement ceremony.
Click here for instructions on how to design your stole and place your order.
Stoles are $55.00 each (shipping/tax not included).
Click here to purchase your stole.
Honor Cords
Honor cords will be available after all grades have been posted and all GPAs have been calculated. Those receiving an honor cord will be notified via their sentara.edu email with instructions on when and how to pick up.
Honor designations will be awarded to graduates based on the following scale (cumulative GPAs are not rounded):
Summa Cum Laude -- 3.86 - 4.00
Magna Cum Laude -- 3.66 - 3.85
Cum Laude -- 3.50 - 3.65
Those with a 4.00 GPA will receive a red cord and those with a 3.50-3.99 GPA will receive a gold cord. The red and gold cords will be provided by the college and are yours to keep.
Sentara Nursing Students' Association - BSN Students
**If you are an officer for the Sentara Nursing Students' Association, the college will provide a cord for you.**
If you are not an officer and would like to purchase your own cord, you are welcome to do so through the National Student Nurses Association's (NSNA) website. Click here to order your member cord. The member cords come in a package of 5. You can get together with your fellow classmates to split the cost.
PLEASE NOTE:
Shipping times may vary. It is important to order as soon as possible to better ensure delivery by the end of the term.
If you'd like to know more information on shipping times, contact NSNA directly.
Please have cords shipped directly to your home.
If you order through NSNA and have any issues with your order, please contact them directly as we do not support orders through their site.
Purchasing a cord is not required.
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society - Chi Kappa Chapter
If you are a member of the STTI Honor Society - Chi Kappa Chapter (Sentara College's chapter), you are welcome to purchase an honor cord and/or stole.
Click here to purchase the honor cord.
Click here to purchase the stole.
PLEASE NOTE:
Shipping times may vary. It is important to order as soon as possible to better ensure delivery by the end of the term.
If you'd like to know more information on shipping times, contact STTI directly.
Please have cords/stoles shipped directly to your home.
If you order through STTI and have any issues with your order, please contact them directly as we do not support orders through their site.
Purchasing a cord/stole is not required.
All stoles and cords should be worn under the hood, as modeled by the College's President, Dr. Taylor, in the photo to the right.
Graduates Time of Arrival
Graduates are expected to be at the conference center NO LATER than 7:45am fully dressed in regalia and ready (make up, hair, etc.). You are expected to be lined up for rehearsal by 8:00am. Rehearsal will start promptly at 8:15am.
NOTE: Late arrivals will negatively impact the coordination, lineup, seating of the event, and may result in you being seated at the end of the lineup or not being seated with your fellow graduates. College officials are aware that extenuating circumstances can occur; therefore, it is important to communicate to your program official and/or another classmate if you are experiencing an extenuating situation that will cause you to be late.
Family and Friends' Entrance
Family and friends are to use the center doors to enter at the rotunda, which will open at approximately 8:30am. Please make sure your family and friends are aware that the doors to the ceremony area will NOT open until the rehearsal has been completed. We will make every effort to have the doors open for seating by 9:30am, but this is dependent upon the completion of the rehearsal.
All students, family, and friends must exit the center, including the parking area, no later than 12:45pm. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
NOTE: There is very limited seating available in the family/friends line up area for individuals who may not be able to stand for extended periods of time. Please make sure your family/friends are aware.
Admissions Tickets for Family and Friends
Each graduate will receive 8 for their family and friends to attend the Commencement Ceremony. Check your sentara.edu emails for your day/time pick up details. In order to receive your tickets, you must turn in your student ID badge and attachments (emergency code card and "Student - [Program]" card). If your program did not require you to have a badge, you will simply provide proof of identity when you pick up your tickets.
NOTES:
If you are out of town and cannot pick up your tickets in person, please contact the Office of the Registrar immediately at registrar@sentara.edu.
You are welcome to share your tickets with other graduates through the "Ticket Exchange" discussion board. This board will open once the number of tickets each graduate will receive is announced.
Commencement Ceremony tickets will NOT allow entry into the Pinning Ceremonies. If your family/friends wish to attend both events, they will need tickets to both.
Admissions Tickets for Family and Friends
Family and friends are required to have tickets in order to attend the Pinning and/or Commencement Ceremonies.
Graduates are not required to have an admission ticket.
Children 3 and under are not required to have a ticket; however, they are required to sit on a ticketed adult's lap for the entire ceremony. This is due to fire code regulations.
NOTES:
Commencement Ceremony tickets will NOT allow entry into the Pinning Ceremonies and vice versa. If your family/friends wish to attend both events, they will need tickets to both.
Each graduate will receive entry tickets for the Pinning AND Commencement Ceremony. These are two separate events that require an entry ticket. Tickets for each event can be given to different family and friends so twice as many can be a part of your graduation events. An official entry ticket is required for both of the ceremonies. No exceptions.
Click the "Next" button below to learn about Order of Events for the Commencement Ceremony.