Graduation

Students participating in academic ceremonies, such as honor society inductions, research presentations, or official university functions, should wear business casual or business attire unless otherwise specified. Students will be informed in advance by the organizing committee if regalia is required.

Students participating in commencement exercises are required to wear the designated graduation gown, mortarboard (cap), and tassel. While mortarboards may be decorated, no additional accessories — including jewelry, corsages, or other embellishments — may be attached to the approved gown beyond the permitted academic and ornamental items listed below. Any decorations on the mortarboard must remain flat on the top and should not obstruct the view of others or interfere with the ceremony. Only the official university-issued tassel is allowed to dangle from the cap.

All ceremonial adornments must adhere to university standards. Graduates who have earned academic honors or participated in recognized academic or student organizations may wear officially issued or university-approved ceremonial items with their academic regalia. These include:

• Medallions awarded in recognition of a university honor;
• Honor cords signifying membership in an approved academic honor society or national organization;
• Stoles denoting participation in a university-recognized honor society, student organization, or study-abroad program;
• Pins representing an academic achievement or affiliation with a university-recognized professional association
• Religious or cultural attire;
• Military uniforms or insignias.

Candidates for master’s and doctoral degrees are only permitted to wear university-issued regalia and approved ornamentation. Any medallions, stoles, pins, sashes, or other accessories obtained during undergraduate studies — whether at Embry-Riddle or another institution — may not be worn with graduate-level academic regalia.

Requests for new ornamentation, including those featuring university trademarks (such as logos or seals), must receive approval from the Office of the Provost at least two months preceding the commencement ceremony.

Students wearing unauthorized or inappropriate attire or adornments at university academic ceremonies may be required to remove or cover them prior to participation. Students who do not comply with university standards will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony.