Commencement

Apply to Graduate

Applying to graduate with Degree Checkout in Registrar Services is the first step in your degree completion process. Please see instructions for how to apply.

Register for Commencement

Commencement registration will open on April 15, 2024 and remain open through May 5, 2024. Registration Links will be emailed directly to all eligible graduates.

Order your Cap and Gown

Official CWU regalia is required for participation in Commencement. The CWU Wildcat Shop oversees regalia orders. To order, please navigate to wildcatshop.net and click on the “Commencement” tab. Orders must be placed by TBD.

Attend Grad Kickoff

Grad Kickoff, sponsored by the Wildcat Shop, is your one-stop-shop for all things Commencement. You can pick up your cap and gown (if ordered by TBD), purchase a class ring, have your grad photo taken and much more!

Grad Kickoff Dates

Ellensburg Campus (SURC Ballroom)

Tuesday, April 9th: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesday, April 10th: 10:00am – 5:00pm

Des Moines Campus

Wednesday, April 17th: 1:00 – 7:00pm

Lynwood Campus:

Thursday, April 18th: 1:00 – 7:00pm

Pick up your Namecard

Ellensburg Undergraduate Ceremonies

Beat the lines on Commencement day and pick your namecard up early! Available for pick-up beginning the Tuesday of Commencement week (June 4th) at the Info Center inside the SURC between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm. Cards will be available at the info center until Friday, June 7th. Please remember that your namecard is vital to your Commencement participation, so do not forget to bring it with you on Commencement day!

Kent Commencement Ceremonies

Those participating in the Kent and Graduate ceremonies will pick their name cards up on Commencement day at check-in.

Check Ceremony Information

• Application to Graduate Due TBD
• Commencement Registration Opens – April 15, 2024
• Grad Kickoff (Ellensburg) – April 9-10, 2024, starting at 10 a.m.
• Grad Kickoff (Des Moines) – April 17, 2024, 1:00 - 7:00 p.m.
• Grad Kickoff (Lynwood) – April 18, 2024, 1:00 - 7:00 p.m.
• Commencement Registration Closes – May 5, 2024
• Namecard Pickup (Ellensburg Undergrad Ceremonies ONLY) – TBD

CWU’s Commencements are divided by college. The college that your major falls under determines which ceremony you will walk in.

Check this list to see which ceremony your major is a part of.

Kent Ceremony

Graduates of all west side University Centers
Sunday, June 2nd, 2024 – 1:00PM
ShoWare Center – 625 West James Street, Kent

Ellensburg AM Ceremony

College of Arts and Humanities, College of the Sciences
Saturday, June 8th, 2024 – 9:00AM
Tomlinson Stadium
*A.M. and P.M. Graduates must report to the SURC on Commencement morning for line-up

Ellensburg PM Ceremony

College of Business, College of Education and Professional Studies
Saturday, June 8th, 2024 – 2:00PM
Tomlinson Stadium
*A.M. and P.M. Graduates must report to the SURC on Commencement morning for line-up

Commencement registration will be open April 15, 2024. All eligible students will be emailed a direct link to register.

Apply to Graduate

Applying to graduate with the School of Graduate Studies and Research is the first step in your degree completion process. Please see the instructions in your Canvas "Graduate School Onboarding" course. You will find them within the "Process for Graduating or Earning a Certificate & Deadlines" module.

Register for Commencement

Commencement registration will open on April 15, 2024 and remain open through May 5, 2024. Please check back in spring 2024 for more information!

Order your Cap, Gown, and Hood

Official CWU regalia is required for participation in Commencement. You must be registered for Commencement in order to place your regalia order with the Wildcat Shop.

Check Ceremony Information

CWU’s Commencement website is home to all Commencement-related information. Make sure you check back often, as the most up-to-date ceremony information will be listed here first. Find all relevant information regarding your ceremony in the left-hand side bar.

Master's Student Graduation Procedures, Dates, & Deadlines

• Students earning a degree in any quarter will need to request a Final Folder Check by the end of the first week of classes for that specific quarter. You should be requesting this step ONLY if you have communicated with your exam, project, portfolio review or capstone committee ahead of time. You will find the folder check request and deadlines within your Graduate School Onboarding Canvas course in the “Process for Graduating or Earning a Certificate & Deadlines” module.
• Summer Quarter Graduate Students: If you will be earning your degree summer quarter, and wish to participate in the Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony which takes place in June, you must complete your final folder check within the first week of Spring Quarter. Please note on your Folder Check Request that you are finishing summer quarter but wish to participate in the ceremony. You will be eligible to participate however; the Graduate School processes the folder check request summer quarter.

Graduate Hooding Ceremony Dates & Deadlines

• Commencement registration opens – April 15, 2024
• Commencement registration closes – May 5, 2024

Contact the School of Graduate Studies & Research with further questions.

The Graduate Hooding and Commencement ceremony is the official ceremony for masters and Education Specialist (EdS) students. Students graduating from the main campus, a university center, or an online program may only attend this ceremony. All other ceremonies are for undergraduate students.

Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony

Friday, June 7, 2024 

6:00 - 7:30 PM

Nicholson Pavilion

Commencement registration will be open April 15, 2024. Please check back then!

The Ellensburg AM Commencement Ceremony is for the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of the Sciences. It will be held on Saturday, June 8th at 9:00am in Tomlinson Stadium. Please check-in at the SURC no later than 8:00am. In keeping with the traditions of this ceremony, we request that all participants dress in academic regalia.

• Line-up: At 8:00am, line-up will begin inside Holmes Dining Hall in the SURC. Please access the SURC through the West Entrance (off of Walnut Mall). Faculty will form two lines and be escorted out the doors onto Walnut Mall.
• Processional: The procession will begin at 8:30am and move toward Tomlinson Stadium. Faculty will follow the Faculty Gonfalon and two student marshals north on Walnut Mall, across Nicholson Boulevard, between Purser Hall and Nicholson Pavilion, through the south gates of Tomlinson Stadium, and up the center aisle.
• Recessional: The Faculty Marshal will lead the Presidential Platform Party down the center aisle and back to the SURC. The Student Marshals will direct faculty in the first row to walk down the center aisle followed by the second row, etc., and toward the south gates of Tomlinson Stadium to form a congratulatory line. (PLEASE wait for a Student Marshal to direct your row). The Student Marshals will then direct the undergraduates, beginning with the last row and moving to the front row to go through the congratulatory line. The Student Marshals will lead the Masters and Undergraduates toward Nicholson Pavilion to avoid congestion. Once the final Undergraduate has gone through the congratulatory line, you may be dismissed.

If you have any questions regarding the commencement ceremonies, please contact commencement@cwu.edu.

The Ellensburg PM Commencement Ceremony is for the College of Business, College of Education and Professional Studies. It will be held on Saturday, June 8th at 2:00pm in Tomlinson Stadium. Please check-in at the SURC no later than 1:00pm. In keeping with the traditions of this ceremony, we request that all participants dress in academic regalia.

• Line-up: At 1:00pm, line-up will begin inside Holmes Dining Hall in the SURC. Please access the SURC through the West Entrance (off of Walnut Mall). Faculty will form two lines and be escorted out the doors onto Walnut Mall.
• Processional: The procession will begin at 1:30pm and move toward Tomlinson Stadium. Faculty will follow the Faculty Gonfalon and two student marshals north on Walnut Mall, across Nicholson Boulevard, between Purser Hall and Nicholson Pavilion, through the south gates of Tomlinson Stadium, and up the center aisle.
• Recessional: The Faculty Marshal will lead the Presidential Platform Party down the center aisle and back to the SURC. The Student Marshals will direct faculty in the first row to walk down the center aisle followed by the second row, etc., and toward the south gates of Tomlinson Stadium to form a congratulatory line. (PLEASE wait for a Student Marshal member to direct your row). The Student Marshals will then direct the undergraduates, beginning with the last row and moving to the front row to go through the congratulatory line. The Student Marshals will lead the Masters and Undergraduates toward Nicholson Pavilion to avoid congestion. Once the final Undergraduate has gone through the congratulatory line, you may be dismissed.

If you have any questions regarding the commencement ceremonies, please contact commencement@cwu.edu.

The Kent Commencement Ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 2nd at 1:00pm at the ShoWare Center in Kent. Participating faculty should arrive at ShoWare Center by 12:15pm. Enter ShoWare through the receiving area at the back of the arena and assemble for robing in the designated locker room. In keeping with the traditions of this ceremony, we request that all participants dress in academic regalia.

• Processional: The Procession will begin at 12:50 PM and move into the arena. Lines will split, go around the student chairs, then come back together up the center aisle for seating.
• Recessional: The Faculty Marshal and Presidential Platform Party will exit down the side stair stand around the back of the last row of students and return to the locker room. PLEASE DO NOT FOLLOW THE PRESIDENTIAL PLATFORM PARTY. The Student Marshals will direct faculty in the first row to walk down the center aisle, followed by the second row, etc., and towards the main arena doors to form a congratulatory line (PLEASE wait for a Student Marshal to direct your row). The Student Marshal will then direct the Masters students to go through the congratulatory line, starting with the front row and then the Student Marshals. Undergraduates, starting with the last row. The Student Marshal will lead the graduates out of the arena to avoid congestion. Once the last graduate has gone through the congratulatory line, you may return to the locker room to collect any personal items.

If you have any questions regarding the commencement ceremonies, please contact commencement@cwu.edu.

The Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony is for graduate faculty and masters students. It will be held on Friday, June 7th at 6:00 pm in Nicholson Pavilion. Please check-in at the Fieldhouse no later than 5:00 pm. You will pick up your name card before heading inside the fieldhouse. In keeping with the traditions of this ceremony, we request that all participants dress in academic regalia.

• Line-up: At 5:30 pm, line-up will begin inside the Fieldhouse in Nicholson Pavilion. Faculty and their student(s) will form a line and get ready for the processional.
• Processional: The procession will begin at 5:45 pm and move from the Fieldhouse toward the gymnasium. Your line leader/usher will guide you to the gym. Students will follow behind their faculty.
• Recessional: The Platform party is released first. Once the platform party exits the student rows, the assigned line leader/usher for your row will lead you out of the gym and into the hallway.

Faculty wishing to order rental regalia for the 2024 Commencement ceremonies can do so online at Jostens.

• TBD is the LAST DAY TO PLACE REGALIA ORDERS.
• Orders may be picked up at the Wildcat Shop in Ellensburg, at the Lynnwood center or at the Des Moines center.
• Faculty are Financially responsible for any regalia that is returned late or damaged.

If you have any questions regarding the Commencement ceremonies, please contact commencement@cwu.edu.