Commencement Ceremony Information for Graduates
Hawkeye celebrates the graduation of our students once a year in May for our Fall, Spring, and Summer graduates. The Commencement Ceremony is a time to celebrate all you've accomplished!
While participation in the Commencement Ceremony is not required to graduate from Hawkeye, we encourage you to attend.
To participate in the Commencement Ceremony, graduates simply need to:
- Have an accepted graduation application
- Have a cap, gown, and tassel
- Check in at the McLeod Center least 30 minutes prior the ceremony. See Graduate Arrival and Seating.
Students who submitted a graduation application by the deadline will have their name printed in the Commencement Ceremony program.
Caps, gowns, and tassels, along with graduation memorabilia, can be purchased through the Hawkeye Bookstore beginning in April.
To purchase your cap, gown, and/or tassel:
Cost — Spring 2024
- Cap, Gown, and Tassel Package … $41
- Tassel only … $6
- Cap only … $10
Graduates are welcome to reuse a black cap and/or black gown and purchase only the items they need.
The last day to purchase your cap and gown online is April 26. The last day to purchase your cap and gown at the Bookstore is May 3. Sizing may be limited.
Graduating with Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher will graduate with honors. See Graduating with Honors for information on honors medallions.
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society Members
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher are eligible for membership to Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society. See Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for information about PTK membership and PTK Commencement Ceremony regalia.
Veteran Graduation Cords
Graduating veterans and military-connected students can request a free red, white, and blue veteran graduation cord from Veterans Services to wear during commencement.
Veteran graduation cords can be picked up from the Veterans Services office or picked up on the day of the Commencement Ceremony at UNI.
Cap decorations are allowed, however, excessive decorations on caps are distracting and therefore inappropriate. Hawkeye reserves the right to require you to remove any alterations deemed inappropriate by authorized college officials before you are permitted to participate in the Commencement Ceremony.
Examples of inappropriate embellishment include, but are not limited to:
- Caps with vulgar language, inappropriate verbiage, or photos/graphic images.
- Caps with lights, balloons, and other items that could pose a safety hazard.
- Decorations that obstruct the view of people seated behind the graduate.
- Designs with vertical structures or décor; elements used in the design must lay as flat to the cap as possible.
The Commencement Ceremony will be livestreamed with Closed Captioning available.
See the Commencement Ceremony calendar event for the livestream and recording.
Graduates can begin arriving for check in 90 minutes prior to the ceremony and must be checked in at least 30 minutes prior to the ceremony start time. The ceremony will begin promptly on time.
Graduates should enter through the ticket office entrance, located between the UNI Dome and McLeod Center on the west side. There is a Panther statue in front of the entrance. You will check in and be directed to line up in the UNI-Dome prior to the Commencement Ceremony. No guests will be able to enter through these doors at that time.
At check-in you will receive a card with your name on it. This is the card you will hand the reader as you go on stage to receive your award. If your name is difficult to pronounce and you didn’t provide the phonetic spelling on the graduation application, please write the phonetic spelling on the card. You can also visit with the reader after you check in.
Graduates will line up, process in, and be seated with their program/major and by their highest degree.
The UNI Dome will not be locked or monitored during the Commencement Ceremony.
You are encouraged to secure personal items (purse, bags, etc.) in your vehicle, with friends or family, etc., before arriving to the Commencement Ceremony.
Neither UNI or Hawkeye will be responsible for any items left unattended.
Graduates will return to their seat after crossing the stage and will be dismissed to the upper level of the McLeod Center at the conclusion of the Commencement Ceremony.
Graduates are strongly encouraged to make a plan to meet up with their guests on the upper level of the McLeod Center or outside following the Commencement Ceremony. No guests will be allowed on the McLeod Center floor.