Christopher Newport University

At Christopher Newport University (CNU), the spring commencement is a multi‑day celebration, culminating in a formal degree conferral on the Great Lawn. Graduates process in academic dress led by ceremonial bagpipers, hear addresses from university leadership, and close with a grand recessional through a “faculty gauntlet” – a tradition where faculty line the path as new alumni depart. According to CNU’s FAQ, participating students must wear full regalia — gown, mortarboard cap, tassel, and in many cases a hood for master’s degrees.

Undergraduate (bachelor) graduates at CNU wear a black gown with long pointed sleeves, and a black mortarboard cap with a black tassel. Once the degree is conferred during the baccalaureate conferral, they move the tassel from the right to the left, marking their new graduate status.

For master’s degree candidates, CNU provides a similar black gown (with the more traditional oblong sleeves) and the same black tassel. Crucially, master’s graduates also wear a hood: CNU’s hood is lined in blue with a silver chevron, and the velvet edging (binding) width varies depending on the degree level (i.e., 2″ for bachelor’s, 3″ for master’s). The velvet border color around the hood corresponds to academic discipline: for example, light blue for Education, golden yellow for Science, orange for Engineering, copper for Economics, purple for Law, scarlet for Theology, and more.

Regarding honor cords and stoles, CNU’s publicly available commencement FAQ clarifies that cords are limited strictly to “official academic honors.” Students may also wear stoles, and these are less regulated — stoles can reflect student organizations, cultural identity, or clubs, though they must be approved through the student’s department.

Faculty regalia at CNU aligns with traditional academic dress: doctoral faculty gowns include bell sleeves and up to three velvet bars; hoods are lined with CNU’s institutional colors (blue and silver) and trimmed in velvet that communicates their academic field (e.g., dark blue for Philosophy, crimson for Journalism, sage green for Physical Education).

Overall, CNU’s commencement attire reflects a respectful blend of tradition and discipline-specific symbolism: standard black graduation gown and cap, black tassels, blue-and-silver hoods with velvet discipline trim, and honor cords reserved for academic excellence.

Christopher Newport University Graduation Regalia Set

• Graduation Gown: Black academic gown — aligns with CNU commencement tradition
• Graduation Cap (Mortarboard): Classic black mortarboard cap
• Tassel: Black tassel, worn on the right before degree conferral and moved to the left after ceremony
• Hood (Master’s): Lined in blue with silver chevron — CNU institutional colors; velvet border indicates discipline
• Honor Cords / Stoles:
  • Honor cords: limited to officially recognized academic honors
  • Stoles: for cultural, organizational, or departmental recognition (must be approved by department)
• Faculty Regalia: Doctoral gowns feature bell sleeves & velvet bars; hoods lined in CNU blue/silver and trimmed in discipline velvet (e.g., dark blue, orange, copper)
• Discipline Velvet Colors: Light blue (Education), Golden yellow (Science), Orange (Engineering), Copper (Economics), Crimson (Journalism), Purple (Law), Scarlet (Theology), etc.
• Material & Fit: Lightweight polyester gown; available in various sizes
• SEO Keywords: graduation gown, graduation gown color, academic regalia, Christopher Newport University, CNU cap and gown, tassel, master’s hood

Note: CNU limits cords to academic honors. Stoles must be approved by the student’s department. Velvet hood border colors vary by academic discipline – check CNU’s regalia guide for your field.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Christopher Newport University, you can reach out directly to the college's administration or the office responsible for commencement and student services. They can provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding academic regalia.