The College of Southern Maryland (CSMD) holds multiple commencement ceremonies each spring, organized by academic division — for example, in May 2025 there are separate ceremonies for Liberal Arts, STEM & Professional Studies, and Health Sciences. Graduates must apply to graduate via the Registrar; diplomas are mailed after the ceremony, and participation in commencement does not guarantee conferral unless degree requirements are met.

In CSMD’s academic regalia tradition, graduation gowns follow classic academic dress: associate-degree gowns have a semi-stiff yoke with shirring at the shoulders; bachelor’s gowns have long, pointed sleeves. Master’s gowns are cut with square, closed sleeves, while doctoral gowns (if applicable) “carry broad velvet bars.” Caps may be standard mortarboards made of serge or broadcloth; for doctoral attire, velvet caps may be used with gold-bullion tassels. Tassels traditionally move from right to left during the ceremony.

CSMD’s honor cords are clearly defined in their commencement programs. For academic honors, cords of green & gold are used. Other program- or society-specific cord colors include: Alpha Delta Nu (apricot & white), Delta Psi Omega (royal blue & gold), Kappa Beta Delta (blue & gold), Kappa Delta Pi (green & purple), Maryland Student Nursing Association (red, black & gold), Men of Excellence (black & teal), National Society of Leadership & Success (blue), Phi Theta Kappa (blue & gold), Student Government Association (teal & Roman gold), Veterans (red, white & blue).

CSMD also defines stole (sash) colors for particular programs. For example, the Early College program uses a silver stole with green trim, and the Student Government Association wears black stoles with gold trim.

Finally, faculty regalia and the hoods follow traditional academic color conventions: CSMD uses black shells lined with silk in their institutional color; the hood’s velvet trim color reflects the field of learning (e.g., white for Arts & Letters, apricot for Nursing, olive drab for Commerce, orange for Engineering, etc.).

CSMD Academic Regalia – Graduation Gown, Cap & Accessories

Celebrate your College of Southern Maryland commencement with a high-quality academic regalia set — gown, cap and options for cords, stoles, or hoods.

Key Features

• Black graduation gown and mortarboard cap matching CSMD commencement dress code
• Elegant tassel style — standard or gold bullion (for advanced regalia)
• Honor cords in signature colors: Green & Gold, Apricot & White, Royal Blue & Gold, Green & Purple, Black & Teal, Blue, Red/Black/Gold, Teal & Roman Gold, Red/White/Blue
• Program stoles / sashes: Silver w/ Green Trim (Early College), Black w/ Gold Trim (SGA)
• Faculty / discipline hoods or gown trim in classical velvet colors: White (Arts), Apricot (Nursing), Olive Drab (Commerce), Orange (Engineering), and more

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at College of Southern Maryland, 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.