Cornish College of the Arts

Cornish College of the Arts holds its commencement ceremony for graduating students in the spring. For 2025, the 51st Commencement is scheduled for May 5 at 2:00 p.m. at Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle. Graduates check in around 11:30 a.m., attend rehearsal and departmental photos, and then line up for the processional before the formal ceremony begins. Families and guests are welcome, and no tickets are required.

Academic regalia at Cornish is optional: students are not required to wear a graduation cap and gown to participate in the ceremony. However, rental regalia is available through a Jostens campus portal. The college does not publicly list a fixed graduation gown color policy, nor a standardized tassel or hood color scheme.

Cornish awards honor cords to students who graduate with Latin honors: Summa Cum Laude (GPA 3.90–4.00), Magna Cum Laude (3.72–3.89), and Cum Laude (3.55–3.71). These honor cords are provided at Commencement. There is no publicly shared information on specific cord colors (e.g., by honor level) or a universal stole color palette for honors or affiliations.

Regarding faculty regalia, Cornish’s public commencement page encourages faculty to participate and wear traditional academic dress, but it does not publish a detailed color chart for hoods, velvet trim, or stoles. Given Cornish’s identity as an arts college, it appears regalia customs may lean toward flexibility and personalization rather than rigid color‑coded discipline regalia.

In summary, Cornish College of the Arts offers a commencement experience that balances ceremony with creative freedom: while academic regalia (cap, gown, tassels) is optional, students can order classic regalia, Latin-honors recipients receive honor cords, and there is no publicly documented, fixed color system for tassels, stoles, or faculty hoods in their regalia guidelines.

Cornish College of the Arts Academic Regalia Gift Set

Honor the artistry and achievement of a Cornish graduate with this cap, gown & tassel bundle — perfect for a creative commencement.

• Full Graduation Outfit: Includes gown, mortarboard cap, and tassel — compatible with Cornish’s Jostens regalia program.
• Latin Honors Cord Ready: Pair with honor cords for Summa, Magna, or Cum Laude recipients.
• Customizable Stole Support: Ideal for personalized or honor society stoles — no fixed color policy from Cornish.
• Lightweight & Quality Fabric: Designed for comfort in rehearsal, ceremony, and photographs.
• Keepsake Design: A meaningful memento for a Cornish graduate’s artistic journey.
• Optional Regalia: Academic regalia at Cornish is not mandatory for commencement participation.

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