Defiance College

Defiance College, located in Defiance, Ohio, holds its annual commencement ceremony each May in the Karl H. Weaner Community Center. Graduating students are required to participate in a mandatory undergraduate rehearsal, and graduate students are strongly encouraged to attend.

According to the Registrar, all graduates pay a graduation application fee that covers their cap, gown, and (for master’s students) hood, which is picked up before Commencement. Full academic regalia is required for participating in the ceremonies. Only approved honor cords, stoles, and medallions may be worn — others not explicitly authorized by the Chief Academic Officer will not be accepted.

Tassel etiquette at Defiance is traditional: bachelor’s degree candidates start with the tassel on the right side of the mortarboard and then move it to the left after their degree is conferred. Graduate students, however, begin with the tassel on the left and do not move it during the ceremony. Master’s students are also hooded on stage, per the ceremony protocol.

Regarding honors, Defiance College awards Cum Laude (GPA 3.50–3.69), Magna Cum Laude (3.70–3.89), and Summa Cum Laude (3.90–4.00), though these honors do not apply to associate or master’s degrees. Honor cords and stoles are distributed at Honors Convocation or during regalia pickup, but only items pre‑approved by the college may be worn.

For faculty regalia, the college does use traditional academic dress, and their hood lining is purple and gold, matching Defiance’s school colors per academic costume registries. However, the publicly available commencement materials do not specify different tassel, stole, or cord colors per discipline, meaning vendors should default to classic black gowns and neutral or school‑color accents approved by the college.

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