Indiana University South Bend

Indiana University South Bend (IU South Bend) celebrates commencement with a formal and time-honored ceremony that honors each graduate’s hard work. All participating students wear a black graduation gown made of lightweight gabardine, featuring braided crimson piping — in keeping with universal IU academic regalia tradition. Graduates wear a square mortarboard cap, and the tassel color represents the academic school or discipline from which they are graduating.

For bachelor’s degree students, IU South Bend provides a crimson Stole of Gratitude embroidered with the Indiana University seal, symbolizing their campus affiliation and achievement. Students graduating with academic distinction—Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction—are entitled to wear fourragères (honor cords) pinned to the left shoulder of their gowns. Additionally, members of nationally recognized honor societies can wear their own society’s cords or medallions during commencement.

Master’s degree candidates wear velvet-edged hoods (which look like stoles draped down the back); the velvet trim matches their academic discipline, while the satin lining is cream and crimson, representing IU’s institutional colors. Doctoral-level academic regalia (worn by faculty or doctoral recipients) uses the same color-symbolism system, though the hoods are longer and wider.

Tassel colors at IU South Bend follow standard academic color codes: for example, Copper for Arts, Drab for Business & Economics, Lilac for Dentistry, Light Blue for Education, Kelly Green for Health Sciences, Apricot for Nursing, Citron for Social Work, and White for Natural Sciences / Liberal Arts & Sciences. During the ceremony, graduates wear their tassels on the right side before degree conferral, then move them to the left afterward — except for those who already hold a degree, who wear the tassel on the left throughout.

Faculty regalia aligns with their highest earned degree. Doctoral faculty typically wear black gowns with velvet panels, and their hoods reflect their discipline via velvet edging, while the cream-and-crimson lining always denotes Indiana University as the institution.

IU South Bend ensures clear guidance on cap, gown, tassel, honor cord, and hood ordering, along with on-site logistics on commencement day — ensuring graduates and families understand academic regalia requirements ahead of the ceremony.

IU South Bend Academic Regalia – Graduation Cap, Gown & Tassel Set

Order your official Indiana University South Bend commencement regalia — includes black graduation gown, mortarboard cap, discipline-specific tassel, plus optional stole or honor cord.

• Black Graduation Gown: Traditional design in formal academic style.
• Mortarboard Cap: Classic square cap for all degree levels.
• Tassel Selection: Choose from colors by school / division — White (Arts & Sciences), Drab (Business), Light Blue (Education), Lilac (Dentistry), Apricot (Nursing), Pink (Music), Silver (Continuing Studies), Peacock Blue (Public Affairs), etc.
• Undergraduate Stole: Crimson Stole of Gratitude with IU seal.
• Honor Cords: Cream and crimson fourragères to represent Distinction levels.
• Master’s Hood (Stole): Velvet trim in discipline color + cream & crimson satin lining.
• Faculty Regalia: Doctoral gowns with velvet panels, discipline-color velvet hoods, IU institutional lining (cream & crimson).
• Ordering Tip: Verify your degree, major, and honors designation beforehand to get the correct regalia set.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Indiana University South Bend, 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.