Kentucky State University holds its commencement ceremony annually, typically split into two sessions based on colleges: for example, in 2025 the ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, May 10, at the William Exum Center — 10 a.m. for the College of Arts & Sciences, and 2 p.m. for the College of Agriculture, Health & Natural Resources & the College of Business, Engineering & Technology.

All graduates are required to wear official academic regalia — the approved cap, black gown, and hood — at commencement. The university partners with Jostens for supplying regalia; students must place their orders by April 3 for participation.

Under the gown, graduates must wear formal attire: women should wear a dark dress, dark shoes and modest jewelry; men should wear dark trousers, dress shirt, tie, and dark shoes.

For honours, KYSU provides honor stoles to eligible graduates whose names appear on the “honors” list distributed at rehearsal. Qualifying criteria include GPA thresholds: Cum Laude (cumulative GPA ≥ 3.2), Magna Cum Laude (≥ 3.5), Summa Cum Laude (≥ 3.8), with certain grade-minimum requirements and at least 50% of credit hours earned at KYSU.

However, the publicly available KYSU academic-regalia page does not include a detailed colour-by-discipline chart for tassels, stole or hood linings — meaning specific tassel or hood colours by major or faculty/regalia colour may not be standardized publicly.

In practice, KYSU’s mandate is that all graduates wear the “university-approved cap, gown, and hood,” and honours stoles as awarded, while tassels/hood linings may follow vendor or generalized academic fabric conventionly tied to degree level or program.

Graduates are encouraged to order regalia early and, if they qualify for honours, pick up their stole ahead of the ceremony so they can properly display academic regalia during commencement.

Kentucky State University – Commencement & Academic Regalia

Kentucky State University holds its annual commencement for graduating students each spring. All degree candidates must wear the official academic attire: a classic black graduation gown, black graduation cap (mortarboard), and the approved university hood supplied by the vendor. ([kysu.edu])

Regalia Requirements & Ordering

• Gown, Cap & Hood: Required for all graduates; ordered through the university-approved vendor (e.g. Jostens) by the specified deadline. ([kysu.edu])
• Dress Code Under Gown: Formal attire required — dark dresses and black shoes for women; dark trousers, dress shirt, tie and black shoes for men. ([kysu.edu])

Honors & Adornments

Graduates who meet the honours criteria receive an honor stole to wear during Commencement. This stole distinguishes Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude or departmental honours, based on GPA and credit requirements. ([kysu.edu])

Caps, Tassels & Colours

While Kentucky State University requires standard regalia, it does not publicly provide a discipline-by-colour chart for tassels, hood linings or stoles. As such, most cap and gown sets default to standard colours (black gown/hood and cap). Graduates should confirm any special tassel or hood-colour requests with the Registrar or vendor before purchase. ([kysu.edu])

Important Notes

• All graduates must order approved regalia by the stated deadline for participation in Commencement.
• Honor stoles are issued to qualifying students and are worn over the gown at the ceremony.
• Caps, gowns, and hoods are supplied via the approved vendor; any customized tassels or stoles should be verified for compliance with university policy.

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