Lake Washington Institute of Technology

LWTech holds an annual commencement ceremony for eligible graduates — including applied bachelor’s, associate degrees, certificates of completion or proficiency. Graduates must register in advance to participate.

Official student regalia is required: all graduates participating in the ceremony must wear a mortarboard graduation cap, an unaltered gown, and a tassel. The complete cap, gown, and tassel package is offered for sale through the campus bookstore (typically between US $40.00 to $45.00).

LWTech distinguishes gown color by degree type: students earning an applied bachelor’s degree wear black gowns, while those receiving an associate degree or certificate wear blue gowns.

Regarding academic honors, LWTech offers honor cords for graduates meeting GPA-based thresholds. Students with a GPA of 3.50–3.74 earn Cum Laude (silver cord), 3.75–3.89 earn Magna Cum Laude (gold cord), and 3.90–4.00 earn Summa Cum Laude (gold and silver cords).

Cords are distributed free to eligible students through the Office of Student Life after GPA verification.

LWTech’s publicly available commencement policy does not mention specific discipline-based tassel or stole colors, nor does it reference separate faculty regalia, hoods, or stoles for different departments or fields. Additional accoutrements are permitted only if they do not block views behind seated guests; any cords, pins or celebratory items beyond the standard cap/gown/tassel must respect this guideline.

In short: LWTech maintains a clear, standardized academic regalia scheme tied to degree type (black for bachelor’s; blue for associate/certificate), with optional honor cords based on GPA. There is no public discipline-based tassel or stole color system, and no published faculty regalia guidelines. The emphasis is on a uniform, respectful appearance for all graduates.

LWTech Commencement & Academic Regalia Guide

All graduates wishing to participate in LWTech’s annual Commencement must wear approved academic regalia: graduation cap (mortarboard), graduation gown, and tassel. Caps, gowns and tassels are sold together through the LWTech Bookstore each spring (≈ USD $40–$45). ([lwtech.edu](https://www.lwtech.edu/admissions/graduation/commencement/student-information.aspx))

Regalia by Credential

• Applied Bachelor’s Degree: Black graduation gown
• Associate Degree or Certificate: Blue graduation gown
• Cap (mortarboard) + Tassel: Included in the standard package; no public discipline-based tassel-color scheme

Honor Cords & Additional Accoutrements

• Honor cords awarded based on GPA: Cum Laude (silver), Magna Cum Laude (gold), Summa Cum Laude (gold + silver) — free for eligible graduates. ([lwtech.edu](https://www.lwtech.edu/admissions/graduation/commencement/student-information.aspx))
• Graduates may wear additional cords, pins, or modest adornments (e.g. identity or academic affiliation) as long as they don’t block the view of other guests. ([lwtech.edu](https://www.lwtech.edu/admissions/graduation/commencement/student-information.aspx))

Important Notes on Regalia Policy

• Gowns must remain unaltered and fully zipped; altering or customizing gowns is prohibited. ([lwtech.edu](https://www.lwtech.edu/admissions/graduation/commencement/student-information.aspx))
• There is currently no publicly published policy for master’s-level regalia, hoods, faculty regalia, stoles, or discipline-color tassels at LWTech. Regalia remains uniform across majors and programs. ([lwtech.edu](https://www.lwtech.edu/admissions/graduation/commencement/index.aspx))

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, 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.