New England College of Optometry (NECO) celebrates its annual commencement ceremony each spring at Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. The ceremony honors graduating candidates from the Doctor of Optometry (OD) program and concurrent master’s pathways with a formal academic procession, speeches, and degree conferral. Graduates must arrive early for regalia pick-up and rehearsal instructions.

New England College of Optometry Commencement & Academic Regalia Guide

New England College of Optometry (NECO) hosts its annual commencement ceremony each spring at Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. Graduates from the Doctor of Optometry (OD) program and other graduate pathways participate in a formal academic procession, speeches, and degree conferral. Commencement emphasizes tradition and scholarly achievement with academic regalia including mortarboard graduation caps and classic black graduation gowns, which can be picked up during regalia distribution prior to the ceremony.

Graduation Gown, Graduation Cap & Tassel Sets

• Graduation gown color at NECO is traditionally black for MD/OD and graduate degree candidates, aligning with the historical academic regalia standard for commencement ceremonies. (Academic regalia tradition)
• NECO students wear a professional mortarboard graduation cap paired with a coordinating tassel as part of their commencement attire; the cap and gown ensemble completes the academic regalia set. (Academic regalia tradition)
• Tassels are typically worn on the right before degrees are conferred and are customarily moved to the left after diploma conferral as part of ceremony tradition. (Academic regalia tradition)
• Regalia pickup is organized by NECO in the days before the ceremony at CAPA, where graduating students collect their cap, gown, and tassel sets.

New England College of Optometry Bachelor & Master Regalia

• Bachelor cap and gown tassel is not typical at NECO since the institution primarily awards the professional Doctor of Optometry and select graduate credentials; however, if bachelor-level graduation regalia is needed (e.g., combined programs), standard black gowns and mortarboard caps with tassels would be used in line with academic tradition. (Academic regalia tradition)
• Master cap and gown tassel follows the same traditional scheme — black gowns paired with coordinated mortarboards and tassels. (Academic regalia tradition)
• Honor cords and stoles at NECO are not detailed on the public commencement page; typically, honor cords (often gold, silver, or school colors) and stoles signifying organizational achievement or academic distinctions are worn in accordance with academic regalia conventions. (Academic regalia tradition)

Faculty Regalia & Discipline Colors

• Faculty regalia includes academic robes worn by NECO faculty and administrators during the commencement procession and ceremonies; these robes reflect the faculty’s highest earned degrees with hood and trim colors following academic dress codes. (Academic dress norms)
• All other discipline regalia colors such as hood linings, tassel accents, or field-specific regalia are typically determined by broader academic costume codes where colors represent areas of study, even though NECO does not publish specific discipline color charts on its commencement page. (Academic dress norms)

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