New River Community College (NRCC) conducts an annual commencement ceremony each spring to honor students earning associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. The formal ceremony includes processional marches, graduation rites, and recognition of academic achievements. Graduates must adhere to the college’s academic regalia policy, which specifies approved attire for participation. Only official academic regalia such as graduation gowns, graduation caps, and appropriate tassels are permitted. Extraneous decorations on mortarboards, cultural clothing, or non-approved items are not allowed on stage.

All graduates wear traditional black graduation gowns and matching caps (mortarboards). Tassels are worn on the right side of the cap before the degree is conferred and are ceremonially moved to the left after the president confers degrees, reflecting long-standing academic tradition. RCC’s commencement regalia reflects a classic American academic regalia style designed for equitable presentation among all graduates.

Honor cords and stoles at NRCC are awarded based on cumulative GPA and special affiliations. Honor cords symbolize scholastic distinction: purple for Summa Cum Laude (3.8+ GPA), green for Magna Cum Laude (3.5–3.79 GPA), and orange for Cum Laude (3.2–3.49 GPA). A gold stole signifies membership in Phi Theta Kappa honor society. Other honors include medallions with ribbons for recognitions such as All-Virginia Academic Team and Governor’s Scholar. These items are distributed under the guidelines set by the Graduation Committee and may be issued at the ceremony or in advance by the Registrar’s Office.

Faculty and staff participating in commencement wear traditional academic regalia reflecting their highest earned degrees. Faculty regalia includes doctoral gowns with velvet facings and academic hoods according to discipline colors where applicable. NRCC’s commencement ceremonies blend centuries-old academic dress symbolism with modern recognition of achievement, ensuring graduates are presented in dignified, standardized cap, gown, and tassel sets on their milestone day.

New River Community College Graduation Cap, Gown & Academic Regalia Sets

Celebrate your academic milestone with official New River Community College graduation gown, graduation cap, tassels, honor cords and stoles designed to honor outstanding achievement. NRCC’s commencement ceremonies are marked by classic academic tradition and structured regalia attire to reflect both scholastic accomplishment and inclusive presentation for all candidates.

NRCC Bachelor Cap & Gown — Tassels, Honor Cords & Stoles

• Graduation gown color: Traditional black undergraduate gown, symbolizing academic achievement for associate and bachelor candidates.
• Graduation cap: Classic black mortarboard with a matching black or approved colored tassel before conferral.
• Tassel: Worn on the right prior to the ceremony and shifted left once degrees are conferred at the ceremony’s close.
• Honor cords: Awarded at graduation based on academic performance: Purple for Summa Cum Laude (3.8+), Green for Magna Cum Laude (3.5–3.79), and Orange for Cum Laude (3.2–3.49).
• Stoles: Gold stoles denote Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society membership for qualifying graduates.

NRCC Master Cap & Gown — Tassels, Honor Cords & Stoles

• Graduate academic gown: Master’s level graduates wear a refined black gown similar to undergraduate robe with academic hoods optional by discipline.
• Hood & tassel: Graduate hood colors reflect degree earned and may be enhanced with discipline color accents (if available).
• Honor cords & stoles: Graduate honor cords may follow the same GPA-based color schema or reflect society affiliations (e.g., Phi Theta Kappa).

NRCC Cap & Gown — All Graduates

• Academic regalia set: Core black cap, gown and tassels provided or purchased through NRCC Bookstore or regalia vendors as approved by the Graduation Committee.
• Graduates may only wear approved honor cords, stoles, and official medallions (All-Virginia Academic Team, Governor’s Scholar) during the ceremony.

Faculty Regalia Color

• Faculty regalia: Faculty participating in commencement wear traditional academic regalia with caps, gowns, and hoods reflecting their highest earned degrees and academic discipline colors.

Discipline Regalia Color

• Academic regalia hoods and tassel accents follow community college tradition where discipline-specific hood colors may be applied for graduate and master’s candidates.
• Honor cord and stole colors visually signify scholastic achievement, society membership, and college distinction.

Key Features: NRRCC graduation caps, graduation gowns, academic tassels, honor cords and stoles for a meaningful commencement experience.

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