Onondaga Community College

Onondaga Community College (OCC) holds formal commencement ceremonies twice a year, typically in May and December. Graduates must RSVP in advance and are required to wear complete academic regalia. OCC mandates the official graduation gown, graduation cap, and tassel for all participants. All regalia must be purchased through the OCC Barnes & Noble Bookstore to ensure uniform academic appearance among graduates.

The standard OCC graduation gown follows the associate-level academic regalia style with a traditional mortarboard cap. The tassel is worn according to OCC’s commencement guidelines. Beyond the required cap, gown, and tassel, OCC offers a wide range of honor cords, stoles, and recognition pins that reflect academic excellence, program achievement, or special honors.

OCC provides an organized system of graduation accessories, including a gold honor cord for graduates earning a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher. Students completing the Honors College program may wear a blue-gold-white cord. Top-performing students in their curriculum are eligible for a light-blue stole. OCC also authorizes several specialty cords and stoles, each representing specific student groups or academic accomplishments. These include the red-white-blue cord for Veterans, the purple & silver cord for the Educational Opportunity Program, the navy-blue & silver cord for Resident Assistants, the sky-blue cord for PTECH/Early College students, the green cord for civic and social justice programs, the red-black-white cord for TRIO/Student Support Services, and the white stole for LSAMP STEM scholars.

These accessories help identify the academic success and campus involvement of OCC graduates during the commencement ceremony. According to OCC policy, any item not listed as an approved cord, stole, or pin must receive prior authorization from the Provost or Senior Vice President before it can be worn during graduation.

Overall, Onondaga Community College maintains a structured academic regalia system, emphasizing the importance of a unified graduation gown, cap, and tassel set. The college’s approved honor cords and stoles allow graduates to showcase academic regalia that represents honors, achievements, and academic discipline while maintaining the traditional and professional standards expected at commencement.

Onondaga Community College Academic Regalia – Cap, Gown, Tassel & Honor Accessories

• College: Onondaga Community College (OCC)
• Included Regalia: Associate-level graduation gown, mortarboard cap, tassel (required for ceremony)
• Optional Accessories: Honor cords, stoles, pins — for honors students or program participants
• Honor & Recognition Options: Gold honors cord (GPA ≥ 3.4), Blue-Gold-White Honors College cord, Light-Blue curriculum-top-student stole, Program-specific cords/stoles (e.g. Veteran, LSAMP, TRIO, PTECH, Social Justice, Resident Assistant)
• Size & Ordering: Available through OCC Barnes & Noble Bookstore approximately 8 weeks before commencement; order early to guarantee availability. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
• Use Case: Perfect for OCC commencement, graduation photographs, alumni memorabilia, or as a gift to a graduate.
• Uniform & Compliance: Designed in accordance with OCC commencement policy to ensure uniform academic regalia for all graduates.

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