Oregon State University Commencement Ceremony

The commencement ceremony at Oregon State University (OSU) is a momentous event, celebrating the academic achievements of its graduates. During this ceremony, graduates wear traditional academic regalia, including a graduation gown, graduation cap, and tassels. These components of academic regalia symbolize the hard work, dedication, and success students have achieved in their academic journey. Graduates wear a black graduation gown, while the graduation cap or mortarboard is worn with a tassel that is shifted from right to left to signify the moment of graduation.

The color of the tassel at OSU reflects the student's academic discipline. For example, students graduating in fields such as business or engineering may wear a black tassel, while those in health sciences or nursing may wear a white tassel. This color distinction highlights the diversity of academic programs at Oregon State University.

Students who have achieved honors are recognized with honor cords and stoles. Honor cords are typically worn in gold or silver to signify academic excellence and distinctions such as graduating with honors or being part of an honor society. Additionally, graduates involved in specific academic or leadership groups may wear stoles, which often come in different colors based on the particular group or organization, adding a personalized touch to their regalia.

The faculty regalia at Oregon State University is equally symbolic. Faculty members wear gowns and hoods that reflect their highest academic degree and field of study, further enhancing the academic prestige of the ceremony.

Graduation products, including full cap and gown sets, tassels, honor cords, and stoles, are available for purchase through online retailers like Amazon and Google Stores, providing graduates with everything they need to celebrate their achievements.

Oregon State University (OSU) maintains a formal commencement tradition that emphasizes standardized academic regalia: a graduation cap (mortarboard), graduation gown, tassel, and hoods for advanced degrees. Undergraduates and most candidates wear the classic black graduation gown and mortarboard cap; tassel color is determined by the student’s college or degree program, not left to chance, so graduates should order a cap and gown tassel set that matches their college color. Master’s and doctoral candidates wear hoods that display OSU’s institutional lining and velvet trim in discipline colors; doctoral regalia often features fuller hoods, velvet panels, and a distinctive tam with a metallic or jumbo tassel for terminal degree distinction. OSU’s Registrar and campus bookstore require regalia compliance for participation, and the OSU Beaver Store offers both rental and purchase options to ensure proper graduation gown color, hood trim, and tassel selection. Honor cords and stoles are permitted for recognized honors and societies; degree-with-distinction recipients may obtain honor cords via the Beaver Store, while departmental stoles or society cords follow college-specific conventions and are not universally mandated. The tassel tradition is enforced: undergraduates wear the tassel on the right and move it to the left upon conferral, while advanced candidates generally keep hoods/tassels in approved positions during hooding ceremonies. Because tassels, cords, and stoles help visually communicate academic discipline and honors, product listings for OSU regalia should emphasize compliance with OSU color codes (e.g., Engineering orange, Education light blue, Science gold, Liberal Arts white, Forestry russet) and offer options for hood trim and honor cords. Optimize product descriptions with keywords like “academic regalia,” “graduation gown,” “graduation gown color,” “graduation cap,” “cap and gown tassel set,” and “faculty regalia.” Clearly state whether hood lining, tassel color, or honor cords are university-approved or vendor-customized to avoid misrepresentation and ensure graduates get ceremony-appropriate regalia.

Google Store Listing — OSU Academic Regalia

• What’s Included: black gown & mortarboard; tassel matched to OSU college color.
• Advanced Degree: hooded gown with discipline-specific velvet trim; option for doctoral tam and gold/jumbo tassel.
• Customization: add honor cords, stoles, or departmental accessories—confirm with department.
• Ordering Info: rent or buy via Beaver Store; pick the correct tassel/hood color at checkout to ensure ceremony compliance.
• Keywords: graduation cap, academic regalia, cap gown and tassels, graduation gown color, honor cord.

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