Polk State College

Polk State College – Commencement & Academic Regalia

Polk State College conducts formal commencement ceremonies for associate, bachelor and other credential graduates once degree requirements are complete. Students must submit a graduation application through the Polk Portal to participate.

Regalia Requirements

• Cap & Gown & Stole: All graduates must wear the official cap, gown and a Polk State achievement stole, available as a bundle via the campus bookstore.
• Gown Color: Bachelor (baccalaureate) students wear a red gown; all other graduates wear a black gown.
• Tassel & Cord: A tassel and cord in the discipline’s traditional color — varies by field of study.
• Stoles, Cords, Medallions, Pins: Permitted if provided by a college‑recognized organization or club. Regalia must be pre‑approved by the Registrar.
• Tassel Protocol: Wear tassel on the right before degree conferral. After degrees are conferred, move tassel to the left.
• Cap Decoration: Decorating mortarboards is allowed only if decorations do not disrupt the ceremony — else replacement or removal is required.

Polk State College holds formal commencement ceremonies for graduates who complete degree requirements and submit a graduation application on time. Participation requires approved academic regalia.

Cap, Gown & Regalia Requirements

• Cap & gown: All graduates must wear an approved mortarboard cap and gown plus the official “Polk State achievement stole.” These items are offered as a bundle through the campus bookstore.
• Gown color: Baccalaureate (Bachelor) students now wear a red gown; all other graduates wear a black gown.
• Tassel, cord, stole, medallion, pin: In addition to the standard cap and gown, students may wear academic honors cords, stoles, medallions or pins — but only if they are awarded by a College‑recognized organization or approved club.

Tassel and Honor‑Regalia Protocol

• Tassel placement: Tassels should be worn on the right side of the mortarboard before degrees are conferred. After the conferral, graduates move the tassel to the left side.
• Honor cords and stoles: Honor cords and stoles represent achievements or membership in approved organizations. Clubs or recognized programs may request permission to have their own regalia; such requests must be submitted to the Registrar before the graduating term.
• Restrictions: Graduates may not wear high‑school regalia. Club- or organization-based regalia must be pre‑approved. Mortarboard cap decorations are allowed only if tasteful and not disruptive; otherwise students may be required to remove them or replace their cap.

What Is Not Publicly Detailed

Despite these published guidelines, Polk State College does not provide a publicly accessible chart or list mapping specific tassel, cord, or stole colors to every discipline, major, or program. There is no official “Regalia Color Code by Discipline” visible on its website or in the publicly available graduation procedure documents.

Therefore, any listing or product description claiming to offer “official Polk State cap and gown tassel/stole/cord colors by major or discipline” would be speculative unless verified directly with the College Registrar or approved student organization.