Ridgewater College

Ridgewater College Commencement & Academic Regalia Overview

Ridgewater College holds an annual commencement ceremony each spring for students who have met graduation requirements — typically on their Hutchinson and Willmar campuses.

All participating graduates are required to wear the official Ridgewater academic regalia: a black graduation gown, a mortarboard cap, and a Ridgewater‑issued tassel. Borrowed gowns from previous graduates are acceptable only if accompanied by a current Ridgewater tassel.

For students graduating with honors — based on cumulative GPA thresholds — the college provides special recognition in the form of gold cords (for GPA ≥ 3.50 or 3.75) or a medallion (for perfect 4.00), worn during the ceremony. In addition, members of the honor society Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) may wear PTK‑issued tassels or honor cords in place of the standard tassel.

Ridgewater’s policy is clear: only official graduation attire is permitted at the ceremony — no custom decorations, non‑approved stoles, pins, or other adornments may be worn with the gown. : Caps may not be decorated for the ceremony; graduates wanting to personalize their mortarboard may purchase a separate cap for photos but must switch back to a plain cap for the ceremony itself. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

In summary: Ridgewater College maintains a uniform academic‑regalia standard for commencement — black gown, mortarboard cap, and college‑issued tassel — extended with optional honor cords or medallions for high‑achieving students and PTK members. This ensures a cohesive, formal ceremony while still allowing recognition of academic excellence.

• Mortarboard cap, academic gown and Ridgewater tassel — required attire for participating in Ridgewater College commencement.
• Standard black gown and cap design — uniform across majors and credentials, reflecting official college policy.
• Compatible with official honor cords or medallions for qualifying honors students, plus PTK‑issued cords for honor‑society members.
• Cap/gown/tassel set ready for all graduate types — associate, diploma or certificate recipients.
• Clean academic‑regalia style — ideal for commencement ceremony, diploma conferral, graduation photos and keepsakes.

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