Rio Salado College

Rio Salado College Commencement & Academic Regalia Overview

Rio Salado College holds one annual commencement ceremony each year, usually in early May, for students who completed a degree or certificate program since the previous May or who expect completion by December. The 2025 ceremony is scheduled for May 8 at the Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix.

To participate, graduates must order academic regalia — cap and gown — from Rio Salado’s approved vendor (e.g., Jostens). All graduates at every level (certificate, associate, bachelor) wear the same cap and gown. There is no mention in public documents of different gown colors or discipline‑based regalia for different majors, indicating a uniform gown color for all participants.

Honor cords are provided to students eligible for academic honors. According to the Commencement FAQ, honor‑eligible students receive honor cords when they check in on the day of the ceremony. There is no publicly available policy or color‑chart that maps tassel, hood, stole or cord colors to specific disciplines or degree levels — meaning that any additional adornments are likely uniform or honor‑based, not discipline‑based.

Rio Salado emphasizes that regalia must come from the official vendor; participation in commencement without the official cap and gown is not allowed. The “Last Chance In‑Person” regalia pickup event exists for graduates who missed online ordering, reinforcing that all graduates must wear the approved uniform academic regalia set to cross the stage.

In their public commencement materials and regalia ordering site, Rio Salado does not reference colored hoods, discipline‑specific sash/stole colors, or doctoral-level gowns. This suggests that the regalia system is streamlined: a single standard cap, gown and tassel set for all graduates, with optional honor cords for those eligible.

In summary: Rio Salado College’s commencement relies on a unified academic‑regalia approach — a standard cap, gown, and tassel for every graduate, regardless of credential or major. Honor cords are provided to eligible honor graduates, but there is no publicly documented color‑coded scheme for tassels, hoods, stoles or cords by discipline or degree level. This ensures a consistent, inclusive graduation presentation.

• Mortarboard cap, academic gown, and tassel — standard required attire for Rio Salado College commencement participants.
• Uniform black gown and cap — same across all majors and credential levels, since no discipline‑based color coding is published.
• Compatible with official honor cords for graduates with honors — full‑set ready for recognized distinctions.
• One‑size kit for all graduates — suitable for certificates, associate degrees, or bachelor’s degrees without needing special hoods or discipline stoles.
• Clean, traditional academic‑regalia style — perfect for commencement ceremonies, diploma ceremonies, graduation photos and memorabilia.

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