Saint Mary's College of California

Saint Mary’s College of California — Commencement & Academic Regalia Summary

Saint Mary’s College of California (SMC) conducts formal commencement ceremonies celebrating graduates from all academic programs. Graduates wear standardized academic regalia including a black graduation gown, mortarboard cap (or tam for doctoral candidates), a red & navy tassel, and a school‑logo hood. The tassel starts on the right and is moved to the left after the conferral of the degree, in line with traditional academic customs.

Graduation Gown & Tassel

The black graduation gown provides a formal and consistent appearance for all graduates. Tassels are red and navy for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral graduates, reflecting the College’s identity and maintaining a cohesive visual presentation across all disciplines.

Academic Hood & Discipline Colors

The academic hood is part of the regalia and features a velvet trim that indicates the graduate’s school or discipline: Arts (white), Science (gold), Business (drab/light brown), and Education (blue). The hood also displays the College logo, signifying affiliation with Saint Mary’s College of California.

Honor Cords & Stoles

Eligible graduates may wear honor cords, departmental cords, veteran cords, or special stoles. These accessories recognize academic achievement, affiliations, or honors, and must be approved and distributed according to College guidelines.

Faculty & Official Regalia

Faculty and College officials wear academic robes and hoods appropriate to their degree level and discipline, following traditional academic dress conventions. Doctoral faculty or special ceremonial officers may also wear distinctive tams or robes as part of formal commencement processions.

Summary: Saint Mary’s College of California maintains a unified academic-regalia system emphasizing black graduation gowns, red & navy tassels, and discipline-specific hood velvet trim. Honor cords, stoles, and other accessories are added for eligible students to reflect academic achievements or affiliations. This regalia standard ensures a professional, cohesive, and visually striking appearance for all graduates during the College’s formal commencement ceremonies.

Short Description

Official Saint Mary’s College of California academic regalia — black cap & gown, red & navy tassel, and school‑logo hood with discipline‑specific trim. Perfect for bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral graduates, and honors recipients.

Long Description – Cap, Gown, Tassel & Regalia Details

Saint Mary’s College of California provides a complete academic regalia set for eligible graduates: a black graduation gown, mortarboard (or tam for doctoral), a red & navy tassel, and a hood embroidered with the SMC logo. The hood’s velvet trim denotes the graduate’s school: e.g., Education (blue), Business (drab/light brown), Arts (white), Science (gold).

Eligible graduates — including those with Latin honors, department recognition, veteran status or special affiliations — may wear honor cords, veteran cords, departmental cords, or approved stoles over their gown and under their hood.

Master’s and Doctoral graduates follow the same regalia guidelines; doctoral candidates may wear a tam and are hooded on-stage. The cap and gown tassel set completes the academic look, and optional accessories can personalize the regalia for honors or membership recognition.

Regalia Package by Degree Level

• Bachelor’s & Credential Set: Black gown, mortarboard cap, red & navy tassel, school‑logo hood with appropriate velvet trim.
• Master’s Set: Black gown, cap, hood with school‑logo & velvet trim, tassel and optional cords or stoles.
• Doctoral Regalia: Black gown (tam if applicable), hood with school‑logo & velvet trim, tassel, with on‑stage hooding.
• Honor & Affiliation Accessories: Honor cords, veteran cords, departmental cords or approved stoles for eligible students; these can be layered over the gown per SMC guidelines.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Saint Mary's College of California , 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.