Southwestern Community College (SWCC) holds commencement ceremonies annually for graduates completing programs in the previous academic year: fall, spring, or summer terms. The ceremonies are held in the Student Center gymnasium on the Creston campus with distinct sessions for different programs (e.g., nursing, career & technical education, arts and sciences).

To participate, students must submit a graduation application via the “SWCCyou” portal, ensure all academic and administrative requirements are met, and pick up their cap and gown from the Registrar’s Office during commencement week. Caps are worn squarely on the head with the tassel on the right side prior to ceremony.

At the ceremony, graduates line up in the Instructional Center (or gymnasium), then proceed in processional order. The cap and gown are mandatory — proper academic regalia is required for the stage walk and diploma presentation.

SWCC’s publicly available graduation policy states that students who achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher graduate **with honors**, and these students receive an honor cord at no extra fee to wear at the commencement ceremony. Additionally, members of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society — when eligible — may wear stoles and tassels signifying that honor; such items are obtained through the PTK website. Veteran graduates who indicated their status at admission may receive a red‑white‑blue cord for military service.

The publicly accessible SWCC documents do **not** include a comprehensive color‑coding chart for tassels, hoods, stoles or gowns tied to discipline, degree level, or faculty regalia. There is no mention of doctoral‑level regalia or special faculty robes on the SWCC Registrar pages. Therefore, it appears that SWCC uses a standard cap and gown set for all graduates, with additional honor cords or stoles only for recognized honors or veteran status — not as a function of academic discipline or degree level.

Official SWCC Academic Regalia — Graduation Gown & Cap Package

Celebrate your graduation from Southwestern Community College (Creston, Iowa) with the official academic regalia package — includes graduation gown and mortarboard cap as required for commencement. Honor cords or stoles awarded for academic excellence, PTK membership, or veteran status are supported.

• Graduation gown: standard academic gown required for SWCC commencement participation
• Graduation cap: mortarboard cap included
• Honor cord (if qualified): provided for graduates with GPA ≥ 3.5
• Optional honor‑society regalia: stoles and tassels for PTK members and veteran graduates
• Uniform regalia for all programs: same gown and cap set regardless of major or credential type, no publicly documented discipline‑specific tassel or hood colors

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Southwestern Community College (Creston, Iowa) , 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.