Stephen F. Austin State University Commencement & Academic Regalia Summary

Stephen F. Austin State University holds its commencement ceremonies with a formal yet modern academic dress tradition. According to the Registrar’s office, all degree candidates must wear the “appropriate academic regalia” for their ceremony. The university’s regalia policy, updated in spring 2021, features a custom black gown with purple‑banded sleeves, distinctive piping, and an embroidered SFA logo on both sleeves — reflecting SFA school identity.

Graduates wear a **purple stole** as part of their package; the stole is included in the official regalia set, and students are allowed to decorate it. The cap is a standard mortarboard, and the **tassel is purple**, featuring a custom SFA seal drop. At the moment of degree conferral, candidates move the tassel from the right to the left, in a symbolic gesture of graduation.

For master’s and doctoral students, SFA provides a black gown (for master’s) and a hood that reflects their field of study. The *hood lining* uses the university’s colors — purple crossed with white — while the *velvet border* indicates the student’s academic discipline, such as “maize” for agriculture or “science gold” for science fields.

Regarding **honor cords and stoles**, SFA’s official guide says that students can order honor cords in any color through their vendor of choice — the Registrar does not restrict or centrally manage cord colors. Additional stoles may be offered by campus organizations, but beyond the standard purple stole, no single uniform color scheme is mandated. Faculty participating in commencement wear traditional academic robes, though there’s no publicly documented color‑coding for faculty hoods or facings. Overall, SFA’s commencement regalia blends institutional branding (purple accents), academic tradition, and flexibility for student organizations.