Sterling College Commencement & Academic Regalia Summary

Sterling College, a Christian liberal arts college in Sterling, Kansas, holds its annual commencement on the Saturday of graduation weekend, with graduates processing into the Gleason Center for the official ceremony. Students pick up their cap and gown during a designated distribution week at the Registrar’s office after paying the graduation fee.

For academic regalia, Sterling requires graduates to wear a standard gown, but the college’s publicly available policies do not specify distinctive gown colors by degree level. Their commencement FAQ makes no mention of color‑coded gowns, tassels, or hoods. Honor cords or stoles are not clearly documented in their online regalia guide or academic catalog, and Sterling’s style guide does not outline a formal color‑coding system for graduation accessories.

Sterling College’s Honors Program recognizes its students with a special medallion, which graduates may wear during the commencement ceremony, but the public catalog does not detail specific honor cord colors. This suggests that cords or stoles for Latin honors, honor societies, or student groups may be handled on a case-by-case basis or via external providers instead of a standardized institutional regalia color scheme.

Faculty participating in the ceremony wear standard academic robes aligned with traditional academic regalia practices. There is no publicly posted regulation on faculty hood trim or gown colors at Sterling, indicating a conventional but flexible approach to faculty regalia.

In summary, Sterling College’s commencement emphasizes community and tradition over heavily color-coded regalia. While the cap, gown, and tassel sets remain conventional and understated, the Honors Program medallion provides a distinct mark of achievement. The lack of detailed public documentation about cords or stole colors suggests that Sterling maintains a streamlined, modest academic dress practice.