Suffolk University

Suffolk University in Boston hosts its annual commencement ceremonies for undergraduate, graduate, and law school students. The university’s Commencement Office provides a cap‑and‑gown ordering portal through Herff Jones, confirming that academic regalia is required for all participating graduates.

Graduates wear a standard graduation gown, likely in traditional black, paired with a classic mortarboard graduation cap. While Suffolk does not publicly disclose a detailed tassel‑color policy, the use of Herff Jones regalia suggests that tassels may follow conventional academic coloring or be a neutral tone, as dictated by the vendor.

Regarding academic honors, Suffolk University assigns graduation honors based on GPA: students may graduate with distinction (e.g., summa cum laude) when they fall into the top 3 percent of their class However, there’s no publicly available university‑wide policy describing specific **honor cords** or their colors for these distinctions.

Some graduates wear **stoles** or cords that represent membership in honor societies or student organizations. For instance, in the 2024 Law School commencement, graduates were seen wearing colorful stoles reflecting organization affiliations and cultural heritage. This suggests that while Suffolk doesn’t mandate a uniform stole color, it supports individual regalia that reflects student identity and achievement.

Faculty participating in the ceremony wear traditional academic regalia, including robes and hoods, consistent with their highest earned degree institution. Suffolk University does not appear to use a single, university‑specific color scheme for faculty regalia, so professors typically wear their degree-granting institution’s hood colors.

In summary, Suffolk University’s commencement attire follows a classic academic regalia format: black gown, mortarboard cap, and standard tassel via Herff Jones. Honors recognition is based on academic distinction, but specific cord or stole colors are not centrally governed and vary based on student organizations and societies. This flexible approach allows graduates to celebrate both academic achievement and personal identity during their formal ceremony.