What to Expect on Commencement Day
Get ready to walk the stage with confidence! This quick video tells you everything you need to know before, during, and after your Trinity University commencement ceremony. From where to check in to how to find your family afterward, you’ll be set up for a smooth and celebratory experience.
In this video, you’ll learn:
- When and where to check in on commencement day
- What to bring (and what to leave with your family)
- How the ceremony flows, including tassel etiquette
- What to expect when your name is called and you cross the stage
- Where to reunite with your family after the ceremony
- Key reminders about policies, photos, and celebrations
Ceremony Guidelines
Formal Wear
The commencement ceremony is a traditional, formal exercise and as such should be conducted with dignity, splendor, and respect for fellow classmates and guests. Candidates should be dressed appropriately.
Personal Items
Graduates should leave purses and other valuables at home or with their guests—such items should not be carried in the processional or left in the assembly room. The University is not responsible for items left unattended.
Line of March
The marshals will place candidates in the correct marching order and show them the route to the ceremony. The marshal’s directions should be followed explicitly! Candidates should not try to keep in step with the music; rather, they should walk evenly and slowly using short steps and staying in single file. The distance between candidates should remain consistent and a sufficient pace maintained to prevent long gaps or jams from occurring in the line.
Regalia Information
Ordering
Order your cap & gown online through Herff-Jones by November 17. If you miss the deadline to order online, contact the Bookstore at 210-999-7028 or @email. Please direct any questions about cap & gown or Herff-Jones to the Bookstore.
Honor Stoles
Undergraduate candidates who meet the University’s requirements to receive Latin honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) ) will wear a stole symbolizing The President’s Award for Academic Excellence. Stoles will be distributed during the check-in process at the assembly room before the ceremony.
Adornments
The commencement ceremony recognizes primarily academic achievements. Cords may be worn to indicate membership in any University-recognized or University-sponsored group. While cords do not need prior approval, stoles must be approved by the Commencement and Convocation Committee at least 4 weeks prior to the ceremony.
Note: Once an adornment has been approved for a group, it does not need to be re-approved
Any decorations or messages added to the cap should be respectful of others and the university’s values and consistent with the celebratory nature of the ceremony. Added decorations or messages must not add height to the cap or impede the view of other participants or guests. Decorations or messages that do not fall within these guidelines may be removed by the University-appointed marshals on the day of commencement.
Please direct any questions about Adornments to Eve Christoffersen (@email).
Tickets
Degree candidates will have the opportunity to receive up to 20 tickets for the Winter Commencement ceremony. More information to come.
Diplomas
Official diplomas will be mailed to the address indicated by the candidate on the Application for Graduation (or the permanent address, if no address is indicated) approximately four to six weeks after the commencement ceremony. If this information needs to be updated, please do so by emailing the Registrar's Office at @email by December 26, 2025.
Live-Stream Information
Tiger Network
Graduation Photos
Photographs
Purchase your graduation photos from The Grad Team
All graduation photos taken by The Grad Team at the ceremony will be available online for purchase. Each graduate will receive an email with a link to their photos as soon as they are ready.
Strike a pose at our photo booth post-commencement!
Join us at Miller Fountain for some epic selfies, group shots, and memories with your squad and fam!