Commencement Frequently Asked Questions

• Commencement day check-in is in the Field House gym at 9:30 am. Please wear comfortable shoes, as you will be standing while waiting to process.
• You will be given a card with your name on it, and your name will be announced on stage as it appears on the card.
• Cords of recognition (gold for highest honors 3.90 or higher*; red, white & blue for veterans) will be provided at check-in at the Field House on the morning of commencement.
• Faculty marshals will lead the procession lines and direct you to your seat. Please follow the person ahead of you.
• You will be asked to proceed row by row to the stage, where you will hand your card to the reader.
• At the end of the ceremony, faculty, staff, trustees, and the platform party will form a recessional on the walkway to congratulate graduates, weather permitting.

* For Board-certified programs.

The Commencement Ceremony will be live streamed with closed captioning accessible to view on personal mobile devices. On the day of Commencement, the livestream will be available on the main Commencement webpage with links for additional viewing options.

Additional guests without tickets are invited to watch the ceremony live in the College’s Buckley Performing Arts Center Theater, just steps away from the commencement tent. Additionally, the ceremony will be livestreamed on this webpage during the event.

Honors Cords

Massasoit Community College awards cords to students based on the following criteria:

Gold: Highest Honors, cumulative GPA of 3.9 – 4.0

Gold and white: High Honors, cumulative GPA of 3.7 – 3.89

Gold, white, and navy: Honors, cumulative GPA of 3.3 – 3.69

Red, white, and blue: in honor of our Veteran students

Stoles & Other Cords

Some students are wearing stoles and other cords denoting a different affiliation they may have. These include membership in the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, Black graduates, LGBTQIA+ graduates, and those in certain academic programs.

The College respectfully requests that graduates only wear stoles and cords provided to them by the College or affiliated programs.

Students will only receive a diploma cover on Commencement Day. Actual diplomas will be mailed to each graduate 6 to 8 weeks after Commencement. If your conferral date is in August, you will receive your diploma 6 to 8 weeks after the month has ended.

The Class of 2025 is comprised of students whose degree conferral dates include August 2024, January 2025, May 2025, and expected August 2025, with the exclusion of those who participated in the May 2024 Commencement or June 2024 Graduate Celebrations. Reminder, August 2024 graduates who participated in the May 2024 Commencement, but not the June 2024 Graduate Celebrations are not eligible to participate in the 2025 Commencement.

Questions about your graduation status, incomplete grades, ineligibility to graduate, etc. should be addressed to the Registrar’s Office at 508-588-9100, extension 1949.

Students needing no more than two courses to complete their program requirements may request permission to participate in Commencement. You must be registered for your remaining course(s) in the Summer Semester. Contact your advisor to complete the permission form. If you are approved, you can participate fully in the ceremony but will not receive your diploma until all remaining courses are completed with passing grades and your degree and/or certificate has officially been conferred in August.

A professional photographer will take several photographs of graduates receiving their diplomas. There is no obligation to purchase. Graduates can register their email address prior to Commencement to receive a discount off their purchase(s). Visit gradimages.com, click on pre-registration, and type Massasoit to get the registration page.

Bags & Strollers

Large bags, backpacks, and containers will not be allowed in the immediate Commencement area. Members of the community requesting access to the Commencement area with these items will be asked to voluntarily return the items to their vehicle or be denied access to the event.

Strollers are not permitted in the tent area. Guests will be asked to leave strollers outside of the tent entrance.

Restrooms

Portable restrooms are located within the immediate Commencement area, including accessible portable restrooms.

Parking

All parking lots will be open for use, except for Lot 1 and 1A. Carts will be available for transportation to and from the parking lots for those guests needing assistance.

A reception will immediately follow the Commencement ceremony. (Outside near tent, in the Field House only if there is inclement weather.)

In the event of an unforeseen cancellation, the College will have contingency plans in place.

Your diploma will be mailed to you 6 to 8 weeks after Commencement. If your conferral date is in August, you will receive your diploma 6 to 8 weeks after the month has ended.