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Academic Attire; Announcements; Diploma Frames for Class of 2025

Academic Attire

Academic Attire: The Roanoke College custom regalia package for BA, BS, and BBA graduates is approximately $72.00 ($56.05 plus taxes and shipping). While the deadline has passed to order the regalia from Oak Hall, we can assist seniors/graduates who missed the deadline. Please contact us at commencement@roanoke.edu. 

If a graduate is to receive Latin honors, those cords will be available through the Registrar's Office on Friday, May 2. For other cords and stoles, graduates should contact the advisors for honor societies and campus organizations to which they belong.

Instructions for wearing your academic attire (only worn on Saturday):

The Gown: You should remove your gown from its package and hang it up in advance of wearing it so the wrinkles will begin to drop from it. The gown is required at Commencement.

The Hood: Your hood should be worn draped around your neck with the largest portion of the hood hanging down your back. The velvet border, which indicates your specific field of study, should be folded to show on the outside. The velvet should fold under on the lower back to allow the colors of the College to show. To keep the  hood from being too tight against your neck, use the cord on the front to secure it to a button or pin it to your shirt underneath. The hood is required at Commencement.

The Cap: The cap should be positioned level on your head with the front point extending from the center of your forehead. It should not be worn towards the back of the head like a ball cap. Please use bobby pins if you need them to steady your cap. For the processional, the tassel is worn on the right side of the cap. When your degree is conferred, the tassel is moved to the left side of the cap. The cap is required at Commencement.

Cords and Stoles: If these have been approved (see "Stoles/Honor Cords" for list of all approved cords and stoles), they should be placed around your neck and hang down the front of your gown. They are placed beneath your hood.

Announcements (available for ordering in February):

Visit Balfour at https://www.balfour.com/roanoke to order announcements for your ceremony (scroll down the Balfour page to get to the announcement section--and choose "February through June" for Ceremony Month and then when personalizing the announcements, choose "February through June" under Ceremony Month for the May 3 date).

Diploma Frames:

Visit the Roanoke College Bookstore (online or in the Colket Center) for a variety of frames for your diploma.

Flowers (available for pre-order after February 21):

The Commencement Group, a flower company dedicated to providing flowers for sale at graduations, will offer flowers for the Roanoke College Commencement 2025. The company’s goal is to enable parents and guests to purchase quality flowers at an excellent price on such an important day. 

On May 3, a floral kiosk set up on the RC Back Quad.  The company will offer top-of-the-line quality, fresh-cut flowers in a large variety of colors and sizes.  The pricing is shown below:

½ dozen medium-stem roses: ($25.00)

Premium one-dozen long-stem roses (red, pink, yellow, or white): ($49.00)

All bouquets come with greenery and/or baby’s breath.

Note that flowers may be purchased on Saturday, May 4 on campus or purchased prior to Commencement at this website: https://www.thecommencementgroup.com/roanoke/