Commencement Traditions

The Ceremonial Mace

Tracing roots back to 11th-century royal protection, the mace is carried by the Faculty Senate chair to symbolize the scholarship, integrity, and respect of those who follow.

Academic Regalia: Cap, Gown, and Hood

Academic regalia (American academic dress) is also a relic of the Middle Ages when scholars wore wool or fur hooded cloaks to stay warm in the drafty, unheated stone buildings where they studied.

The Cap

The academic cap is a symbol of the freedom of scholarship as well as the responsibility and dignity with which scholarship endows the wearer. A long tassel is fastened to the middle point of the top of the cap only and is moved from right to left upon graduation. The color of the tassel on the cap denotes the school colors of black and gold.

The Gown

Symbolic of the democracy of scholarship, the gown covers any dress denoting rank or social standing. It is most often black, with pointed sleeves for the bachelor’s degree; oblong sleeves for the master’s degree; and round, open sleeves for the doctoral degree. Doctoral degree gowns are also faced with colorful velvet panels corresponding with the course of study.

The Hood

The hood is the most distinctive feature of American academic dress, which, through color and design, may indicate the wearer’s degree and institution at which the degree was earned. Hoods are lined with the colors of the institution and trimmed to correspond with the degree discipline. The length of the hood varies by academic degree.

Graduation With Honors

Latin honors are awarded to students who have achieved one of the following GPAs:

Cum Laude (Bronze) 3.50 to 3.69

Magna Cum Laude (Silver) 3.70 to 3.89

Summa Cum Laude (Gold) 3.90 to 4.00

Color Guard

A military or civil service color guard displays and escorts the national flag on ceremonial occasions and at official state functions. Color teams evolved from the custom of carrying the colors onto the battlefield during the 18th and 19th centuries to identify the location of combatants and to inspire pride and confidence in them. Nevada State College honors this tradition to empower new graduates to succeed in their future campaigns.

National Anthem Performers

Trixia Peña Dela Rosa

Trixia Peña Dela Rosa, known as “Trixie” to friends and family, is a nursing student with a passion for musical theater. She recently played the role of Bun Foo in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and is graduating with a degree in nursing with a minor in psychology. Trixia sang the national anthem at the Orleans Arena for her high school graduation ceremony in 2015 and is honored to be performing the anthem once again on the same stage.

Janesis Ethina Plascencia

Janesis Ethina Plascencia is a wife, a mother of two, a student, and a woman with a career. After making the decision to return to college in 2018, she is now graduating with a bachelor’s degree in deaf studies and minors in interpreting and sociology. She thanks her family for their love and support while she worked full time and completed her degree.