Commencement
Commencement Information
RSVP for a Ceremony
Jefferson College will host two 2026 Commencement ceremonies in the Jefferson College Hillsboro Campus Field House honoring our candidates for Fall 2025, Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 graduation. Guests are limited to eight per student. No tickets are required.
For assistance with accessibility accommodations for you or your guests, please contact the Accessibility Resources Office (ARO) at (636) 481-3158.
Cap and Gown Information and Approved Apparel
The second deadline to pre-order your cap and gown was April 20th. If you did pre-order your cap and gown by the April 20th deadline, your cap and gown is available for pick up beginning April 29th at the location you chose when ordering your cap and gown (Hillsboro Campus Bookstore or the Arnold location front counter). If you did not order your cap and gown by April 20th, you can still reserve a cap and gown through the bookstore. Please complete this form to reserve your cap and gown ASAP. There will be no charges for your cap and gown as it is covered by your graduation fee. Graduates should wear only approved graduation apparel. No other pins, buttons, stoles, cords, or any other ornamentation is allowed. See the chart below for a complete list of approved graduation apparel:
| Students Graduating with Honors (3.50 or higher) | Gold Honor Cords |
| Honors Program Graduates | Purple Cords |
| Phi Theta Kappa | Stole/Cord/Tassel/Pin |
| Veteran or Military Service Member | Red-White-Blue Cord |
| National Student Leadership and Success | Black/Platinum Cord/Stole |
| Radiologic Technology Honor Society | Burgundy/Forest Green Cord |
| Nursing | Program Pins |
| Project SUCCESS/TRIO | Red Cord |
| Radiologic Technology | Program Pin |
| Early College Program Graduates | Royal Blue Cord |
| Veterinary Technology | Program Pin |
Graduates are allowed to tastefully decorate their caps, however any decoration deemed inappropriate by college staff will require replacement with a plain cap on the day of Commencement. Once you receive your cap and gown, try them on to be sure your cap fits and your gown zips and you received your tassel. It is strongly recommended you remove wrinkles by ironing on a low setting on the reverse side or steam lightly. Should you have any difficulties, please visit the Jefferson College Hillsboro bookstore prior to May 15th. You may also contact them at (636) 481-3290 or sm8494@bncollege.com.
Optional Commencement Rehearsal– Friday, May 15th
An optional Commencement rehearsal will be held Friday May 15th from 12:30 - 1:30 pm - Hillsboro Campus Field House Gym Floor. Rehearsal is not required. If you do not attend rehearsal, arrive at the Field House one hour prior to ceremony time. Please allow extra time for parking and traffic. See information below.
Commencement Day – Parking/Traffic
Graduates should report to the Field House one hour prior to the ceremony time. Please account for heavy traffic and parking. All graduates and guests will be directed to enter the campus via Mel Carnahan Drive by Viking Woods housing. Security will be directing traffic. You will be guided to park in the Red, Orange, Blue, then Green (if necessary) parking lots. A shuttle will be circulating parking lots to provide rides to the Field House. Limited accessible parking will be available in the Red parking lot for those vehicles with an accessible placard or who have made prior arrangements with Accessibility Resource Office staff (ARO). Staff will be circulating the Red parking lot in golf carts to provide accessible assistance. Doors to the Field House will open one hour before each ceremony. For assistance with accessibility accommodations for you or your guests, please contact the Accessibility Resources Office (ARO) at (636) 481-3158.
Commencement Day – Arrival time and Line-Up Instructions
- Field House doors will be open one hour prior to ceremony time. Graduates must be in line at least 45 minutes prior to the ceremony start time. Due to heavy traffic and parking, please allow for plenty of time to make your way to the Field House.
- Graduates should leave your keys/personal items with your guests as there will be no secure area for these belongings. Please silence all phones.
- Graduates are to report to the lower-level multipurpose room and move through the hallways to line up in alphabetical order. Look for signs on the walls and communicate with other graduates in line to be sure you are lined up in alpha order. Graduates with the last names beginning with A-L (blue line) will follow the blue line and graduates with last names beginning with M-Z (red line) will follow the red line. Staff in red shirts will be in the hallways to assist you.
- Summa Cum Laude grads (4.0 GPA) will line up in front of the blue line (before the A’s) regardless of the last name and will sit in the front rows on the floor.
- You will be handed an index card with your name on it. It is important to hold onto this card! You will take it with you when you approach the stage and hand it to the speaker who will be announcing your name.
- Staff line workers will assist you and remind you of what is expected. When the music begins, graduates will move single file onto the gym floor. Please walk very slowly.
- As graduates enter the gym floor, a person counting will be handing some graduates a slip of paper which states “Start a New Row”. Graduates handed this slip of paper should show the staff member on the floor assisting with seating so they know to direct you to start a new row.
- Remain standing during the processional and for the National Anthem.
- When directed to approach the stage, stand and exit your row to your left. Remember to take your name card with you. Line up and approach the stairs to the stage. Wait on top stair until your name is called. You will be handed a diploma cover, a photographer will take your picture and you will continue across the stage and exit on the opposite side. Another photo will be taken. Staff will be directing you through this process.
- Do not leave any personal items on your seat as you may not return to your same seat.
- Summa Cum Laude grads (4.0 GPA) sitting in the front rows will be announced last.
Commencement Day – Recessional Instructions
When all graduates have received their diploma cover and the ceremony closes, staff will release one row at a time into the front lobby or outside on the patio. Please continue to exit out the doors to keep the line moving. Proceed to meet your guests in the lobby and out in front of the Field House.
After Commencement Information
- Refer to the Commencement program on ordering photos from Grad Images.
- Spring final grades will be visible and posted to your transcript on Wednesday, May 20th.
- Certificates and degrees will be posted and diplomas will be mailed out approximately at the end of June for spring graduates and by the end of August for summer graduates. If you are interested in picking up your diploma rather than receiving via mail, please contact Lynda Ferguson at (636) 481-3205 or lfergus1@jeffco.edu.
- Be sure to pay all outstanding balances to the college. For questions, you may contact the Cashier at (636) 481-3123.
- Transcripts: You may order a transcript at any time via the Jefferson College website by searching “transcripts”. Important: if it is necessary, choose to “wait until degree is posted” so transcripts are not sent out prior to your degree posting.
If you have questions, please contact Enrollment Services at (636) 481-3205.
Congratulations, graduates!
Thank you for supporting your family member or friend, and Jefferson College graduate!
Ceremony Information
Jefferson College will host two 2026 Commencement ceremonies on May 16, 2026. Ceremonies will begin at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm in the Jefferson College Hillsboro Campus Field House. Ceremonies will last approximately 75 minutes.
Guests are limited to eight per student. No tickets are required.
Field House doors will be open one hour prior to ceremony time. Graduates must be in line at least 45 minutes prior to the ceremony start time. Due to heavy traffic and parking, please allow for plenty of time to make your way to the Field House.
Flower bouquets will be available for purchase outside the Field House the day of Commencement.
Accessibility and Accommodations
For assistance with accessibility and special accommodations for you or your guests, please contact the Accessibility Resources Office (ARO) at (636) 481-3158. If seating accommodations are made, see the ARO table (with purple tablecloth) near the left entrance of the Field House.
Accessible parking will be located in the Red parking lot. Police officers and security will be stationed in the parking lots to direct traffic.
Parking and Traffic
All traffic will be directed to enter the campus via Mel Carnahan Drive by Viking Woods housing. Police and security will be directing traffic. You will be guided to park in the Red, Orange, Blue, then Green (if necessary) parking lots. A shuttle will make two stops (blue parking lot and green parking lot) to provide rides to the Field House. Limited accessible parking will be available in the Red parking lot for those vehicles with an accessible placard or who have made prior arrangements with Accessibility Resource Office staff (ARO).
Two Ceremonies
Full-time Faculty and Certified Professional should have already registered to participate in one of the two ceremonies unless excused by Dr. McCaffrey. Ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 16th 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. Ceremonies will be held in the Jefferson College Hillsboro Campus Field House. If you have not RSVP’d for a ceremony, please complete this form.
Regalia
Bring your regalia with you. If you are still in need of regalia, please reach out to the Bookstore Manager, Meghan Sprung. You can reach Meghan Sprung in person at the Hillsboro campus bookstore, by email at msprung@bncollege.com, or by phone at (636) 481-3253. While it may be too late to order and receive appropriate hoods, the Bookstore may be able to supply you with a black cap and gown.
Parking
All traffic will be directed through the Viking Woods entrance, Mel Carnahan Drive, to the Orange, Red, Blue then Green parking lots. Due to heavy traffic, plan accordingly to allow for plenty of time. Please do not bring bags/purses into the Field House as there is no secure area for storage. Please bring with you only items you can carry in a pocket. Security will be directing traffic in the parking lots. A shuttle will be circulating parking lots to provide rides to the Field House. Pick up locations will be in the blue lot circle drive, then when full, the green lot by Automotive garage doors. Limited accessible parking will be available in the red parking lot for those vehicles with an accessible placard or who have made prior arrangements with Accessibility Resource Office staff (ARO). For assistance with accessibility accommodations for you or your guests, please contact the Accessibility Resources Office at (636) 481-3158.
Arrival/Check In
All full-time Faculty and Certified Professional staff participating in the ceremony (walking in the processional) should report to the Multipurpose Room in the lower level of the Field House for check in and line-up. Faculty/Certified Professional staff should be in line 30 minutes prior to your assigned ceremony. Staff will be present to check you in and line you up. Please account for heavy traffic an parking time.
Line-Up/Processional
After reporting to the check-in station in the Multipurpose Room in the lower level of the Field House, you are welcome to relax until line-up. You may line-up/sit next to whomever you wish. All Faculty and Certified Professional staff will line up at the beginning of the BLUE line after Administration and the Board members. Administration/Board members and Faculty Marshals will lead the processional. The 2026 marshals are Kathy Johnson and Sarah Schlereth.
The first half of the group will be counted off and instructed to sit on the EAST side (when facing the stage, this will be on the left). The second half will be instructed to begin sitting on the WEST side (when facing the stage it will be on the right). Faculty and Certified Professional staff will be seated in rows of four on each side of the graduates (see diagram below). This is a simple process and a faculty marshal or a worker in a red vest will assist you on the floor. Please keep a very slow pace as entering the gym floor. Remain standing once you get to your seat. Graduates will sit in the center of the floor in rows of ten. See floor diagram below. You will be sitting in the yellow highlighted areas. Thank you to our faculty marshals, Sarah Schlereth and Kathy Johnson, who will be guiding you through this process. Please do not worry about this process. It is simple an we have marshals to be sure you are doing what you need to.
Recessional
When the ceremony is over, Faculty/Certified Professional Staff will be released one row at a time. The west side will exit out into the lobby. The east side will exit straight out the patio doors in the back of the gym. Staff will be guiding you. Please continue to move forward so the recessional lines keep moving. You are free to leave at this point.
Other Information
The Early Childhood Center has agreed to provide free childcare for Commencement workers/participants. If you are interested in using this service, please contact Stephanie Cage at scage@jeffco.edu or ext. 3298 by Thursday, May 14th.
All rented caps and gowns should be turned in to the Bookstore by Thursday, May 21st.
Final Grades are due by noon on Tuesday, May 19th.
Please contact Stacey Wilson, Registrar/Commencement Coordinator, with questions at swilson@jeffco.edu or (636) 481-3207.
Photography at Commencement
Professional Photographers (Grad Images) will take photos of graduates on and off the stage. Information regarding how to order photos will be available on the Commencement webpage after the ceremonies. You will also receive Grad Images order information in your commencement program.
General Accessibility Information
If a graduate or guest requires special parking, seating or sign language interpretation, please reach out directly to our Accessibility Resource Office for accommodations at aro@jeffco.edu or (636) 481-3158.
