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Mars Hill University is excited to announce event details for our recognition of spring 2026 graduates.
Spring Commencement:
Commencement is the paramount academic ceremony, and participants are expected to demonstrate their respect for the event and its significance by wearing appropriate attire beneath their regalia. Graduates should arrive dressed in your academic regalia – undergraduates: cap, gown, and tassel; graduate students: wear cap, gown, and tassel, and carry your hood. Only students with appropriate regalia will be permitted to walk. Graduates should dress up – Business Professional: dress pants, dress shirt, tie, dress shoes , dress pants/skirt, a nice blouse, or a dress. Students interested in wearing heels – please take note that there are a lot of stairs (our stage steps are fairly steep) and walking involved in the ceremony. No jeans, t-shirts, sweatpants, pajamas, or other causal clothing items.
Bachelor’s degree graduates participating in the December or May commencement ceremony must wear appropriate regalia consisting of gown, mortarboard, and tassel purchased from the Mars Hill University Bookstore. Graduates keep their regalia following commencement. Regalia from other ceremonies is not permitted. A graduate in active military service at the time of commencement may wear the appropriate dress uniform in lieu of regalia but must drape the academic gown over his or her forearm when crossing the stage to receive a diploma. Graduates’ tassels are colored according to the degree earned:
Graduates who earn “Latin honors” (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) also wear a second tassel in institutional blue and gold provided by the university. During the ceremony, tassels must be worn on the right side of the mortarboard until graduates are directed to move them to the left side by the president.
A graduate who is a member of Alpha Chi (traditional students) or Alpha Sigma Lambda (nontraditional students) may wear that organization’s honor cord over his or her regalia during commencement.
Alpha Chi cords and Honors stoles will be given out at line-up prior to commencement. Information on procuring Alpha Sigma Lambda chords can be obtained from Sarah Burnette (sarah_burnette@mhu.edu).
Graduates who have successfully completed the university’s Honors Program curriculum wear a gold stole at Commencement in addition to any other recognitions. Latin Honor Tassels, Heritage Cords, Class Gift Cords, Alpha Sigma Lambda cords, and Honor Program stoles will all be given to graduates in the Tony and Terry Floyd Conference Center in the campus center. Graduates may wear other cords or stoles but the university will not recognize other organizations in the program (e.g., sororities, fraternities, National Society of Leadership and Success, student athlete, etc.).
Graduates who give $20.26 toward the Senior Class Gift will receive a blue and gold philanthropy cord to wear during the ceremony.
Mars Hill Univerity holds two commencement exercises each academic year: one in December for students who complete their degree requirements in August or December, and one in May for those who finish in the spring.