Spring 2026 Master’s Commencement Ceremony Information for Students

In order for you to be eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony and for your name to appear in the program, you must submit your graduation application before April 1, 2026. After April 1, graduation applications will still be accepted; however, your name will not appear in the program.

This is an online application that you can access from your Student Webservices Landing Page.  A diploma application fee of $5.00 will be charged to your student bill when you submit your diploma application.  A step-by-step video demonstrating where to locate and how to submit the online diploma application is available on the Registrar’s Office website.

For any issues or questions, please email graduation@oneonta.edu or visit the Office of the Registrar, Rm. 216, Sherman Hall.

A cap and gown are required to participate in the ceremony. They are available Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Red Dragon Outfitters.

If financial assistance is needed to acquire a cap and gown, please email Aolat.Salami@oneonta.edu.

You can access your guest tickets by going to oneonta.universitytickets.com starting on May 1, 2026. Each graduate will be provided with six guest tickets.

1. Log in (upper right corner) with your Oneonta credentials. As long as it is after May 1, 2026, you should see “Spring ’26 Commencement” under the list of upcoming events.
2. Select “Master’s Ceremony”.
3. Click on the “Get Tickets” button. *
   1. * If you see the following message, “These tickets are limited to specific users based on their login. See event details for further information,” then you should check with the Registrar’s Office to make sure that your diploma/graduation application has been submitted properly and processed. You can also come to GradHQ with questions.
4. On the next screen, you will see the full description and a green bar that says, “Ticket Options.” Use the drop-down box to select the number of tickets you would like (up to the maximum). Then click “select seats.”
5. Review your request to make sure it is correct and select “Checkout.”
6. This brings up your confirmation. You can click either of the green buttons at the top of your order details to send all of your tickets electronically via mobile (to yourself or someone else) or to download them as a .pdf to print out. You can also click the cell phone icon or .pdf icon next to each ticket in the list to share/download them one by one.
7. It is up to you to distribute your tickets to your guests, either electronically or printed. Each ticket has a unique barcode, so you must distribute a separate ticket to each of your guests. The same ticket cannot be used by more than one person. The barcodes will be scanned at the doors to the ceremony. Once a barcode is scanned, no one else can use that barcode. Anyone who tries to use a ticket with a barcode that has already been scanned will not be able to enter. Guests cannot get tickets from anyone but you. Please confirm with your guests that they have received the ticket(s) you share with them.

Please visit GradHQ (Monday, 5/11, through Thursday, 5/14, 10 AM to 2:30 PM, and Friday, 5/15, 10 AM to 4 PM, International Lounge, Hunt Union) if you would like assistance with this process. We are glad to help and want to make this day of celebration as easy as possible for you.

The SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association recognizes students who go above and beyond by supporting the Fund for Oneonta through their Class Gift. Every dollar donated to the Fund for Oneonta provides need-based scholarships and access to professional development and career readiness programs.

SUNY Oneonta students and alumni have a long history of giving back to help students achieve their own dreams. In the spirit of this tradition, we encourage all graduating students to make their Class Gift to the Fund for Oneonta and earn their limited-edition item to wear at Commencement. All student donors will be invited to attend the 2nd Annual Student Donor Banquet on May 8, 2026.

To attend the banquet, donations must be made by May 4, 2026. All other donations from graduating students can be made until May 14, 2026.

During the Spring semester, students can receive their limited-edition item immediately when making their gift by emailing the Fund for Oneonta to arrange pickup, or by picking it up at GradHQ.

Make your gift today to be part of the legacy for generations to come!

For questions or more information, contact:

Essence Delmonte
Fund for Oneonta
Essence.Delmonte@oneonta.edu
607-436-2572
Alumni Hall, 029

Commencement is an official academic ceremony that celebrates the accomplishments of all students who have completed the requirements of their degrees at SUNY Oneonta. In recognition of the significance of commencement, all SUNY Oneonta commencement ceremony participants are required to wear full academic regalia – gown, cap, and tassel (and hood for those holding or earning master’s or doctoral degrees).

To maintain a professional, consistent, ceremonial academic atmosphere while respecting the diverse identities and traditions of all graduating students, all commencement participants must wear full University-approved academic regalia. (Special exceptions include religious officials and military service members who may wear traditional/customary ministerial robes and military service dress uniforms, respectively.)

These procedures apply to all ceremony participants, including:

• Students/Graduates
• Faculty and Staff
• Vice Presidents and Administrators
• President

Procedures

All ceremony participants are required to wear the appropriate academic regalia in concordance with their degree to participate in commencement ceremonies. (see degree-specific information below)

Wearing and adorning gowns:

• Gowns are to remain formal, with no non-academic embellishments/decorations. Gowns must remain zippered for the duration of the ceremony.
• Graduates can wear honor cords, stoles and medals depicting official university and/or department recognitions, or national organization honors. Award pins from organizations are worn on clothes, not academic robes.

Wearing and decorating caps/mortarboards:

• Graduates may decorate the top of their mortar board.
• Only the top of the mortar board may be decorated. Decorations must remain flat (not increase the height of the cap) so they don’t obstruct the view of other participants.
• Only the traditional tassel may hang down from any sides of the cap.
• It is appropriate for mortarboard decorations to have expressions of well-wishes and gratitude or affiliation with campus sanctioned organizations.
• Decorations should be tasteful and cannot contain advertisements, promote disruptive behavior, reference illegal activities, contain obscenities or slurs, or threaten the safety and welfare of others.
• The cap should be worn flat on the head, so the mortarboard remains parallel to the ground. Do not lean it backwards or sideways – it must not impede the view of those behind you and will be more likely to fall off.

Master's Academic Regalia

• Includes master's gown, master's hood with identifying discipline color, black mortarboard, and tassel.

All commencement ceremony participants should secure regalia from the Red Dragon Outfitters according to the deadlines listed on their website. Costs for commencement regalia are the responsibility of each graduate. Faculty and staff participants are responsible for securing their own regalia – if needed, gowns, hoods, tams, and more are available for rent or purchase through Red Dragon Outfitters.

The University reserves the right to require ceremony participants remove any adornments or modifications to regalia that are not in alignment with the above procedures before they can participate in the Commencement ceremony.

Hooding Instructions for Master’s Graduates

Step 1: Enter the Stage

1. With your cap off, enter from the right side of the stage (you will be directed by a volunteer when to come forward).
2. Drape your hood over your right arm, with the point facing inward and the velvet trim near your hand.
3. Hand the index card with your name to the reader.

Step 2: Present Your Hood

1. When your name is called, walk to the marked “X” and present your hood to the faculty member.
2. Turn to face the audience as the faculty member places and adjusts the hood over your head.
3. Once hooded, place your cap back on.

Step 3: Shake Hands with the President

1. Move forward to shake hands with the President and receive your diploma cover.

Step 4: Check-In Reminder

1. Instructions will be given upon check-in at 4:00 p.m. in IRC 3, prior to lining up for the ceremony.

A rehearsal video with instructions will be available for viewing by May 1, 2026.

On Commencement Day, Friday, May 15:

• Arrive to campus early. You will be directed to the nearest open parking lot.
• Graduates check in one-hour prior to the ceremony:
  • Master's degree candidates must check in IRC-3 one hour before the ceremony starts. Here you will line up in alphabetical order within your academic department and get ready to process into the ceremony.
• You must come dressed in your cap and gown and your hood prepared. You will not be able to leave any personal items. Any bags or belongings will have to be carried in with you to the field house. We recommend you only bring essential items.
• Guests report to the Alumni Field House or IRC:
  • Guests with tickets will be able to enter the Alumni Field House up to one hour before your ceremony begins. Only guests with tickets will be permitted to enter the Alumni Field House.
    • Non-ticket-holders will be able to watch a live stream of the ceremony on campus in IRC, room 3. The live stream will also be accessible from the commencement webpage for any friends or family who want to watch from home.
• Celebrate on social media!

What to Bring

• Your regalia. (see regalia procedures above)
• Comfortable shoes that you can walk, stand and navigate stairs in. You will be walking to Alumni Field House and standing for several minutes at a time before and during the ceremony.

What Not to Bring

• Bags/backpacks, bulky jackets, or other unnecessary items. You cannot leave any items in the area where you line up. We do not recommend you bring bags or other items as these will have to be carried with you during the processional and stored under your chair during the ceremony.
• Signs, banners/flags, selfie sticks or any other objects that might block the view of others or interrupt the ceremony. These are not permitted in the Alumni Field House.
• Noisemakers of any kind or balloons. These are not permitted in the Alumni Field House.
• Alcoholic beverages. Alcohol (including champagne) of any kind is not permitted anywhere on campus.

• Light refreshments will be served in the President’s Garden, between (or just outside) the Milne Library and the Chase Physical Education buildings, after the ceremony, compliments of the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association.
• Refreshments will be on sale at Starbucks in the Hunt Union from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.