Commencement 2025

All students on track to complete their degree and certificate programs by August 2025 and all those who completed their programs in December 2024 may attend the ceremony.

Caps and gowns are free. You must order them online because you need to provide your size.

• Order by April 4 for free delivery to the bookstore.
• Order by April 30 and pay $15.95 for delivery to your home.

The link for ordering your cap and gown is in the commencement signup form.

Register and order now

If you already filled out the registration form but didn't order your cap and gown, visit the cap and gown ordering site.  Please note: There may be connectivity issues if you order while on the FLCC network. If this happens, try to order while using a different network.

Reporting for the Lineup

Graduates should report at noon to the second-floor landing of the main campus to receive cards with their degree information. You will give this card to the speaker when you cross the stage.

Staff will assign students to a waiting area based on the academic department that corresponds with their degree. (Example: Psychology majors are part of the social science department.) When the processional is about to begin, staff will direct students to form a line and proceed out of the main campus building to the CMAC bridge.

The Ceremony

During the ceremony, the emcee will tell students to stand to be recognized by the president of the college. At that point, you will be directed to walk up the east ramp of CMAC stage with your card. When it is your turn, walk toward the president who will hand you your diploma and shake your hand. You may pause and look out at the audience so your family can take a photo.

Please proceed to the photo backdrop for a professional photo by GradImages. See below for details about the option to purchase GradImage photos.

Honor Guard and Reception

After you cross the stage, please return to your seat and wait for all the graduates to cross the stage. At that point, the emcee will tell you to move your tassel from the right to the left of your mortarboard. The ceremony will end with students walking through an honor guard of faculty and staff, which is a longstanding FLCC tradition.

After you walk through the honor guard, you and your guests are welcome to attend the free reception in the large tent on the west side of CMAC (on the left as you face the stage). In the event of severe weather, the reception may be moved to the Student Center café. (The tent is about midway between the A parking lot and G parking lot. After dropping off graduates or mobility-impaired guests, families may wish to park in the G lot to avoid traffic departing from the main lot.)

You will receive a diploma cover at the ceremony. Your diploma will come in the mail.

• Diplomas for May graduates are mailed by the end of June.
• Diplomas for August graduates are mailed by the end of September.

Park in the A, B, or G lot. Please allow time to walk from the parking lot to CMAC. There is no shuttle service to CMAC.

There will be a drop-off area next to CMAC for people with disabilities. However, some walking is still required to get to the seating area. Families with members who have limited mobility should plan ahead and consider bringing a wheelchair and designating a member of the family to push the wheelchair. FLCC will have a limited number of wheelchairs to help visitors get from parking areas to their seats; guests may not keep the wheelchairs through the ceremony.

If you have specific needs, please describe them on the commencement form.

Restrooms are available on the CMAC grounds (look for signs pointing to a separate building located to the left as you face the stage).

Driving Directions & Maps 

Photographers from GradImages^® will be at the ceremony and will take a posed photograph of each graduate in front of a backdrop.

To order photos: Within five to seven days after commencement, graduates will receive an order form by email or postal mail with free passport-sized digital proofs. Orders may be placed online at www.gradimages.com or by calling 1-800-261-2576.

Pre-register: Graduates may pre-register online at www.gradimages.com to receive an email as soon as their photos are available for viewing and ordering.

Guests may take their own photos and/or video from the designated area to the left of graduate seating as you face the stage. Please keep your time in the photo area brief so all families can capture this moment.

Academic regalia serves as a symbol of student accomplishments. The cap, gown, and hood indicate the academic degree earned by the wearer. The color of the tassel represents the field of the degree earned. Some students also wear cords or stoles to show their commitment to certain clubs or organizations. At FLCC, these clubs and organizations include:

• AALANA — Green, gold, and red cords, and officers wear a black stole with green, gold, and red writing
• Active Minds — Blue and green cords
• Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) — Dark blue cords
• Honors Studies — Blue, gold, and green cords
• Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society — Blue and gold cords, and officers wear gold stoles with the Phi Theta Kappa crest
• Queer Pride Alliance (QPA) — Blue, lavender, and green cords
• Student Corporation — Officers wear blue stoles with the Student Corporation crest
• Veterans — Red, white, and blue cords