Graduate Commencement

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Global Online students should choose the California campus in the Respond Now survey unless you prefer to participate at Clarion or Edinboro, please indicate which campus ceremony location you will participate in the survey.

View our Colleges and Departments page.

The ceremony typically lasts approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. It includes a welcome address, conferral of degrees, recognition of individual graduates by name, and the presentation of diploma covers. Doctoral and Master’s candidates will also be hooded during the ceremony.  

No, attendance at commencement is optional and does not affect the awarding of your degree or diploma.

Participation in a commencement ceremony does not guarantee confirmation of your degree completion.

The closest large airport to each PennWest campus is Pittsburgh International Airport. For those traveling to PennWest Edinboro, Erie International Airport is a smaller option nearby.

Graduates will receive a diploma cover during the Commencement ceremony, which contains information regarding their official diploma. Diplomas will be mailed to graduates approximately one month after completion of degree requirements and degrees are conferred.

Participation in a commencement ceremony does not guarantee confirmation of your degree completion.

There is considerable amount of walking to the Commencement venues and during the ceremony. Alternate accessibility arrangements for Commencement activities should be made to your campus Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD).

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California    Clarion    Edinboro

All guests must have a ticket to attend Commencement on each campus (guests 2 years old or younger do not need a ticket). The maximum amount of guest tickets available to each graduate is based on the size of the graduating class and the size of the venue on each campus.

‍Graduates will receive guest ticketing allotment and ordering information from commencementceremony@pennwest.edu sent to their PennWest email. (Guest tickets are no charge and can only be ordered/provided by the graduate through the electronic ticketing process.)

Are your guests unable to attend? No problem! Your family and friends can livestream the commencement ceremony from anywhere!

View Livestream

Guests With Disabilities

There is considerable amount of walking to the Commencement venues and to the venue seating. Our Commencement guests are offered parking closer to the venue as it is available and offered accessibility seating at the ceremony in order of arrival (one companion per guest in accessibility seating). Guest accommodations cannot be reserved in advance. University Police will be available to direct guests where to park and where to drop off those who need assistance.

Each campus will have a commencement rehearsal and a President’s Celebration event the day before Commencement. Rehearsal and Celebration events are optional for graduates but may be helpful to assist students with getting more comfortable with the Commencement venue and program order.

Can’t attend? No problem! All graduates walking at Commencement will receive all needed information via their PennWest email prior to Commencement and will also be directed by our staff and faculty when they arrive at Commencement and throughout the ceremony.

Student Commencement Ceremony Rehearsals:

Commencement celebrations are formal events for our graduates, staff, faculty, and honored guests.

Master's and Doctoral candidates must wear an academic robe and must purchase an academic hood for “hooding” during the ceremony.

Doctoral graduates must purchase an academic robe and an academic hood and cap online, they are not available at the bookstores.

Each campus Follett Bookstore can answer all your regalia (cap, gown, tassel, hood) questions, will have approved undergraduate and master’s regalia available on site and during the Grad Fair (see Grad Fair information below), as well as offers a convenient online ordering option for purchasing/delivery to your residence or campus Bookstore.

Regalia Online Ordering Deadline: November 16, 2025

Regalia Ordering

Bookstore contacts for regalia questions:

• California: 724-938-5575 or 0358mgr@follett.com
• Clarion: 814-393-2696 or 2363mgr@follett.com
• Edinboro: 814-732-2456 or 2364mgr@follett.com

PennWest Grad Fairs

Representatives from across university departments and regalia consultants will be in attendance to aid with your academic graduation and Commencement ceremony questions, as well as games, refreshments, and prizes!

Decorating Caps

We kindly ask that personal modifications to the mortarboards (caps) be limited to those expressing well-wishes and gratitude or affiliation with sanctioned organizations. Students are not permitted to have unacceptable decorations, offensive language, or inappropriate images on the mortar boards. Students who do not follow these guidelines will be given a new mortarboard to wear.

PennWest will offer a digital commencement program for ticketed guests. This program will be available below before the ceremony. QR codes will also be available at the event for easy access. We encourage guests to download the program in advance for their convenience. Each graduating student attending the commencement ceremony will receive a printed program.

PennWest contracts with GradImages® for official graduate photos taken during the ceremony. GradImages will contact graduates via their PennWest email after the ceremony with proofs for review and purchase information.

Questions about photos? Contact GradImages® directly on their Contact Us page or email.