Fall 2022 Commencement
Friday, December 16, 2022
6:00 p.m.
Junker Center

Candidate for Graduation Checklist

If you are planning to graduate from Penn State Behrend, it is necessary to take the following steps:

  • Declare your intent to graduate: It is your responsibility to notify the University of your intent to graduate (See Policy 86-00). You must declare your intent to graduate by using the "Applying for Graduation" application on LionPATH. The Intent to Graduate Activation Period is listed on the Academic Calendar for each semester. If you miss the activation deadline for your intended semester of graduation, you must contact the Registrar's Office in Metzgar Center.
    • Register for the ceremony: Candidates planning to attend the ceremony must confirm their participation with the Registrar's Office. An online RSVP form will be sent out in October; watch your email. (Please note that registration is not required for guests. Guests do not need tickets, and there is no limit on the number of guests a candidate may bring to the ceremony.)
      • Are you a student who has not yet met the graduation requirements for their major, but wants to participate in a commencement ceremony at Behrend? Complete the Petition for Participation in Commencement Ceremony (PDF) | (Word) and return it to the Registrar's Office. (The deadline for permission to walk is the late drop deadline.)
      • Are you a student at another Penn State campus who wants to participate in commencement at Behrend? Refer to the Alternate Commencement Site for information.
  • Order your cap and gown: All graduating students participating in the ceremony must wear appropriate academic regalia (caps and gowns for bachelor's degree candidates; caps, gowns, and hoods for master's degree candidates), which should be ordered online by November 10, 2022. The cost for bachelor's regalia is $57 plus tax and fees; the cost for master's degree regalia is $95 plus tax and fees. Read these guidelines before ordering. Questions about regalia? Contact the Behrend Bookstore at 814-898-6236.
  • Meet with your adviser: Use LionPATH to request a current degree audit and review it with your academic adviser. You should meet with your adviser each semester. This will ensure that you are on track to meet all degree requirements. If you are missing courses, credits, or grade requirements, you will not be able to graduate. You cannot graduate with missing or deferred grades.
  • Transfer your credits: It is preferable to avoid taking classes at another institution during your intended semester of graduation. If you do, you must ensure that Penn State receives your official transcript with the grades on time. If courses are not posted to your transcript on time, graduation will be postponed to the following semester. Be sure to use the Penn State transfer articulation tool to verify how transfer credits will be used on your degree audit.
  • Check your address: You will be receiving important graduation information in the mail, so it is important that your address is up to date. You can check your address on LionPATH. Make sure that both your local and permanent addresses are correct.
  • Check your name: If you wish to change the way your name will appear on your diploma, you should file a request for a name change promptly through the Registrar's Office. All diplomas will be mailed from University Park to your permanent residence address approximately three to four weeks after the commencement ceremony. If your diploma was damaged in the mail, please return it to the Registrar's Office at University Park with a note saying it was damaged. After the damaged diploma is received, a new one will be sent at no charge.

Information for Guests

  • Photography To commemorate this milestone occasion, a professional photograph is taken of each graduate. To avoid congestion and to maintain decorum in the ceremony, we ask that family and friends refrain from approaching the stage when taking pictures or using a video camera.
  • Parking: Free parking is available at Junker Center and surrounding campus lots.
  • Travel and Accommodations: Learn more about transportation options, directions to Behrend, and nearby hotels.

For More Information

If you have additional questions not answered here, email [email protected].

Commencement Extras: Gifts for Grads

Graduates, here's how you can mark your milestone—or families, how you can celebrate your graduate:

Graduates: What to Wear at Commencement

Academic dress (cap, gown and tassel) or the uniform of one of the armed forces is required to participate in a ceremony. 

Associate degree and bachelor's degree candidates: The official academic regalia is a blue Penn State gown with wide sleeves and a blue mortarboard cap with a white tassel, worn on the right front edge.

Master's degree candidates: The official academic regalia is a black gown with pointed sleeves and a black mortarboard cap with a black tassel, worn on the left front edge. Candidates should carry the hood representing their academic discipline; the hood will be placed on them during the ceremony.

More Tips for Commencement Dress

  • Gowns are available in regular and plus sizes. When ordering your gown, you will be asked to provide your height and weight to ensure an appropriate fit. Gowns must close for the ceremony and should hang loose, but not be too baggy.
  • Please check your regalia for accuracy and quality before the day of the ceremony. 
  • Remember to steam your gown before commencement to remove wrinkles from packaging.
  • Please arrive at the ceremony already wearing your regalia. No regalia will be available at the ceremony.
  • It is suggested that men wear slacks and a dress shirt with a tie. For women, slacks with a blouse or a dress is appropriate.
  • Because of the formality of this occasion and safety concerns, please wear appropriate footwear. Flip-flops, clogs, very high heels, and loose-fitting shoes are not recommended.

For More Information

If you have additional questions not answered here, email [email protected].