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Commencement Rehearsal: June 4 at 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Sherar Gymnasium.

Attending Commencement Rehearsal is strongly recommended. On event day, you'll know exactly where to be and what to do so that your day and everyone else's is truly a celebration.

During rehearsal, you can participate in a guided walkthrough of the ceremony and get your questions answered. In addition, students can also pick-up the following items after rehearsal:

• Honors Cords are available in the Hopf Union Building (HUB) from 1-2:30 pm.
• Caps and gowns are also available at YVC's Bookstore until 4 pm.

 Your attendance is essential to ensure a smooth commencement ceremony.

Graduates with exceptional academic qualifications who are completing a bachelor/ associate degree or a certificate requiring 45 or more credits are eligible to receive honor cords based on their YVC cumulative
college-level grade point average (GPA) as of Winter Quarter .

Honors: 3.40 – 3.84
High Honors: 3.85 – 4.0

There is no charge for honor cords.

They will be distributed after Commencement rehearsal on June 4 in building #9, the Hopf Union Building (HUB). They will also be available before the ceremony on June 12 at the check-in table in the SunDome.

Graduates will be primarily in two colors of gowns. The bachelor degree graduates in black, and the associate degree and certificate of achievement graduates in maroon. Running Start Students can choose to wear YVC’s maroon or their high school gown. Caps & gowns are not required to participate in the commencement ceremony.

In addition to the cap and gowns, you will also see some students wearing cords, medallions, and stoles which recognize outstanding academic achievement. The cords recognize Honors and High Honors. Phi Theta Kappa members wear gold stoles and student government officers wear white stoles. Finally, two students selected for the All-Washington Academic Team wear their medallions.

In order for these to be special and meaningful, we ask that students refrain from wearing other unauthorized cords, medallions or stoles that are unrelated to student achievement. We want to maintain the traditions that have made commencement a special milestone of success for college graduates throughout history.

Guests can start arriving at 4 p.m. Children are welcome, but please keep in mind that the ceremony is lengthy. If your guests have difficulty climbing stairs, please make sure they arrive early for better seating.

Important:&nbsp Be sure to let your guests know that, for safety reasons, strollers are not permitted on the bleachers, and no balloons are allowed inside the Yakima Valley SunDome. The concession stand will not be open for the ceremony.

If special accommodations are needed for you or your guests, please contact DSS@yvcc.edu. YVC does provide an American Sign Language interpreter who will be visible in the two projection screens during the ceremony.

Parking is available at the Yakima Valley SunDome at no charge.

Cameras are allowed in the SunDome. Guests can photograph graduates but cannot come onto the arena floor. A professional photographer will be taking individual student photographs prior to the ceremony—from 4 to 5:30 p.m.—and our Community Relations staff will be taking additional pictures during the ceremony.

The SunDome is a non-smoking area. Please inform your guests that smoking is allowed in designated areas only.

4:00 p.m.

Photography begins at the SunDome. They will be located on the right as you enter the building. Will continue until 5:30 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

Check-in begins at the tables on the left as you enter the SunDome. Please arrive no later than 5:30 p.m. Check-in will close promptly at 5:45 p.m.

Line up by last name and pick up your name card. Hang on to it and do not tear or fold it. You will be handing it to the announcer, and it will be read as you cross the stage.

If you are an honor student and did not pick up your cords after rehearsal you will be able to get them after you check in.

To ensure the correct pronunciations of your name, please stop by the announcer’s station during check-in. They will help you write it phonetically at the bottom of your card.

5:40 p.m.

Line up for the processional in this order: bachelor degrees, student government, other degrees and certificates.

6:00 p.m.

Commencement ceremony begins. It lasts approximately two hours.