Commencement Headquarters

The Registrar′s Office will review and approve each student′s academic record. Once approved, potential graduates are presented to the faculty having completed requirements for a degree.

Students eligible for graduation on Sunday, May 25 must formally complete all academic and degree requirements by one of the following dates—December 10, 2024, January 28, 2025, or May 13, 2025—to be eligible to participate in the ceremony and receive their diploma. Students who complete degree requirements in December and January will officially graduate and be awarded a diploma at the May ceremony. If members of the Class of 2025 have any questions about their academic record, they should contact the Registrar′s Office as soon as possible.

Contacting the Registrar′s Office: 
Jacob Johnson
Registrar
jacob.johnson@centre.edu 
859.238.5361 

Students are required to participate in the May 25 ceremony. If students do not plan to participate in person, approval must be granted from the Academic Affairs Office. Please contact Registrar Jacob Johnson (jacob.johnson@centre.edu) to make a formal request to graduate in absentia no later than April 15, 2025.

For students with an account balance, bills are sent at the beginning of each month. The balance due on the bill must be paid in full for Seniors to participate in Commencement Weekend and receive a diploma. Make your payment as early in April as possible to confirm your participation in graduation. Any additional fines, charges, or fees on a student account must be paid to be cleared for graduation. Charges accrued after May 1st will be billed to the student in June, following Commencement.

Financial charges to consider: 

• Tuition/Room and Board  
• Library fines and overdue or lost items 
• Parking tickets  
• Wellness Center charges 
• Fines from DPS  
• Bookstore charges 
• Residence hall damage charges

Contacting the Finance Office: 
rita.rogers@centre.edu 
859.238.5451

Residence Halls will close at 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 25. Graduates must be completely moved out of their residence hall at that time. Contact your Resident Assistant to find out about checkout and key return.

Baccalaureate is a Centre tradition dating back to the College’s Presbyterian heritage. Now drawing from the wider diversity of traditions that characterize the Centre community, the ceremony of reflection and challenge inspires graduates spiritually on their journey forward. This ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. in Newlin Hall, Norton Center for the Arts. Seating for Baccalaureate is general admission. Any accessibility requests should be made by graduates at Senior Fair on Feb. 20. 

The Honor Walk Ceremony was born in 2003 with Centre's 20th President, John A. Roush. Each year on the eve of Commencement the senior class gathers at Old Centre to honor those who had the most profound impact on their Centre Experience.

If your Senior is participating in Honor Walk, make sure they are seated no later than 6:45 PM in front of Old Centre. Seniors and honorees will sit together on the Walnut Street (left) side of Old Centre. Other guests should sit on the Main Street (right) side. The first row has reserved seating for guests needing special assistance. Seating at this ceremony is first come, first serve.

Kentucky weather in May is typically sunny, very hot, and humid. Please plan accordingly by checking the most recent weather forecast. Guests typically wear dressy casual attire throughout the weekend. Most activities take place outside. NOTE: Please do not wear pointy heeled shoes on the turf or track inside Andy Frye Stadium.

Each graduate will receive four assigned seats in the central portion of the grandstand (or in Newlin Hall in the event of inclement weather). For anyone not wishing to sit outside, or in the event of inclement weather, simulcast viewing will be available in Weisiger and Vahlkamp Theatres.

This policy specifies the criteria and procedures for student use of regalia (cap and gown) as well as other symbols of distinction or ornamentation at Centre College Commencement exercises. The College recognizes the importance of stoles in symbolizing academic achievement, participation in college activities, and celebration of identity. 

Centre pays for your cap and gown.  For modest extra cost, you may purchase a customized stole from the vendor.  You may choose among four background color options for your stole, and then customize it with a variety of student club, organization name, varsity athletic team, scholarship cohort, and identity marker seals and logos. To complete your custom stole, visit the Jostens website. Enter Centre College in the Find My School search. From the landing page, select Personalized Stoles and build your stole. Custom stoles will be delivered to the customer. Complete your order no later than March 28 to ensure on-time delivery.

Custom Stole Guidelines

If the stole options described above do not include a Centre affiliation group or social identity marker or do not adequately represent that affiliation group or social identity, permission may be requested to wear an alternative or additional stole or ornamentation.  Centre affiliation refers to scholarship groups, affinity groups, academic societies or similar. Social identity refers to ability/disability, ethnicity, faith background, gender identity, national origin, race, and sexual orientation.

Permission requests are submitted to the Commencement Committee composed of fellow seniors, administrators, and faculty and staff members. The student or applying organization will be responsible for the cost of any such regalia. Your application must be submitted for review by March 15, 2025.

Commencement Regalia Application

NOTE: All adornments must be school-approved and must not disrupt the formality of the occasion. No adornment may contain vulgar language or offensive images, draw undue attention to an individual person or group that would detract from the occasion, or include other inappropriate content. We believe that these guidelines are necessary to ensure that our commencement ceremonies are respectful and dignified. We also understand that our students have the right to express themselves, and we hope that you will use this opportunity to personalize your graduation regalia in a tasteful and appropriate manner.  Students not in compliance with the requirements of this policy may be asked to remove and/or conceal any unapproved regalia adornment.