Vol State currently conducts commencement ceremonies at the end of the Fall semester and at the end of the Spring semester. Summer graduates participate in the following Fall ceremony. Participation in Commencement is optional, but strongly encouraged. Participating in the ceremony in no way confirms the completion of requirements or official graduation. All graduation requirements must be completed before the credential can be posted to the student's transcript or diploma.
Fall 2026 Commencement will be held on December 12th at a time to be announced soon in the Moore Gymnasium of the Pickel Field House on the main campus in Gallatin.
Potential graduates will receive an email invitation with details and instructions to participate in commencement. To check your student email, log in to My Vol State and click on the icon labeled Email as shown below.
Participants will receive guest tickets for the ceremony. The number of tickets will be determined by the number of participants.
The ceremony will be live-streamed on our website for family, friends, faculty/staff, and the community to view as the ceremony takes place. We will record it and make it available on the website after the ceremony ends.
Student names will appear in the Commencement program as listed in our system. If a student has a name change, complete a Name/Permanent Address Change electronic form.
Due to the timing of grade entry at the end of each term, Latin Honors to be included in the ceremony and on transcripts for degree-seeking students are calculated based on the student's previous term Inclusive Grade Point Average (GPA). All college-level courses, including transfer work, are included in honors calculations.
Please send any questions or concerns regarding graduation and commencement to graduation@volstate.edu.
Commencement Ceremony Checklist
If you plan to participate in the Commencement ceremony, please make sure to do the following:
- Eligible graduates will be sent an email to their student email account with instructions on how to complete a Commencement Registration form to participate in the ceremony. You should receive emails about two months before the ceremony. There is no cost to participate in the ceremony. To check your email, log in to My Vol State and click on the email link there.
- Frequently check your student email account for important Commencement instructions and updates such as:
- Email with dates and instructions on regalia (cap, gown & tassel) and guest ticket distribution
- Final ceremony details
- Participants graduating with Latin (GPA) Honors receive a gold honors tassel through the Bookstore when picking up their cap and gown. At the time of distribution, the Bookstore will have a list of all participants who qualify for Latin Honors. The list will not be available before this date.
- Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society students may order PTK honor accessories through the PTK website. If you’re a member of another honor society, please review the Academic Regalia section online for approved items and purchase your items directly from that society’s website. Remember to leave time for shipping!
- Veterans: A special cord to identify your veteran status will be available with regalia through the main campus bookstore. The Bookstore will have a list of all participants who have veteran status with the Office of Adult Learners & Veterans Affairs.
- The ceremony will be streamed on the Vol State graduation web page on the day of the ceremony.
- All ceremony participants will receive a diploma cover during the ceremony. We will mail diplomas at a later date. Visit the Receiving Your Diploma web page for diploma details.
Academic Regalia
The following is the approved regalia for commencement:
- GPA Honor Graduates – Gold Tassel
- United States Veterans – Red, White & Blue Cords
- Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX), Paralegal Honor Society – Purple Sash with Gold Society Letters
- Vol State Academic Honors Program – Red Ribbon with a Bronze Honors Program Medallion
- Sigma Chi Eta, Community College Honor Society of the National Communication Association – Red & White Cords
- Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society – Gold Key Honors Stole, Blue & Gold Cords, and/or Blue Cord with Golden Key Medallion
- Sigma Alpha Pi, The National Society of Leadership and Success – Platinum Stole with Black Society Letters and/or Black & Platinum Cords
- Sigma Kappa Delta, The English Honor Society for 2-Year Colleges – Gold & Green Cords
- Kappa Beta Delta, International Honor Society for ACBSP Accredited Business Programs – Royal Blue Stole with Black & Gold Key and/or Blue & Yellow Honor Cords
