Graduation Information

Important Ceremonial Dates

• VGCC’s May 2024 Graduation Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 10, 2024 at 6 PM
• Graduation Rehearsal will be held Thursday, May 9th at 11 AM at the Gazebo on the Main Campus in Henderson. This Is Mandatory.
• The Spring 2024 graduation application will close on April 5, 2024.

The late application period will be from May 20 to July 18, for late Spring and Summer graduates who are not participating in the ceremony.  The application for graduation is accessed through myVGCC during the application period.

Note: If the May 10th ceremony is postponed due to inclement weather, the ceremony will move to Saturday May 11th and will take place in the Civic Center in two separate groups at 10 AM and 1 PM.  Detailed information will be provided to graduates in advance if the May 11th ceremony is postponed.  If the ceremony is moved to the Civic Center, each graduate will receive three guest tickets only. 

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Graduation Requirements (new page) | Cap & Gown Order Deadlines | Phi Theta Kappa Regalia | Commencement Photography | Day of the Ceremony | Diploma Distribution

Applying For Graduation

All students who have completed their Associate Degree or Diploma requirements by December 2023, May 2024 or are registered to complete by July 2024 are eligible to be in the ceremony.

All curriculum graduates are required to apply for graduation online through myVGCC (Click on the Graduation Overview title.) Students will be charged the $20 graduation fee for each degree earned once the application is submitted. This fee may be paid in person at the Business Office or through myVGCC once your application is submitted.

Graduates should confirm with their advisor or check the Progress Tab in their myVGCC account (Click on the Student Planning title) that they are eligible to graduate before submitting the application online. Graduates should also confirm that their current address is on file with the college before submitting their graduation application by looking at their User Profile (under User Options menu in myVGCC.)

A preliminary check of the graduation application will then be completed by the Registrar’s Office. Please note that final graduation is contingent upon successful completion of all courses required to meet the diploma or degree requirements, a final cumulative GPA of 2.000 or higher and no outstanding debts to the VGCC Business Office. The final graduation transcript review is done as soon as all required grades are received from the faculty. Any student who does not meet final graduation criteria will not be allowed to participate in graduation.

Graduates with questions regarding eligibility for graduation should contact the Registrar’s office at registrars@vgcc.edu.

Cap & Gown Order Deadlines

December 2023, May 2024 & July 2024 Graduates: You must apply and order your cap and gown by April 5, 2024 to participate and have your name included in the program for the graduation ceremony. Order your cap & gown early at:  Order Your Cap and Gown – College Grad

All graduation regalia will be mailed directly to students. Multiple purchase options are available, but only the cap, gown and tassel set for approximately $48.00 is required for the ceremony. The VGCC bookstore will not have any graduation items for sale. Students must order in advance as shipping time is 2-3 weeks. Ordering after the April 5th deadline will result in significant additional shipping costs, so please order early!

Phi Theta Kappa Regalia:

Phi Theta Kappa regalia should be ordered directly from the PTK website at PTK Store (ptk.org) or by calling 1-800-946-9996. Students are asked to purchase only the gold key honors stole. Students must have their membership numbers available when ordering.

Commencement Photography

GradImages® will be photographing all graduates as they cross the stage at graduation. Because of the limited spacing, we ask that the area below the stage be used solely for the photographer. Visit the GradImages® website at  GradImages.com , and click on  Pre-Event Email Registration . After graduation, order online at  www.gradimages.com  or call  (800) 261-2576 .

Day of the Ceremony – What to Expect

The May 2024 Graduation Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, May 10, 2024 at the Main Campus in Henderson. The ceremony begins promptly at 6:00 pm. Graduates must report to the second floor of Building 7 by 5:00 pm to line up in marching order.

Candidates for an associate degree or diploma are recognized at the May graduation ceremony (certificate completions are not recognized at graduation.) This includes fall, spring and anticipated summer graduates.

The commencement ceremony is held outside in front of the gazebo and is free and open to the public. No admission tickets are required; however, seating is limited and is available on a first come, first serve basis. Guests are welcomed to bring lawn chairs for seating in the grassy area around the gazebo.

Note: If the May 10th ceremony is postponed due to inclement weather, the ceremony will move to Saturday May 11th and will take place in the Civic Center in two separate groups at 10 AM and 1 PM.  Detailed information will be provided to graduates in advance if the May 11th ceremony is postponed.  If the ceremony is moved to the Civic Center, each graduate will receive three guest tickets only. 

Please note that traffic around the Main Campus is heavy a few hours before, during and after the graduation ceremony. It is recommended that both graduates and guests leave ample time to navigate traffic and find a parking space before ceremony activities begin.

A designated area will be provided for guests with disabilities. Students with disabilities are asked to contact Cathy Davis, Counselor, at davisc@vgcc.edu, if special arrangements are needed.

Sign language services are provided during the ceremony for students and guests who are hearing impaired.

Diploma Distribution:

Printed diplomas are not distributed during commencement, however, they will be available for pick-up at the Main Campus in Henderson or mailed the week after the ceremony. See below for more information.

December Graduates: Diplomas will be mailed to December graduates by mid-January 2024. Be sure to apply for graduation before the end of Fall Semester!
May Graduates: Diplomas can be picked up in person May 14- 16 from 8:30am -430pm. Those not picked up will be mailed the week of May 20th. Diplomas for Early College graduates will be distributed by the Early College High Schools.
July Graduates: Diplomas will be mailed the week of August 5-9.

Those individuals who applied to graduate, but do not participate in the graduation ceremony, may pick up their diploma in person in Building 8 on the Main Campus beginning the Tuesday after graduation. A photo ID is required to pick up a diploma. Any diplomas not picked up after approximately one week will be mailed to the address indicated on the Application for Graduation. Summer graduates will receive their diplomas in the mail by mid-August. The graduation fee and all debts to the college must be paid before the graduate’s degree will be distributed to him or her regardless of participation in the commencement ceremony. 

For those who miss the deadline, the late application period to order your diploma (after the graduation ceremony) will be from May 20 to July 18, 2024.