Commencement 2025
Yavapai College Commencement (graduation) ceremonies are social events celebrating our graduates. Both events are held each year in May.
Graduates are not required to attend a ceremony to receive a diploma or certificate. Diplomas/certificates are not presented at the ceremonies, but they will be made available shortly after the end of the semester to those students who complete all program requirements.
Potential Spring 2025 graduates will receive an email by the end of March with instructions on how to apply online for graduation.
- The online graduation application takes just a few minutes and simply flags your record as a potential graduate.
- The email will include a link to RSVP (required) for those who plan to participate in a graduation ceremony.
- Yavapai College
601 W Black Hills Dr
Clarkdale, AZ 86324
* Graduates and guests are required to go through security checkpoints, including wand and bag checks
- Findlay Toyota Center
3201 N Main St
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
* Graduates and guests are required to go through security checkpoints, including wand and bag checks
Heads UP! 😊
What are graduates required to wear when participating in Commencement?
Cap/Gown & Tassel – order soon! See below.
What are graduates allowed to wear in addition to their cap/gown/tassel?
Cords or stoles provided or sanctioned by a Yavapai College group, club or organization.
US Military Veterans are provided with a red, white & blue cord, for example.
What are graduates not allowed to wear in the ceremony?
Privately purchased cords, stoles or other item that is not provided or sanctioned by a Yavapai College group, club or organization.
Yavapai College allows graduates to decorate their cap per these guidelines:
- No offensive language, sayings, nicknames, pictures or lyrics on the cap. No logos, numbers other than the grad year, or symbols.
- No objects such as signs, bells, flowers, or any 3D object may rest on the cap.
- All decorations MUST lay FLAT on the cap. Nothing can lay in a way allowing us to see the decoration beyond eye level. Only the top of the mortarboard can be decorated-nothing can be hanging down from any side of the cap.
- No noisemakers are allowed on your cap (including bells, horns, or anything that makes noise). Flashing lights or other electronics are not permitted.
The administration reserves the right to disallow anything that is not considered appropriate for the commencement ceremony. Students may be provided a replacement cap while supplies are available. Students will not be able to participate in the ceremony without a cap and gown.
All students who graduated in the Fall or Spring semester, or who plan to graduate in the Summer semester of the current academic year (prior year graduates are not included).
Students will be notified when the online graduation application is available. There is no fee to apply for graduation or to attend the Commencement ceremony as a graduate.
Yes, graduates are required to wear a cap, gown and tassel for Commencement. Order your cap, gown and tassel using one of the links below.
No.
- After final grades are posted, we will complete an audit to verify that all degree/certificate requirements have been met. Successful graduates will have access to a digital copy of their diploma/certificate within 10 days of the end of the semester.
- Diplomas (and Certificates) will be mailed to successful graduates approximately two weeks after the end of the semester to the current mailing address on file. Please check your current address on file by logging in and going to
My Account-->My Personal Information. - Any balance due the College or holds on your student record will prevent the release of your diploma.
A student who is awarded an associate degree with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher at Yavapai College is designated as graduating "with honors". See catalog for additional requirements. There is a notation in the Commencement program, and the words "with honors" are included in the degree conferral on the student's official transcript and also on the diploma.
- Member graduates have a CHP notation in the Commencement Program
- Graduates are provided with a gold cord to wear around the neck at the ceremony.
- Member graduates have a PTK notation in the Commencement program
- Member graduates are encouraged to purchase the " key honors stole" available here to wear at Commencement.
Eligible students are expected to submit an application to graduate using the self-service Graduation Application link under the Students tile in the myYC portal. The application is only open at certain times of the year. Monitor your YC scholar email for instructions on how and when to apply.
Submitted applications will be reviewed for eligibility. Once you have applied, monitor your YC scholar email for any updates to your graduation status and commencement information.
Any questions regarding your graduation application should be directed to commencement@yc.edu.
Stay in touch as a YC Alumni and enjoy the benefits and share your stories.