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Heritage University Commencement Ceremony

Date: May 10, 2025

Location(s):

Yakima Valley SunDome

Category(s):

Special Events

Please join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and honor those who helped them along the way.

Arrival Time

Graduates participating in the ceremony should arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. giving you time to don caps and gowns, sign in and line up. You will be able to dress in the Yakima SunDome. Valuables should not be left in the room as it will be unattended during the commencement ceremony.

The ceremony will be held in the Yakima SunDome.

What time families can come?
Families can come at any time after 8:30 a.m., with the usual arrival time occurring between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m.

How long will commencement take?
Commencement begins at 10:00 a.m. and is usually concluded by 12:00 - 12:30 p.m. depending on class size.

Parking

Parking is available at the Yakima SunDome at no charge.

Appropriate Attire

Traditionally, dress shirts, slacks, skirts, or dresses are worn under the robe with dress shoes. Graduates should wear sensible shoes for climbing stairs between the area used for line formation and the arena floor.

Seating Arrangements

There is seating provided in the Yakima Valley SunDome. Please be aware that saving seats is discouraged. No marking off or reserving seating. Please inform your family and guests. Accessible seating is available. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

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Graduation Traditions

Tassell and Hood
Tassel: Must be worn on the right front side before degrees are conferred and then transferred to the left front side after all diplomas have been awarded in the ceremony.
Hood: Graduate students do not wear their hoods before the ceremony, rather they carry their hoods over their left arm. Graduate students will be individually hooded during the commencement ceremony.

Baccalaureate Honors
Baccalaureate Honors are awarded to graduates receiving a first baccalaureate degree. The honors are based on the traditional Latin wording: “cum laude” (with honors), “magna cum laude” (with high honors), and “summa cum laude” (with highest honors). These honors are awarded to those who have completed no fewer than 60 credits at Heritage University and who have the following cumulative grade point average at the end of December 2017 semester:

Summa Cum Laude: 3.90 – 4.0
Magna Cum Laude: 3.60 – 3.89
Cum Laude: 3.30 – 3.59

The gold cord represents summa cum laude honors, the silver cord represents magna cum laude honors and the bronze cord represents cum laude honors. The Red, White & Blue cords represent Armed Forces Veterans.

Please be sure to bring this honor cord to the graduation ceremony.

Heritage University Commencement Official Website

Alumni Legacy Walk

The Alumni Legacy Walk is made up of individual bricks each engraved with the name of an alum along with his or her major and graduation year. Your brick will be placed in a collection of those bearing the names of other graduates from your class. Bricks will be installed on an ongoing basis (frequency of installation dependent on the volume of orders).

Your donation to the Heritage University Scholarship fund of just $45 will secure your spot on the Legacy Walk. You can also have a souvenir brick delivered to you for an additional $25 donation. Your gift is tax deductible, and all proceeds will be directed to the Heritage University Scholarship Fund.

Join the Walk!
To reserve your space on the walk please use the online order form.

Your 4 x 8 inch brick will be engraved with three lines of copy, 20 characters per line (the space between words count as a character). Anyone can make a donation and reserve a brick but only the names of alumni can be inscribed.