Stevens Institute of Technology Commencement & Academic Regalia Summary

Stevens Institute of Technology conducts its annual commencement with formal academic ceremonies for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. Doctoral candidates participate in a dedicated Ph.D. hooding ceremony where faculty place the hood over each graduate to signify their achievement. Graduates are required to wear official academic regalia, including a cap, gown, hood, and tassel, which must be ordered in advance and shipped prior to the ceremony.

For bachelor’s and master’s students, the institution provides a black graduation gown and black mortarboard cap with a black tassel. The tassel is worn on the right side for bachelor’s students and moved to the left at the time of conferral, while master’s graduates wear the tassel on the left from the start. Ph.D. recipients wear a distinct gown trimmed in red and gray, a black velvet tam, and a silver tassel to denote their doctoral achievement.

The academic hood is lined with Stevens red and gray colors, and the velvet edging represents the graduate’s field of study: orange for engineering, golden yellow for science, white for humanities, drab for business, dark blue for philosophy, among others. Honor cords and stoles may be worn by students representing recognized campus organizations, fraternities, and sororities, each with designated colors. Stevens does not provide cords or stoles for Latin honors.

Faculty participating in commencement wear standard academic robes. While Stevens does not publicly define a color-coded scheme for faculty hoods or gown facings, the regalia maintains a professional and traditional appearance, aligning with the university’s academic standards.

Overall, Stevens Institute of Technology’s commencement combines traditional academic regalia with symbolic recognition: black gowns and mortarboards for undergraduate and master’s students, velvet-trimmed hoods reflecting disciplines, silver tassels for Ph.D. graduates, and optional cords or stoles for student organizations, ensuring a dignified and structured celebration of academic achievement.