Commencement 2026

All students expecting to participate in the May 2026 Commencement Ceremony have until April 1, 2026, to apply.

To apply for graduation, log in to the Banner Self-Service student profile page, click on the “Apply to Graduate” tab, and follow the steps to complete the graduation application. If you are not sure if you are eligible to graduate, you should check your status on DegreeWorks and/or consult with your advisor as soon as possible.  Please keep an eye out for more information regarding graduation, which will be sent in the coming weeks.

Deadline: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 – If you wish to participate in the May commencement ceremony and/or have your name appear in the Commencement program, please submit your Graduation Application by this date.
Students who apply after April 1 will not be included in the Commencement program.

• Commencement will be held May 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. on the Columbia-Greene campus in the gymnasium.
• Graduates are asked to arrive at their assigned robing rooms 202/206 by 8:30 a.m.
• Doors to the gymnasium open at 9:00 a.m. for guests; seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  Please note that the gymnasium is not air-conditioned.
  • Overflow and air-conditioned seating is available across the hall in the Student Dining Hall.
• Columbia-Greene Community College is committed to providing an inclusive experience for all guests. Inquiries concerning accessible parking, seating, and engagement should be directed to oasweb@sunycgcc.edu.

To ensure your name is read correctly during the commencement ceremony, we ask that you complete the RSVP Form and answer the applicable question.

The 2026 Commencement Committee is now accepting submissions from graduating students interested in performing the National Anthem or representing the graduating class as Student Speaker.

NATIONAL ANTHEM SINGER:

The Commencement Committee is seeking a musically gifted student performer to sing the National Anthem during the Columbia-Greene Community College Commencement Ceremony to be held on Saturday, May 16, at 10:00 am. All C-GCC graduating students are eligible to apply and must be in good academic and disciplinary standing for consideration.

STUDENT SPEAKER:

The student speaker is chosen to reflect on the graduating class experience and represents the very best of Columbia-Greene Community College. Being selected for this role is one of the highest honors one can receive in their collegiate career.

Applicants are asked to compose a commencement speech that is no more than 500 words in length and no longer than 5 minutes.  This draft should be submitted with the application. While this speech will reflect your personal experiences at the College, it should be relatable to all graduates, faculty, and guests in attendance. Creativity and authenticity are encouraged.

Please submit the following application by 12:00 pm on Monday, April 6.

All graduating students who plan to participate in the Commencement are asked to complete an RSVP Form by May 8, 2026, at 5:00 pm.

The Student Activity Fee purchases all academic regalia for students participating in the Commencement, including the robe, mortarboard, tassel, and hood. There is no additional charge to the student for their regalia.

The Office of Student Engagement will notify students when the campus’ regalia order is delivered to campus in early May. The regalia order will be a bulk order consisting of various robes and mortarboards for students to select from. Students do not need to place an individual order or submit size requests.

Wednesday, May 13, at 5:30 pm in the Main Building, rooms 202/206

All graduates attending Commencement are asked to attend rehearsal on May 13, as event details will be shared, name pronunciation cards will be completed, and students will receive answers to all their Commencement questions. Graduates do not need to bring regalia, guests, or any additional information. This rehearsal will last less than an hour.

If a graduate is unable to attend Rehearsal, they should indicate that on the Commencement RSVP form, or if something changes, contact commencement@sunycgcc.edu by May 8 at 5:00 pm.

There is not a limit to the number of guests who attend with each graduate, but seating is available on a first come first serve basis in the gymnasium.

The gymnasium is inside the Main Building and guests can access the space through the south entrance doors. There will be event signage and staff to assist on the day of the event.

Graduates and their guests are asked to park in the South Lot as it is located the closest to the gymnasium, but overflow parking will be available in the PAC parking lot when the South Lot is closed.

All accessible parking spaces are identified on the Campus Maps with a blue symbol. Accessible parking is available to those with an approved vehicle tag from your local Town/Village.  Parking attendants will direct drivers to accessible parking spaces.  Be sure to display the tag on your rear-view mirror or license plate.

Accessible seating for guests with disabilities and 1 companion is in the back right corner of the Gymnasium, as marked, or in the adjacent Student Dining Hall.  Guests with restricted mobility should plan to arrive by 9:00am.

Access to the stage, for graduates unable to access stairs, is done through a stage lift. The Office of Accessibility Services needs notice by April 28 of any student using the lift. Conversations regarding accessibility can also be held during Commencement rehearsal.

Commencement is approximately two hours.

All graduates, faculty, and platform party members will process out of the gymnasium after the event, then guests will be allowed to leave the space. To avoid congestion and confusion outside of the gymnasium, we ask graduates to plan with their family on a meeting location ahead of time. Convenient places to meet after the ceremony include the parking lot, quad area, or event reception tent.

Graduates will be able to keep their personal items in rooms 202 or 206, as assigned. These rooms will be locked during the Commencement ceremony with a Security staff member monitoring.

Graduates will be notified via email in early May when regalia is delivered to campus and with details regarding when and where they can pick up their items.

For any questions regarding Commencement or the information above, please contact commencement@sunycgcc.edu.