Regalia
In order to participate in the ceremony, students must wear appropriate regalia. Anyone without regalia will not be allowed to walk in the ceremony.
Caps, Gowns, Tassels, Hoods, Invitations, etc.
Ordering
To place an order for caps & gowns, please visit the Herff Jones website.
Herff Jones will have their website updated for Spring purchases by mid-January. People who pre-order save 25% on the price of cap and gown packages.
Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. An email with tracking will be sent to the email address provided on the order. All orders will ship directly to the address listed on the order.
Individuals who miss the deadline or want to purchase individual items can buy them from the Bookstore starting November 10. Students who purchase at the bookstore after the deadline will pay a late fee of $25 for packages, and additional shipping charges will also be incurred. This does not include college stoles or cords. Graduation products are non-refundable if purchased at the Bookstore. Students must contact Herff Jones regarding returns and refunds if purchased online. Please email us at askuwfbookstore@uwf.edu with any questions. Hours of operation are Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm, Friday 9 am-4 pm, and Saturday 11 am-2 pm. If you need to contact us, please call 850.474.2150 and press 0.
Please direct all customer service inquiries regarding online orders to Herff Jones. The UWF Bookstore will not be issuing refunds for orders placed online.
Email: herffjones.com/contactus
Phone: 800.837.4235
Special Additions
When ordering special additions (stoles, pins, sashes, cords, hood colors, etc.) for graduation, make sure you know the academic colors recognized for honor societies, organizations, and graduate hoods at UWF.
The academic regalia worn today at the University of West Florida originated in the univer-sities of the Middle Ages when a warm gown and hood were useful for scholar and cleric in unheated buildings. The distinctive gown also served to set the student apart from his fellow citizens of the community. Until the Civil War, students at most American universities wore caps and gowns daily while in residence. These varied in design until they were standardized in 1894. At that time it was decided that all robes would be black; bachelors’ gowns of silk with long closed sleeves; doctors’ gowns also carried three velvet bands around each sleeve above the elbow. Hoods, made of the same materials as the gowns, were varied in length with the degree. The lining of the hood indicated the academic discipline in which the degree was earned.
In the recent years several universities have decided to return to a distinctive gown de-sign, particularly in the color of the garment. However, there has been no change in the standard colors that represent the disciplines. At the University of West Florida, each bachelor’s degree candidate or graduate wears a blue and green tassel on the cap (mortar board). The tassels of master’s and specialist’s degree candidates and graduates represent the specific degree or discipline achieved. Doctoral degree recipients wear a gold tassel. In addition, baccalaureate graduates who have earned a 3.5 accumulative grade point average or higher are entitled to wear gold honor cords on their gowns.
The color lining of the hood indicates the following academic affiliation.
| Hood Color | Academic Affiliation |
|---|---|
| White | Arts and Humanities |
| Drab | Business |
| Crimson | Communication |
| Midnight Blue | Criminal Justice |
| Light Blue | Education |
| Orange | Engineering |
| Purple | Law |
| Lemon | Library Science |
| Pink | Music |
| Apricot | Nursing |
| Dark Blue | Philosophy/Political Science |
| Peacock Blue | Public Administration |
| Salmon Pink | Public Health |
| Science Gold | Science |
| Citron Yellow | Social Work |
Members of honor societies and organizations are identified by the following additions to their regalia.
| Honor Society or Organization | Regalia Addition |
|---|---|
| Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Professional Health | Red/black stole with letters |
| Alpha Phi Sigma | Gold cord/medallion |
| Alpha Sigma Lambda | Pin/ribbon worn on upper left of robe |
| Army ROTC Cadets | Black/gold cord |
| Artificial Intelligence Research Group | Gold stole |
| Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) | Blue stole |
| Athletic Training | Silver cord |
| Beta Gamma Sigma | Blue and gold stole and medallion |
| CIS-Cybersecurity Program | Gold stole |
| Clinical Laboratory Sciences | Purple stole |
| Delta Sigma Pi | Purple and gold stole |
| Emerge Scholar | Royal blue sash |
| Iota Phi Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi | Red and white stole |
| Iota Tau Alpha Athletic Training Honor Society | Red/blue/yellow cord |
| Kappa Delta Pi | Gold and violet honor cord |
| Kappa Tau Alpha | Honor pin |
| Lambda Epsilon Chi | Honor pin |
| Military Veteran | Red, white and blue honor cord |
| Nursing | White stole with UWF and BSN |
| Omicron Delta Kappa Circle | Light blue/white/black cord |
| Order of Omega | Gold and white honor cord |
| Pensacola Pledge Scholars | Blue/white/green cord |
| Phi Alpha | Gold and blue ribbon with brass medallion |
| Phi Alpha Theta | Blue and red honor cord |
| Phi Eta Sigma | Gold key |
| Phi Kappa Phi | Braided navy and gold cords or gold stole with navy emblem |
| Phi Theta Kappa | Gold and blue stole |
| Psi Chi | Blue and silver cord |
| Sigma Tau Delta International English Society | Red and black cord |
| Sigma Theta Tau | Lavender and white honor cord |
| Student Nurses’ Association | White honor cord |
| Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) International Honors Society for the Computing Disciplines | White stole with gold logo/lettering and/or maroon and white honor cord |
| UWF Speech and Debate Team | Navy blue woven with royal blue cord |
I do not see a cord or stole listed for my organization. Who do I speak to about that?
Please speak to the person in charge of your organization. If your organization would like to purchase cords or stoles, contact the UWF Bookstore.
What if I need to purchase individual items instead of the entire graduation regalia package?
Individual items (caps, gowns, hoods, tassels,etc.) are not available for order online.
Please visit the or call 850.474.2150 to place an order. Graduation regalia and accessories purchased in-store or over-the-phone are not eligible for returns.
| Individual Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Stole of Appreciation (All students) | $40.00 |
| BSN Stole (Nursing Students Only) or College Specific Stole | $50.00 |
| Gold Honor Stole (Must have a 3.5 GPA or higher) | $40.00 |
| Gold Honor Cord (Must have a 3.5 GPA or higher) | $15.00 |
| Souvenir Tassel Keychain (while supplies last) | $14.75 |
Tassels
Undergraduate students should wear the tassel on the right side of the cap. After all the undergraduate degrees are conferred, the President will ask students to participate in the traditional “changing of the tassel ritual” in which the tassel is moved to the left side of the cap.
Graduate students should wear the tassel on the left side of the cap.
Dress Code
While there is no formal dress code, students should dress appropriately for this symbolic occasion. Students should not wear athletic shoes, flip flops, jeans, or shorts.