2025 Commencement Ceremony

Thursday, May 15, 2025
Auraria Campus - Tivoli Student Union Turnhalle
900 Auraria Pkwy., Denver, CO 80204

 

Graduates will walk with their Academic Pathway. Please see your assigned ceremony below. View the Pathways list to identify which Pathway your program belongs to.

Morning Ceremony | 9:00 AM
  • Arts, Communication, & Design
  • Business
  • Education
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • High School Diploma Program
  • Concurrent Enrollment
Afternoon Ceremony | 1:00 PM
  • Health Sciences
  • Manufacturing
  • Public Safety & Legal Services
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM)
Steps to Commencement

Apply for Graduation

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You are joining thousands of other CCD graduates, moving from students to alumni. Before you take this final step, you must apply to graduate. It is necessary to apply for graduation so that your diploma can be awarded, and your transcript will show your degree and/or certificate.

*This is not the same as signing up to walk in the ceremony.

For questions about this step, please contact the Office of Registration & Records: 303.556.2420 | CCD.ORR@ccd.edu

Graduation Application

RSVP for Commencement

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We ask all graduates to RSVP for the Commencement Celebration being held on Thursday, May 15 on the Auraria Campus in the Tivoli Student Union, Turnhalle, Room 250. Confirm your intention to walk across the stage and indicate the number of guests you will be bringing. If you or your guests have any accessibility needs, please include this information when you RSVP. The deadline to submit your response is Monday, May 12 at 12:00 pm. A confirmation email will be sent with further details. We look forward to celebrating with you and your loved ones!

For questions about this step, please contact the Student Programming, Activities, & Resource Center: 303.556.2597 | SPARC@ccd.edu

Commencement RSVP

Order Your Cap & Gown

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Community College of Denver is proud to continue offering caps, gowns, and tassels at no cost to our graduating City Hawks! All graduates need to place their regalia order through Herff Jones using the link below. It is free to get your cap & gown shipped to the Auraria campus, which you will then pick up from the Tivoli Campus Bookstore. You have the option to ship your regalia to your home address, but please note there is an associated shipping cost and turnaround time. All graduates participating in Commencement need a cap & gown.

For questions about this step, please contact the Student Programming, Activities, & Resource Center: 303.556.2597 | SPARC@ccd.edu

Order Cap & Gown

Attend the Graduate Orientation

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All graduates are invited to attend a virtual orientation that will outline everything you need to know for your big day! Join us for an informational session on Monday, May 12 from 12:00 - 1:30pm where we will answer questions, outline the event flow, and ensure you feel confident about Commencement 2025!

For questions about this step, please contact the Student Programming, Activities, & Resource Center: 303.556.2597 | SPARC@ccd.edu

Join the Orientation

Attend the Graduate & Alumni Celebration

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Join us on Tuesday, May 13 in the Confluence Assembly Rooms anytime between 12 - 7pm for a special celebration! Enjoy free food & beverages, get creative with mortarboard decorating, and explore campus and community resources designed to help you thrive as an alum. Network with fellow graduates, alumni, and CCD staff to foster connections that will support you in your next chapter.

For questions about this step, please contact the CCD Alumni Association: 303.352.3021 | Alumni@ccd.edu

Attend Commencement

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Join us on Thursday, May 15 at the Auraria Campus for an unforgettable Commencement Ceremony! This special moment is open to all family and friends, who are invited to celebrate your achievement alongside you. After the ceremony, enjoy refreshments, connect with alumni resources, and capture lasting memories with photo opportunities to celebrate your success and embrace the future.

For questions about this step, please contact the Student Programming, Activities, & Resource Center: 303.556.2597 | SPARC@ccd.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Please check back for additional information and further details as we approach the big day! Congratulations to all our graduates!

Questions? Contact CCD's Student Programming, Activities & Resource Center (SPARC): 303.556.2597 | SPARC@ccd.edu

Graduates will only be checked-in once their entire party has arrived. Check-in will begin 1 hour before the ceremony begins. For the morning ceremony, we will begin check-in at 8:00 am. For the afternoon ceremony we will begin check-in at 12:00 pm. All graduates will receive additional communication regarding check-in as we get closer to the date.

There is no guest limit for graduates. Please identify your anticipated guest count when you RSVP to assist us in our planning. Family and friends will stay with their graduate throughout the entirety of the program.

At CCD we provide a fun and engaging nontraditional graduation ceremony! Family and friends will travel with you from check-in to crossing the stage! Your support network will have the opportunity to join you on the stage for a group photo or cheer you on from the front row. No formal speeches, no nosebleed seating, just the opportunity to celebrate your accomplishments with family, friends, and your fellow City Hawks! 

Graduates are required to wear the official cap and gown. Comfortable shoes are recommended, as you will be walking across the stage. Part of the event is outside under a covered tent. Please dress accordingly.

You are responsible for ordering and picking up your graduation regalia. If you selected to have your cap and gown shipped to campus, your order will be available for pick up beginning April 28, 2025, during normal business hours at the Tivoli Station Bookstore (900 Auraria Pkwy. Suite 205, Denver, CO 80204).

For questions on your order or additional assistance, please email Alex Frieler at: ajfrieler@herffjones.com.

If you cannot make it to the bookstore, caps & gowns will also be available for pick up at the Graduate & Alumni Celebration on Tuesday, May 13.

Yes! You are welcome to decorate your mortarboard to celebrate your big day! There will be an opportunity to decorate your cap at the Graduate & Alumni Celebration on Tuesday, May 13. If you choose to decorate, please ensure it is appropriate with no offensive language or images. CCD staff reserve the right to ask any graduate to remove their cap if it is deemed inappropriate.

If you are anticipating cords, stoles, or pins, please contact your student organization/honor society advisor or academic program faculty for more information. All additional regalia must be approved by the Student Programming, Activities, and Resource Center. Current registered clubs and honor societies will be invited to hand out regalia at the Graduate & Alumni Celebration on Tuesday, May 13.

Yes, a professional photographer will be capturing moments during the ceremony. You will receive information on how to purchase photos during and after the event.

Please indicate any accessibility needs when you RSVP.

For additional assistance, contact the CCD Accessibility Center: 303.556.3300 | CCD.Access@ccd.edu

Yes, parking will be available on campus. More information about cost and locations will be made available soon. We highly encourage carpooling or utilizing public transit to assist with traffic flow in and out of campus.

No, please leave any pets at home. Only service animals are allowed at the event.

Diplomas will be mailed to the address you have on file with the College. Please ensure your address is up to date in your student portal.

For questions or assistance with this, please contact the Office of Registration & Records: 303.556.2420 | CCD.ORR@ccd.edu

Past Celebrations