Frequently Asked Questions about Commencement

Students who have submitted a graduation petition for the Summer or Fall proceeding the ceremony, or students who submit a grad petition the Spring semester of the ceremony and who will be earning a certificate or an Associate's Degree will be eligible to participate in Commencement. 

As a note, the Student Activities Office does not determine the eligibility for participation in the Commencement ceremony. If you are unsure whether you meet these requirements, please contact MCAdmissions@vcccd.edu to ask if you have submitted your graduation petition or are eligible to receive a degree or certificate.

Yes! Graduates wishing to participate in the Commencement ceremony are required to RSVP. Instructions on how to RSVP to participate in Commencement are communicated to graduates in spring via their MyVCCCD student email address.

Guests do not have to produce a physical ticket in order to enter the stadium and attend the Commencement ceremony.

Guests requesting accommodations, such as access to an ASL interpreter, should contact MCCommencement@vcccd.edu. 

Guest seating during the ceremony is free and is available on a first come, first serve basis. Gates open 90 minutes before the start of the ceremony, and the stadium bleachers are anticipated to provide ample seating for guests. Campus parking will also be free on the day of Commencement. The ceremony will last approximately 2 hours, and graduates participating in the ceremony are expected to stay for the entire duration and should not expect to leave early.

Arrival time for graduates:

Graduates should arrive to the Graduate Check-in Area inside the Stadium no later than 4:30 p.m. or else they risk being unable to participate in the ceremony. The Check-in Area is located immediately inside Griffin Stadium, next to the field house, and will be marked by signs. Family and friends who are not participating in the ceremony are not permitted into the graduate area.

Arrival time for guests:

Stadium gates open at 3:30 p.m. for guest admission, and seating is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no charge to attend the Commencement celebration, and tickets are not required. Guests in need of accessible seating are encouraged to arrive early to secure it, as there are a limited number of seats available.

The Friday, May 17, 2024 Commencement will begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. PST.

It is recommended that graduates and guests park in the Parking Structure or one of its surrounding lots. The other closest parking areas will be the High School at Moorpark College lot (Lot-G1) and the Academic Center lot.

Accessible parking will also be made available in the FLRs/Field Hockey Stadium lot closest to the Griffin Stadium (Lot-H).

Graduates and families should not park in the surrounding neighborhoods if they do not live off the streets of Delfen, Kernvale, Overly, Dracena, Linville, Grandsen, or Melray.

It is expected that graduates who sign up to participate in the annual Moorpark College Commencement will stay for the entire duration of the ceremony so as to not be disruptive to the other students and guests.

Graduates are asked to report to the Check-In Area no later than 9:30 a.m. to receive last-minute announcements before the student processional starts. The ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. promptly and is expected to last approximately two hours.

A name card will be provided during the ceremony where graduates can write their name out phonetically. For example, if a student was named Wyatt Kohler, they could write on the card "WHY-AT COAL-ER" to ensure proper pronunciation.

This name card will be provided to the announcer, so that they can call their name correctly. 

Name cards are given to graduates as part of the regalia packages purchased from the Moorpark College Bookstore. However, students who do not have their name card with them the day of Commencement can pick one up in the Graduate Check-in Area when they arrive to the stadium the morning of the ceremony.

Graduates are not arranged by major or by name. Graduates are invited to line up in the processional with their friends and favorite classmates. It is recommended that students be in the same line as their friends to increase the likelihood that they will be seated next to them, as graduates will be separated on two sides of an aisle. However, you are not guaranteed to be seated next to the person you're standing in line with, as each row has a finite amount of chairs.

Yes! Any student who graduated in summer 2022, fall 2022, or who applied to graduate in spring 2023 and who is planning to walk in Commencement may audition to sing the National Anthem during the opening of the ceremony. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase your talents while also celebrating the accomplishments achieved by you and your classmates.

The selected singer or singing group will receive one free 30-minute voice lesson from a Moorpark College voice faculty member, as well as free Moorpark College memorabilia or apparel—a great gift for yourself or for anyone who has supported you along the way! Students can audition as solo performers or as part of a small group; regardless, they must be prepared to sing a cappella/without accompaniment and must find their own starting pitch for the audition and the ceremony.

Auditions will take place on Thursday, April 27 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in M-106 (Music building, room 106). Interested students may email mcchoralvocalstu@vcccd.edu for more information.

Balloons and noise makers of any kind are not allowed during the Commencement ceremony and are prohibited from entering the stadium. Guests should leave these items at home or in their vehicles.

Flowers may be brought in.

Guests who are not able to join and enjoy the ceremony person are invited to watch and/or listen to the ceremony via a YouTube livestream.

The livestream link will be updated by May 2024.

Yes, guests are allowed to bring food and drinks. However, alcohol is not permitted. 

There will be food trucks on site for guests can purchase food and drinks. Additionally, water and light snacks will be provided for graduates before the ceremony. 

Some campus departments or academic programs organize their own celebrations or recognition ceremonies to honor the students they serve. Read on to learn more.

Lavender Graduation | Friday, April 28
The Ventura County Community College District is hosting a district-wide Lavender Graduation to honor the accomplishments and achievements of our LGBTQIA+ graduates. Visit the VCCCD Lavender Graduation page for more information about how to RSVP by April 11.

Nursing Science Pinning Ceremony | Friday, May 19 at 4 p.m.
Students graduating from the Nursing Science program participate in a ceremonial program where they receive their pins, signifying the community they are joining and that they are ready to serve society as healthcare professionals. This ceremony is open specifically to Nursing Science program graduates. 

Students can learn more about Commencement by emailing questions to MCCommencement@vcccd.edu; by stopping at the Student Activities Office in the Campus Center (across from the MC Bookstore); or by calling the Student Activities Office at 805-378-1434.

Yes, graduates who wish to participate in the Commencement ceremony must have a Moorpark College-specific cap and gown.

These items can be purchased from the Moorpark College Bookstore beginning in April 12, 2023. The Bookstore is located in the Campus Center. For more information about Bookstore hours and location, see Step 4 on the Information for Graduating Students page.

Graduates will not be permitted to wear pointy-heeled shoes, such as stilettos, kitten heels, cone heels or comma-heeled shoes, to the ceremony because these shoes can damage the AstroTurf field on which the ceremony is taking place. 

Shoes with heels that distribute weight, such as wedge heels or thicker Cuban or block heels, are permissible.

Graduates who arrive in stiletto or sharp-heeled shoes will be given a pair of disposable sandals to wear instead of their heeled shoes, or they may be turned away from participating in the ceremony.

Heeled shoes may also cause students to fall on the turf and may be uncomfortable during the procession, which requires students to process the length of a football field. 

Yes, students may personalize their caps (also called mortarboards) by decorating them. Graduates should refrain from including imagery or language that may be construed as offensive. Also, items affixed to the cap must be materials that will remain on the cap and that will not fall off.

Glitter, confetti, or other small materials that are subject to falling or shaking off are not permitted for use in decorating grad caps.

Class of 2023 graduates who plan to participate in the Commencement are required wear a Moorpark College gown, cap and tassel (also referred to as regalia) in the ceremony. 

Regalia packages will be available for purchase in the Moorpark College Bookstore beginning Wednesday, April 12, 2023 until Friday, May 12, 2023. Purchasing regalia in person is the best option to confirm you get the right length and size robe. Visit the MC Bookstore website for information about hours and location. 

Can't purchase your regalia in person? Contact the bookstore manager Nick Hagen to request to purchase regalia electronically and have it shipped to you: nhagen@bncollege.com. 

Students who already own a black graduation gown and black cap may reuse these items for the Moorpark College Commencement, but they should still purchase a diploma cover and name card reader from the Moorpark College Bookstore. Visit the MC Bookstore website for information about hours and location. 

They may also wish to purchase a 2023 tassel from the Moorpark College Bookstore.

We do not believe the cost of regalia should prevent any eligible student from participating in the Commencement ceremony. Therefore, the Moorpark College Classified Senate (a campus representative group comprised of staff) is helping a select number of students who will face financial hardship with the $60 cost of regalia by providing them with a gown to borrow, and by purchasing for them the required cap, tassel, and diploma cover to keep.

Click on this link if you would like to request to borrow regalia.

Graduates should come to the ceremony wearing their robe. They can wear whatever attire underneath it. Robes are traditionally fully zipped up over one's clothes.

Graduates often bring sunglasses. Graduates are advised against bringing purses or backpacks.

Accessible parking will be made available in the parking lots nearest to the Griffin Stadium, which is where Commencement is occurring. To navigate to these parking lots:

• Exit the 118 Ronald Reagan Freeway at Collins Drive and head toward Moorpark College (a right turn at the freeway exit if you are coming from the Simi Valley area, or a left turn at the freeway exit if you are coming from Moorpark)
• Turn right at the signal for Campus Park Drive
• Turn left at the Delfen Street signal, following the directional signs indicating that you are entering an accessible parking lot

Yes! Accessible seating will be located in proximity to the stage. This section will be blocked off for guests with hearing, vision, or other physical disabilities or impairments who for these reasons should be prioritized for accessible seating. Accessible seating is denoted with an Accessibility placard logo on the Seating Map linked below.

Guests who require visibility to the ASL interpreters must check in at the front Information Table at the entrance of Griffin Stadium to be guided to their seating area.

Yes! American Sign Language interpreters will be seated on the Commencement stage for student and guest viewing.

Guests who require visibility to the ASL interpreters must check in at the front Information Table at the entrance of Griffin Stadium to be guided to their seating area.

Service animals specifically trained to assist a person with a disability are permitted on campus during the Moorpark College Commencement ceremony.

Pets are not allowed on campus.

Accessible parking will be made available in the parking lot closest to the Commencement ceremony site of Griffin Stadium. To navigate to this parking lot:

• Exit the 118 Ronald Reagan Freeway at Collins Drive and head toward Moorpark College (a right turn at the freeway exit if you are coming from the Simi Valley area, or a left turn at the freeway exit if you are coming from Moorpark)
• Turn right at the signal for Campus Park Drive
• Turn left at the Delfen Street signal, following the directional signs indicating that you are entering an accessible parking lot

A golf cart will be providing a courtesy shuttle from the parking lot to the Stadium entrance.

A limited number of wheelchairs will also be available on a first come, first serve basis to provide assistance from the Stadium entrance to the Accessible seating area. 

Accessible seating will be made available in the Stadium bleachers for guests on a first come, first serve basis. Guests in need of visibility to ASL interpreters should check in at the Information Table at the entrance of Griffin Stadium to be directed to the Accessible seating area.

If you completed your academic program at the end of last Summer or Fall and have not yet received your diploma or certificate, please check your MyVCCCD email for a message with the subject line ***Your Moorpark College Diploma(s)*** to find out how to pick up your diploma in person or to request to have your degree or certificate mailed to you.

Spring graduates will receive diploma-related information via their Moorpark College MyVCCCD email approximately 8-12 weeks after the academic term ends.

Students do not need to attend Commencement to receive their diplomas or certificates, as graduates do not receive these documents during the Commencement ceremony but rather can pick them up in person or request that they be mailed from the Moorpark College Admissions and Records Office.

Email MCAdmissions@vcccd.edu or call (805) 378-1429 with questions related to your degree or certificate.

Graduating with honors could mean many things. Whether you receive something to denote your academic achievement depends on your involvement with honors societies, your cumulative Grade Point Average, and/or your formal registration with the Moorpark College Honors Program. 

Graduating with honors (3.5 Grade Point Average or higher)
Students who earned a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher may request a gold tassel from the Moorpark College Bookstore in lieu of the traditional black one when they purchase their regalia package. Students who applied for graduation and who were identified by Admissions & Records as having a 3.5 GPA or higher received notification from the Moorpark College Bookstore, inviting them to pick up the gold tassel.

Honors Program graduates
Graduating students enrolled in the Honors Program who have completed all requirements will receive a custom medallion. Please contact the Honors Program Coordinator for additional information about receiving it prior to the day of Commencement: nbowen@vcccd.edu. 

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) inductees
Phi Theta Kappa chapter members who have been inducted may request to receive a custom graduation stole. Please contact the PTK program coordinator for additional information: raul_torres6@vcccd.edu.

Notify the Career Transfer Center as you receive your university acceptances by going online to www.moorparkcollege.edu/transfer and selecting “Student Spotlight” among the menu options.

Yes! The Moorpark College Alumni Association aims to keep the college’s graduates connected with the campus. We care about your success long after you graduate and would like to keep in touch! To register for free, visit www.moorparkcollege.edu/alumni.