Class of 2026 Graduation and Commencement Ceremonies
99th Annual Graduation and Commencement for the Class of 2026
Congrats to the Class of 2026! Chestnut Hill College celebrated its 99th Annual Graduation and Commencement for all bachelor’s degree-seeking students in the School of Undergraduate Studies and School of Continuing and Professional Studies on Saturday, May 16th and all master’s degree-seeking students in the School of Graduate Studies on Thursday, May 14th.
Relive the momentous occasion below with photo galleries, streams of the events, and more.
Class of 2027 – stay tuned early next year for more information on your Commencement!
School of Undergraduate Studies and School of Continuing and Professional Studies Ceremony Live Stream and Program Booklet
PA State Senator Art Haywood is a determined fighter for all people and has won many battles, committed to making Pennsylvania a place where everyone can live with dignity.
He has secured $100 million in annual funding for affordable housing, $14 million for mobile, school, and community health clinics to increase access, and up to $100 million to remove lead from school drinking water. Additionally, he has reformed guardianship laws to better protect the most vulnerable. Art has also released key reports, including the State of Black PA Report, the ENOUGH report on harassment at state universities, and the Poverty Report, which addresses barriers to escaping poverty.
His dedication has earned him recognition as Legislator of the Year by the Life Sciences Caucus and The Arc of PA, along with the Excellence Award from PHFA, Outstanding Legislator Award for affordable housing from the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, the Economic Justice Award from the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, to name a few.
School of Graduate Studies Commencement Ceremony Live Stream and Program Booklet
Tune in at 3 PM ET on Thursday, May 14, to watch the live stream of the School of Graduate Studies Commencement Ceremony for our masters and doctoral degree recipients.
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Learn About the Pomp & Circumstance
What is the order of the Commencement Procession?
The Chestnut Hill College Commencement procession is led by the Grand Marshal who carries the College mace. The Grand Marshal is the highest ranking, tenured faculty member. The mace is a symbol of authority and indicates that the activity is an official function of Chestnut Hill College. The predominant feature of Chestnut Hill College’s mace is the College Seal. The mace was presented to the College by the Class of 1956. A color guard follows the Grand Marshal.
Following the Grand Marshal in the School of Graduate Studies procession are candidates for master’s degrees, followed by candidates for the doctoral degree in clinical psychology. During the School of Undergraduate Studies/School of Continuing and Professional Studies ceremony, the Grand Marshal is followed by the degree candidates from the School of Undergraduate Studies. The School of Continuing and Professional Studies degree candidates follow next in the procession.
In both ceremonies, the faculty follows the candidates for degrees. The platform party, composed of speakers, honorees, Board of Directors, and the Administration are last to process. The recessional exits in reverse order.
What is the significance and history of academic robes and regalia?
The pageantry and color of an academic convocation such as today’s Commencement come to us from medieval times when academic robes and regalia were adapted from ecclesiastical garb. Most robes are black to symbolize the democracy of scholarship, since they cover any dress or rank of social standing worn beneath. Robes vary in design depending on the degree received. It may be that the wearing of the long gowns provided warmth for the students and teachers who labored in unheated academic buildings of 13th century England.
The hood, originally a simple cowl attached to the gown, bears the heaviest symbolism of the academic costume. Its lining displays the colors of the college or university which is granting the degree, and the color of the bordering velvet indicates the field of learning in which the degree is earned. The square cap or mortarboard originated in the 13th century at the University of Paris and came to England in Tudor times.
Through the years, European institutions had a great diversity in their specifications of academic dress. American colleges and universities opted for a definite system that all might follow. In 1895, the Intercollegiate Commission met at Columbia University and adopted a code of academic dress.The Commission has updated the code in 1932, 1959 and 1986.
What does Chestnut Hill College regalia look like for bachelor’s students?
The gown for the bachelor’s degree is untrimmed. It can be identified by its long pointed sleeves. The gown is usually black in color and is designed to be worn closed.
The hood must be three-feet in length. It is lined with the official colors of the college. The Chestnut Hill College lining is scarlet, white and gold. Chestnut Hill grants Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.The edging of the Bachelor of Arts hood is white, and the Bachelor of Science hood is golden yellow.The velvet edging is two-inches wide.
The mortarboard has a tassel attached at midpoint to the top of the cap. The tassel, like the mortarboard, is black. Traditionally, the graduates move the tassel from the right side to the left side of the cap once the degree is granted.
What does Chestnut Hill College regalia look like for master’s students?
The gown for the master’s degree is designed to be worn either open or closed.The sleeves are oblong and are open at the wrist. The rear part of the sleeve is square cut while the front has an arc cut away. The gown is usually black and untrimmed.
The hood for the master’s degree is three-and-one-half-feet long.The edging is three-inches wide. The Chestnut Hill College hood is lined in scarlet, white and gold. The white trim signifies the Master of Arts degree, yellow trim signifies a Master of Science degree and light blue trim signifies a Master of Education degree.
The mortarboard is black and has a black tassel attached midpoint on the top of the cap. The graduate moves the tassel from the right to the left side of the cap once the degree is granted.
What does Chestnut Hill College regalia look like for doctoral students?
The gown for the doctoral degree has bell shaped sleeves. It is designed to be worn either open or closed. The front of the gown is faced with velvet and three bars or chevrons of velvet are used across the sleeves. The color of the velvet trim may be black or match the edging of the hood. The gown may be black or a color approved for an institution.
The hood is four-feet long and has panels at the sides. It is lined with the colors of the degree granting institution and edged with velvet colored to represent the specific discipline in which the degree is granted. The velvet edge is five-inches wide.
The cap may be the traditional mortarboard cap or a tam made of soft velvet. The tam may be square, six-pointed or eight-pointed. The tassel may be gold.
Chestnut Hill College doctoral candidates wear a scarlet gown trimmed in black velvet. The gown is designed to be worn closed. The College Seal is located at the top of each velvet panel on the front of the gown.
The hood is lined in scarlet, white, and gold with a white trim to signify the degree in psychology. The cap is an eight-pointed, black velvet tam with a gold tassel.
Who wears the President’s Chain of Office and other service medallions?
The President of Chestnut Hill College wears a chain of office at formal College functions. The central medallion in the chain is the official insignia for the President of the College. The chain connects twelve, smaller medallions adorned with fleur-de-lis to symbolize the connection to the founding of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in LePuy, France. The twelve medallions also represent our past and future presidents. A large hammered fleur-de-lis at the back balances the College Seal in the front.The chain was a gift from the Chestnut Hill College Alumni Association to the College’s sixth president, Sister Carol Jean Vale, on the occasion of her inauguration.
Service Medallions
Fleur-de-lis medallions are worn by faculty and staff who have completed twenty or more years of full-time service to the College.The medallions are worn at official College functions.
Tell me more about the history of Chestnut Hill College.
PA State Senator Art Haywood