Commencement

Get Ready for Your Graduation Day

Apply for Graduation

Students who are nearing their graduation date must apply for graduation through the Registrar's Office in order to receive their diploma. 

Questions about the graduation application process may be directed to the Registrar's Office at registrar@ycp.edu.

Submit Your Information for the Commencement Ceremony

All graduates who intend to participate in the Commencement ceremony must complete the December 2024 Commencement Ceremony Participant Form. This form provides important information — including the correct pronunciation of your name as it will be read aloud during the ceremony, as well as contact information for you and your guests to receive graduation-related communications.

Note: The Commencement Participant Form is separate from the Graduation Application. Graduating students must submit both forms to participate in the Commencement ceremony.

Order Your Regalia

All graduates who participate in Commencement must wear the proper regalia for their degree and major. Caps, gowns, hoods, and honor cords may be ordered through the Spartan Store.

Please keep these important deadlines in mind as you plan to place your order:

• October 10, 2024 — Last day for ship-to-store ordering for pick-up at the Spartan Store Grad Fair on November 13.
• November 14, 2024 — Last day for ship-to-home ordering, which does not include honors cords or guest tickets.

No regalia will be available for sale after November 14, 2024.

Pricing for regalia packages is as follows: 

• Associate Degree — $39.99
• Bachelor's Degree — $69.99
• Master's Degree — $74.99
• Doctoral Degree — $119.99

Order your graduation regalia before November 14, 2024. 

If, for any reason, you do not have the means to purchase regalia, you may borrow previously-owned regalia at no charge from the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of caps, gowns, and hoods are available. Tassels will need to be purchased at the Spartan Store for $3.99 + tax.

Request to borrow regalia.

Attend Graduation-Related Events

Grad Fair — November 13, 2024 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

Grad Fair is hosted by the Spartan Store and provides a one-stop shop for York College Commencement merchandise. During Grad Fair, you can:

• Pick up guest tickets for graduation
• Pick up regalia that has been ordered and shipped to the store
• Pick up honor cords (if applicable)
• Shop for class rings and graduation announcements with Jostens

Keep an eye on your YCP email for announcements about Grad Fair and ordering your graduation merchandise.

Graduation Rehearsal and New Alumni Toast — Monday, Dec. 16 (5:15 p.m.) — Grumbacher Center

Graduation Rehearsal is an opportunity for you to understand how Commencement will work and what your role will be during the ceremony. Graduates who cannot attend the rehearsal should carefully review information on the Commencement website following the event.

The New Alumni Toast will immediately follow Graduation Rehearsal. As the event approaches, the Office of Alumni Relations will send additional communication about the New Alumni Toast to your YCP email.

Guest Tickets for Graduation

Each graduating student attending Commencement will receive a designated number of tickets. More information about ticketing will be provided to graduating students in the fall.

Graduates do not need a ticket for themselves.

Picking Up Guest Tickets

Guest tickets for Commencement will be available at the Spartan Store beginning November 13, 2024 at the Grad Fair (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.). If you are unable to attend this event, you will be able to pick up your regalia and tickets at the Spartan Store at a later time.

If you have chosen to have your regalia shipped to your home address, or if you are getting your regalia from an alternate source, you may pick up your guest tickets at the Spartan Store on or after November 13. 

Extra Guest Tickets

Graduating students may request up to two additional tickets (Family members and friends may not submit a request on behalf of a graduate). Graduates will be notified if extra tickets are available, and if so, where they may claim them. 

A link to an additional ticket request form will be provided later in the fall.

Ceremony Viewing Options for Guests without Tickets

Tickets are not needed to come to campus — only to enter the Commencement location. Viewing areas across campus will be screening a live stream of the event and are available at the following locations:

• Iosue Student Union Welcome Center
• Waldner Performing Arts Center
• Weinstock Lecture Hall

Live video viewing locations are air-conditioned, with access to restrooms. They are ideal for guests who prefer more comfortable seating, who have small children in need of breaks during the long event, or who prefer to see the event with live closed captions on a large screen.

A live stream of the ceremony will also be available. A link to the live stream will be available on the Commencement webpage, and a recording of the ceremony will remain available long-term on York College's YouTube channel. 

Commencement Day Information

The Commencement ceremony will begin promptly at 10:15 a.m. Therefore, you must arrive no later than 9:30 a.m. to complete the check-in process and line up for procession.

• 8 a.m. — Check-in begins, and the Commencement ceremony location opens. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.

Check-In for Graduation - 8 a.m.

As soon as you arrive on campus, please report directly to your designated check-in location. Additional information will be provided to graduating students in the fall.

When you check in, you will receive the following items:

• Name Card — This card contains the correct pronunciation of your name and your contact information. If your card is incomplete, you will be asked to write in the missing information. Hold on to this card! It will be used as you cross the stage to ensure your name is pronounced correctly during your spotlight moment. Later, GradImages will use the card to match your photos to your name. They will reach out to you within a few weeks with online proofs of your photos. (Note: If you are concerned that your name may be mispronounced even with the phonetic spelling on your card, you may ask to whisper your name to the Provost before she announces you to the audience.)
• YCP Alumni Lapel Pin — Attach this pin to the left lapel of your regalia. It signifies that you have joined the distinguished York College alumni community as a Spartan for life!
• Commencement Program — You will receive one printed Commencement program to carry into the ceremony. Your guests will each receive their programs as they enter the tent or any of the live stream viewing locations on campus.

Line Up for the Procession — 9:30 a.m. 

Additional information about processing and meeting locations will be shared with graduating students in the fall.

Parking During Commencement

All commencement parking for students and guests will be on West Campus.

There will be electronic road signs directing guests to West Campus, as well as traffic direction staff, campus, and local law enforcement officers directing traffic in and around campus.

Final Reminders for Graduation Day

• Arrive at check-in wearing your regalia. Staff will be available to provide assistance. 
• Leave all personal items, including bags, with your guests. Do not carry them into the ceremony.
• Arrive well-rested and prepared to participate. You want to be relaxed, alert, and ready for your big day!
• The live stream of the ceremony can be accessed by anyone, on any device, via ycp.edu/commencement beginning at 10 a.m. EST.

Receiving Your Diploma

Graduates will receive their diploma in the mail in the weeks following the end of the semester. The Registrar's Office issues diplomas after a student’s requirements for degree completion are confirmed.

Joining the Alumni Association

As a graduate of York College of Pennsylvania, you are now officially a member of the Alumni Association! No matter where life takes you, be sure to keep your information up to date so you can stay informed about YCP alumni benefits, career development resources, special events, and more.

Follow @YCPAlumni on Instagram or Facebook for the latest alumni news!

All commencement parking for students and guests will be on West Campus.

There will be electronic road signs directing guests to West Campus, as well as traffic direction staff, campus, and local law enforcement officers directing traffic in and around campus.

If you or a family member requires accommodations during the day of Commencement, please submit an accommodation request at least two weeks prior to the event, or as soon as possible. Every effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations. 

Available accommodations that will be provided at Commencement include (but are not limited to):

• Sign language interpretation
• Accessible seating for guests in wheelchairs or with other mobility assist devices
• Accessible Drop-off location near the ceremony for guests 
• Accessible parking for those with a disability tag/placard

Commencement staff will contact you before the ceremony to confirm your accommodation request. 

Questions may be directed to commencement@ycp.edu or 717.815.1635.

Flowers will be available for sale at the ceremony from an independent vendor for $20-$30 per bouquet. Cash or credit cards are accepted.

The Spartan Store will be open from 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. on graduation day to provide you and your family an opportunity to obtain York College gift items, clothing, balloons, etc. Snacks and beverages for the trip home will also be available.

Professional photos of the ceremony and of each graduate receiving their degree will be available from GradImages. Proofs will be provided by GradImages directly to graduates a few weeks after the ceremony. Purchasing photos from GradImages is always optional for students and their families. 

Students who preregister with GradImages get 20% off an order of $50 or more.

The Office of Communications will work with an outside organization to alert local media in each graduate’s hometown of their graduation. The publication and timing of these announcements is at the discretion of the individual newspaper or media group. 

Guests who do not have a ticket for seating within the event tent may still view the ceremony live from one of several viewing locations on York College's main campus. Tickets are not required at these viewing locations:

• Iosue Student Union Welcome Center
• Waldner Performing Arts Center
• Weinstock Lecture Hall

Live video viewing locations are air-conditioned, with access to restrooms. They are ideal for guests who prefer more comfortable seating, who have small children in need of breaks during the long event, or who prefer to see the event with live closed captions on a large screen. Guests attending Commencement without tickets should feel confident that they can participate fully and enjoy their graduate's spotlight moment on stage with an excellent view. 

A live stream of the ceremony will also be available. A link to the live stream will be available on the Commencement webpage, and a recording of the ceremony will remain available long-term on York College's YouTube channel. 

Changes to the ceremony due to severe weather will be communicated directly to graduates via their YCP email, and will also be announced on the College's social media accounts.

Signing York College's iconic green boulder (affectionately named Ol' Spart) is a proud YCP tradition. On Commencement Day, each new graduate writes their name on the rock to signify the completion of their academic journey and to commemorate the mark they will leave on campus forever as a member of our Spartan family. 

Following the Commencement ceremony, graduates will process to Ol' Spart and add their names to a fresh coat of paint, joining layers upon layers of remarkable alumni that came before them.