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Commencement Regalia

The following regalia are awarded to graduates by their academic program, honor societies, activities, and other groups, based on membership and/or achievement. Specific information about how to obtain a particular cord will be communicated to eligible students in April. If you have not received information by the end of April, please reach out to the following individuals/offices.

Email commencement@salemstate.edu or call 978.542.GRAD (4723) with general questions.
 

Cords

Cord

Contact

Orange: Viking Strong (pandemic resilience)

Awarded at commencement ceremony

Academic Affairs

Green: philanthropy, donating to the class gift

Advancement

Wendy Davison wdavison@salemstate.edu

Deep purple: Summer Bridge Academy

Center for Academic Excellence

Rainbow: pride

Center for Justice and Liberation

Silver: first generation student

First Year Experience

Kelly green and blue: O TEAM/Moving Forward, Giving Back Day of Service

First Year Experience

Orange and white: STEP program

First Year Experience

Multi-colored: departmental honors

Interdisciplinary Studies

Brown, Bright Gold, Silver: Educator Scholars of Color program

McKeown School of Education

Drab: Bertolon School of Business master's candidate (awarded at commencement ceremony)

Registrar's Office

White: College of Arts and Sciences master's candidate (awarded at commencement ceremony)

Registrar's Office

Citron: Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services master's candidate (awarded at commencement ceremony)

Registrar's Office

Light blue: McKeown School of Education master's candidate (awarded at commencement ceremony)

Registrar's Office

Gold: honors (cum laude): awarded to undergraduates (cumulative GPA 3.300 – 3.599) at commencement ceremony check-in only

Registrar's Office

White: honors (magna cum laude): awarded to undergraduates (cumulative GPA 3.600 – 3.849) at commencement ceremony check-in only

Registrar's Office

Red: honors (summa cum laude): awarded to undergraduates (cumulative GPA 3.850 – 4.000) at commencement ceremony check-in only

Registrar's Office

Blue and orange: Residence Life staff

Residence Life

Red, black and white: TRIO

TRIO Support Services

Kevin Linton klinton@salemstate.edu

Stoles

Student athletes: orange

Athletics

Black Student Union: burgundy with gold trim and white lettering

Center for Justice and Liberation

ALANA: Asian, Latinx, African-American, Native American students

- Latinx: red/blue/white
- Native American: yellow/red/green
- Multicultural: blue/green/red
- Black/African-American: black/red/green
- Asian, Pacific Islander, Asian-American: blue/gold/white

Center for Justice and Liberation

International student or study abroad: light blue

Center for International Education

SGA: blue with orange SGA logo

Student Involvement and Operations

Theta Phi Alpha: blue with gold lettering

Student Involvement and Operations

Phi Sigma Sigma: white with gold lettering

Student Involvement and Operations

Veterans: white with red and blue trim

Veterans' Affairs

Honor Societies

Organization

Department

Advisor

Item

Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha)

First Year Experience

Mathew Chetnik

Blue and silver cords

Alpha Kappa Delta

Sociology

Sara Moore

Teal cord

Alpha Lambda Delta

First Year Experience

Mathew Chetnik

Red and gold cords

Alpha Phi Sigma

Criminal Justice

Joseph Gustafson jgustafson@salemstate.edu

Gold stole with blue lettering;
blue and gold cord and medallion

Honors Program

Honors

Scott Nowka honors@salemstate.edu 

Gold stole with the word “honor” embroidered on one side; a bronze medallion that says “Commonwealth Honors Scholar” with a blue and orange lanyard; (for some) a bronze medallion indicating a high GPA with a blue and orange lanyard

Lambda Pi Eta

Media and Communication

Cindy Vincent

Gold cord, red stole (for sale)

Phi Epsilon Kappa

Sport and Movement Science

Jennifer El-Sherif

Black and gold cords

Phi Sigma Iota

World Languages and Cultures

Kristine Doll/Anna Rocca

Pins and certificates awarded; students can purchase cords and sashes from Phi Sigma website (white and purple)

Pi Mu Epsilon

Math

Kathi Crow

Gold and purple cord

Sigma Theta Tau

Nursing

Shawna Farnsworth

Purple cord

Sigma Tau Delta

English

Scott Nowka snowka@salemstate.edu

Black and red cord 

Phi Alpha

Social Work

Jeff Driskell

Citron cord

UPE

Computer Science

Bo Hatfield

Emblems

National Student Leadership Society

Student Involvement and Operations

Student Involvement and Operations

Available through NSLS website if students wish to order

Chi Alpha Sigma

Athletics

Nicolle Wood

Black lanyard and gold medallion

Regalia from the Bookstore (hoods, cords, tassels)

Colored Hoods Worn by Masters’ Candidates Designate Degree Received

Apricot – Master of Science in Nursing

Blue – Master of Education, Master of Arts in Teaching

Citron – Master of Social Work

Drab – Master of Business Administration

Gold – Master of Science

Teal – Master of Science, Occupational Therapy

White – Master of Arts

Braided Cords Worn by Masters’ Candidates Designate Graduates’ College/School

White – College of Arts and Sciences

Citron – Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services

Drab – Bertolon School of Business

Blue – School of Education

Colored Tassels on Graduates’ Caps Designate Degree Received

Apricot – Nursing

Blue and Green – Geography

Brown – Dance

Brown and Orange – Liberal Studies

Citron – Social Work

Copper – Economics

Dark Blue – Social Science (Criminal Justice, Fire Science, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology)

Drab – Business Administration

Golden Yellow – Science (Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geological Science, Mathematics)

Light Blue – Education

Multi-colored – Interdisciplinary Studies

Orange – Cartography and Geographic Information Systems

Pink – Music

Sage Green – Athletic Training, Healthcare Studies, and Sport and Movement Science

Silver Grey – Theatre Arts

Teal – Occupational Health Studies

White – Art, Communications, English, Spanish, and World Languages and Cultures

White/Sage Green – Spanish/Healthcare Studies