Caps, Gowns and Attire

Academic attire is required for the commencement ceremony. All graduates should wear gowns and hoods appropriate for their degree. A friend’s or relative’s gown will not work unless the attire meets the exact requirements for each degree.

Regalia Order Process

Students graduating in Fall 2025 should follow the below instructions to order and collect their regalia. 

• Students can order their regalia here. 
• The deadline for Fall regalia is December 5th, 2025.
• Regalia will be mailed directly to the student and will not be available for pick-up at the Bulldog Shop.

Students graduating in Spring/Summer 2026 must follow the steps below to order and collect their regalia. Do not purchase regalia using the above link.

Students can purchase and pick up their regalia at the Spring 2026 Grad Fair on March 25th. After the Grad Fair, students can order regalia via the Bulldog Shop's website. 

Important Dates:

• Regalia Begins to be Available: March 25th, 2026
• Regalia Ordering Deadline: April 24th, 2026

Spring 2026 Grad Fair & Regalia Pick-Up March 25th 2026 10AM - 4PM

• The Grad Fair will take place at the Bulldog Shop on March 25th 2026 from 10am until 4pm. 
• The Grad Fair is a great opportunity for you to pick up your regalia and ask any questions of Bulldog Shop staff and Registrar staff regarding commencement. 

Purchasing Regalia

• All Spring and Summer 2026 graduates can purchase and pick up regalia at the Grad Fair on March 25th. 
• If you are ordering after the Grad Fair, please contact Kyle McVay (kyle.mcvay@drake.edu) directly to place an order. 
• Note: Payment is due at the time of ordering. Regalia is shipped directly to the student.  
• Review Commencement Curriculum Chart to determine which curriculum to choose. 
• Note: Students earning two degrees at the same or different ceremonies should wear the regalia of the highest degree they are earning. Students earning two degrees at the same ceremony should wear the tassel color associated with the degree of the college/school they plan to sit with during the ceremony.

Additional Notes:

• We strongly recommend that you remove your regalia from its packaging after pick-up to allow any wrinkles to smooth out before the ceremony. Be sure to attach your tassel to your cap/tam to ensure it is not lost before the ceremony.
• Ensure you pick up your regalia before Commencement day, as there will be no on-site distribution.
• Please reach out to the University bookstore with questions at 515-214-2151.

Bookstore Regalia Pricing

Each student will receive a tassel with their purchase of appropriate color based upon their degree within their school or college. Students with two degrees may purchase the extra tassel, but only one tassel may be worn during the ceremony.  

The colors associated with the different disciplines are as follows: 

• Journalism - Crimson 
• Philosophy - Dark Blue 
• Arts, Letters General Studies - White 
• Law - Purple 
• Physical Education - Sage Green 
• Business and Commerce - Drab 
• Public Administration - Peacock Blue 
• Occupational Therapy - Slate 
• Science - Golden Yellow 
• Education - Light Blue 
• Music - Pink 
• Social Work - Citron 
• Fine Arts - Brown 
• Pharmacy - Olive Green 

Additional Attire Information:

• Additional ornamentation: Honor medallions are worn only by those students graduating in the University Honors Program (medallions are provided at the ceremony.) Students can wear honor cords for being awarded Latin honors (Summa, Magna and Cum Laude) for Bachelor’s degree students and the Doctoral Pharmacy students. Academic honor cords or pins may be worn if earned from a Drake college or school recognized academic organization. Leadership of the particular academic organization will inform the President’s Committee on Commencement (PCC) of the academic honor item.
• Registered Student Organizations (R.S.O.) may propose an organizational stole to the Office of Student Inclusion, Involvement, and Leadership (S.I.I.L.). The stole will express cultural expression and identity expression appropriate for the R.S.O. The S.I.I.L. Office will inform the President's Committee on Commencement (P.C.C.) of the requested stole design. The P.C.C. needs to review and approve the stole to be worn, which is then subject to approval by the University President. The R.S.O. must be in good standing with the University at the time of the Commencement Ceremony. The stole design and intent must align with the Mission, Vision, and Non-Discrimination Statement of the University. Students may wear only one stole per ceremony.
• Any additional ornamentation must receive prior approval by the President's Committee on Commencement (PCC).
• Note that decorated caps are not permitted.