Commencement will be at the Canton Civic Center, 1100 Market Ave N, Canton, OH 44702. See www.cantonciviccenter.com for directions. Students should enter “Graduate Only Entrance” (on side of the building, along parking deck entrance)

There are no tickets for the ceremony. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis.  Please have your guest go to the main entrance to the civic center along Market Ave N. where programs are available. Please no guests in the “Graduate Only Entrance.”

Caps, gowns, announcements, and tassels may be picked up at the COLLEGE STORE (main campus) April 28-29 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  There is no fee for the cap and gown. Please make sure you try on your gown prior to graduation. If you have any questions about regalia or pickup, please contact the bookstore at 330-966-5452. Caps may be decorated, but please do not wear any additional regalia not provided by Stark State College.

• Line Up:  Candidates will go to the Graduate Check-In table to receive their seating assignment.  Candidates will line up, fully dressed, in the McKinley Room.  Please do not bring any personal items with you that you cannot carry on you.
• Tassels:  During the processional and the ceremony, the tassel should be worn on the front right of the cap to represent associate degree candidate. Those graduating Phi Theta Kappa will wear the gold stole and tassel.  At the conclusion of the ceremony, the President will instruct graduates to move the tassel to a position that represents the newly conferred degree.

GradImages® will take a photograph of each candidate as he/she crosses the stage.  Approximately three weeks after the ceremony, each candidate will receive a proof of the picture taken along with ordering instructions sent to their Stark State email address. If you have questions, you can visit gradimages.com.

Candidates and guests requiring accommodation assistance because of disability should call the Disabilities Services at 330-494-6170 ext. 4935 two weeks before commencement. Seating areas are available for guests who use wheelchairs or cannot climb stairs with family seating in nearby arena seats. Please note, there are steps to the stage.

Candidates with an overall GPA of 3.80 or better will graduate with “High Distinction”.  Graduates with an overall GPA of 3.40 or better will graduate with “With Distinction”.

There are no cords for distinction. Distinction is announced with the graduate’s name at the ceremony.

Candidates who are Phi Theta Kappa members will receive a letter from Student Life Coordinator, Shari Brooks, with instructions to pick up regalia. If you have any questions, please contact Shari Brooks SBrooks@STARKSTATE.EDU.

Degrees will be approved approximately a week after the semester is over and posted to transcripts approximately 2 weeks after the semester is over.  If you order a transcript before your degree is posted, mark the request to indicate that the transcript should be “hold for degree.”

Diplomas are processed through Parchment. Approximately 3 weeks after the end of the semester, you will receive an email from Parchment to your Stark State email. This email will have you create an account for your free paper copy of your diploma as well as your instant digital copy. You have 72 hours to confirm your mailing address before they are mailed to the address we have on file. It is also a good idea to add a secondary personal email currently to have continuous access to your credentials. Stark State does not offer Diploma Pick up; it will only be mailed.

• Leave personal items like coats and purses with guests.  There are no facilities available for storing these items during ceremony.  Therefore, Stark State College cannot be held responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged items.
• Arrive early enough to allow adequate time to line up with your technology.
• There is no formal rehearsal for the ceremony, although a detailed explanation of the ceremony will be reviewed in the McKinley room.  It is important to follow the Marshals from your academic division.  They will assist you as you line up and lead you into the civic center to your seat.
• Please try on your gown prior to graduation to make sure it fits correctly.