COMMENCEMENT AWARDS
To be considered for a commencement award all candidates must
register to attend a
2023 commencement ceremony, meet the qualifications listed below, and
submit the Award Application by the deadline below. Only one
Valedictorian and Outstanding Graduate are chosen per in-person
ceremony, and only one Featured Graduate is chosen per virtual
ceremony. The winners are chosen based on the qualifications listed
below as well as responses submitted on the award application.
Award applications for in-person commencement ceremonies are
now open. Award applications will open for the virtual commencement
ceremony in July.
2023 DATES & DEADLINES
DC Commencement
Date: Saturday, June 24, 2023
Award Submission
Deadline: Friday, April 28, 2023
Atlanta Commencement
Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023
Award Submission Deadline: Friday, July 21,
2023
December Virtual Commencement
Date: Saturday, December 2, 2023
Award Submission Deadline: Friday, October 6,
2023
Valedictorian Requirements
To be eligible for
Valedictorian, graduates must meet the following qualifications:
- Must be registered for an in-person ceremony
- Must be receiving a bachelor’s degree
- Must have a final 4.0 GPA
- Must have completed all coursework by the award submission deadline
- Have been approved for degree conferral by the award submission deadline
-
Must be present at the ceremony to
deliver a 3 to 5 minute Valedictorian speech
Apply to become Valedictorian
Outstanding Graduate Requirements
To be
eligible for the Outstanding Graduate Award, graduates must meet the
following qualifications:
- Must be registered for an in-person ceremony
- Must be receiving a master’s degree
- Must have a final 4.0 GPA
- Must have completed all coursework by the award submission deadline
- Have been approved for degree conferral by the award submission deadline
-
Must be present at the ceremony to
accept the award
Apply to become the Outstanding Graduate
Featured Graduate Requirements
To be eligible for the Featured Graduate award, graduates must
meet the following qualifications:
- Must be registered for Virtual Commencement
- Must be receiving a bachelor’s or master's degree
- Must have a final 4.0 GPA
- Must have completed all coursework by the award submission deadline
- Have been approved for degree conferral by the award submission deadline
- Must deliver a 3 to 5
minute speech which will be shown during the Virtual Commencement
ceremony
Apply to become the Featured Graduate
Donald R. Stoddard Faculty Award of Excellence
Nominate a
faculty member for their outstanding teaching skills,
superior ability to motivate students, contribution to a positive
learning environment and sincere passion for their profession.
Degree Banner Carrier
Degree banner carriers
lead their fellow graduates in the processional by carrying their
degree banner flag. Degree banner carriers are selected and contacted
by the commencement committee and are the students with the highest
GPA by degree program - no application necessary. Degree banner
carriers must be present and willing to carry the degree banner in the
graduate processional.
HONOR SOCIETIES & HONORS AT COMMENCEMENT
Honor Citations at Commencement Ceremonies
Associate and bachelor’s degree students who have a
cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater are eligible to have an honor
citation announced at commencement. Your honor citation will be noted
on the name card you receive in the mail prior to the ceremony. Honor
citations are NOT printed in the commencement program.
Associate and Bachelor’s honor citations:
-
GPA of 3.5 - 3.69: Cum Laude
- GPA of 3.7 - 3.89: Magna Cum Laude
-
GPA of 3.9 - 4.0: Summa Cum Laude
Honor Medallions
All degree candidates who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or
greater are eligible to receive and wear a complimentary Strayer
University honor medallion at the commencement ceremony. For in-person
commencement ceremonies, honor medallions are ONLY available at the
commencement ceremony and can be obtained in the graduate area. Your
eligibility will be noted on the name card you receive in the mail
prior to the ceremony. For virtual commencement ceremonies, honor
medallions will be mailed to eligible degree candidates to the home
address included on their registration.
Honors Scholar
Degree candidates who
are honors scholars within the honors program (see eligibility
requirements here - coursework must
be completed to be eligible) are eligible to receive and wear a
complimentary honors scholar cord at the commencement ceremony. For
in-person commencement ceremonies, honors scholar cords are ONLY
available at the commencement ceremony and can be obtained in the
graduate area. Your eligibility will be noted on the name card you
receive in the mail prior to the ceremony. For virtual commencement
ceremonies, eligible degree candidates will receive an honors scholar
cord to the home address included on their registration. Your honors
scholar citation will be announced at commencement, but will NOT be
printed in the commencement program.
Honor Society Membership Information
All
degree candidates who are members of one or more of the following
honor societies recognized by Strayer University by the registration
deadlines will have their name printed in the commencement program
under their respective honor society. Honor society members are
encouraged to wear their respective honor society’s honor cords,
medallions or stoles at commencement (purchasing information included
in the links below). Honor society items are NOT sold the day of the
ceremony and NOT sold by Jostens.
Alpha Chi
National Honor Society
Alpha Sigma
Lambda Honor Society
Delta Alpha
Pi International Honor Society
Golden Key
International Honour Society
