Cincinnati State’s 2023 Commencement exercises will take place Sunday, May 7^th from 3:00 – 5:30p.m. at the Cintas Center on the campus of Xavier University. Please join us to celebrate each one of our graduates!

Watch the recorded ceremony here!

Who’s invited?

• Graduates from Fall 2022
• Graduates from Spring 2023
• Expected graduates from Summer 2023 – Associate and Bachelor’s degree students only and enrolled in the last class or classes needed to graduate by the end of the Summer 2023 semester.

If you plan to participate in the commencement ceremony, please submit the Intent to Participate in Commencement form.

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Tickets

Each graduate who completes an Intent to Participate in Commencement form is allotted ten (10) tickets for guests to attend the Commencement ceremony. Tickets are required for anyone two years of age or older. Tickets are not required for graduates themselves. They are free and for general admission seating at the Cintas Center. The Cintas Center will not allow guests entrance to the ceremony without a ticket.

Tickets will be available for pick-up beginning April 19th. Graduates must pick up their tickets in person and bring a form of identification, such as a Surge I.D. card, a driver’s license, or other form of government issued I.D.

Clifton campus: Registrar’s Office ATLC 105

• Weekdays: 8:00am – 4:30pm
• Tuesday, April 25 and Wednesday, April 26: 8:00am – 6:00pm
• Saturday, April 29: 10:00am – 1:00pm

Middletown campus: see Linda Romero or Sally Phillabaum

• Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:00am – 4:00pm
• Tuesday: 9:00am – 6:00pm

Harrison campus: see John Thomas

• Monday – Thursday: 9:00am-4:00pm

If extra tickets become available, an email will be sent to graduates the week of May 1.

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“Grad Finale” Event

The Office of Student Activities hosts two graduation events on the Clifton campus in April – one in the afternoon and one in the evening.

Graduates will get a chance to win one of many great prizes, including a basket full of gifts valued at over $100 and receive a special treat!

Representatives from Jostens will offer discounts on class rings.

The bookstore will be open to order Caps and Gowns.

Representatives from the following offices will be available to answer questions:

• Registrar
• CState Alumni
• Financial Aid
• Career Center
• Transfer Center

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Caps and Gowns

Caps, gowns, and announcements are available now!

Please stop by the bookstore or call 513-569-1507 to purchase. Ordering online is not available at this time, but items can be shipped.

Pricing

• Cap/Gown/Tassel set is $50.00
• Stoles (seen below) are sold separately for $36.00 each.

Online ordering from Jostens is available to purchase class rings, announcements, etc.

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Cintas Center

Cincinnati State is fortunate to be able to have commencement exercises at Xavier University’s Cintas Center. The Cintas Center has its own set of policies and requirements that all must follow.

Please note for all graduates and guests:

• No bags, including camera bags, will be permitted except for clear bags and small clutch purses. For more information and a list of prohibited and approved bags, please visit GoXavier.com/ClearBag
• No broadcast style cameras will be allowed in the arena.
• Balloons, air horns and noisemakers are not permitted.

Driving Directions and the Parking Map can be found here.

What is Graduation?

Graduation is defined as completing all credits necessary within an academic program to earn a Cincinnati State bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or certificate. 

Commencement, also known as the graduation ceremony, is the event where graduates are recognized for their academic accomplishments in front of family and friends. Participating in the Commencement ceremony does not automatically mean a student has earned a degree or certificate. 

You may participate in the Commencement ceremony, held in May every year, if you show that you are able to complete all of your remaining credits no later than the end of the Summer semester in the same year as the Commencement ceremony. 

Graduation Requirements

In order to earn a Bachelor’s Degree, associate’s degree, or certificate from Cincinnati State you must: 

• Complete course requirements according to your program’s Degree Audit Curriculum 
• Attain at least a 2.0 cumulative and program grade point average. 
• Use the graduation process (described below) to confirm the date for completion of your degree or certificate. 

Graduation Process

Requirements to complete a specific degree or certificate program, referred as an Academic Evaluation or Degree Audit, are published each year in Cincinnati State’s College Catalog.

Students must fulfill the requirements of the Degree Audit Curriculum as published in the Catalog in the year the student enrolled in the program, unless the student has taken a break from classes for a year or longer and has been readmitted to Cincinnati State. 

You can track your progress towards your degree or certificate by reviewing a copy of your Degree Audit Curriculum found in MyServices (requires login). 

Contact your academic advisor if you have questions about your Degree Audit or about the classes you should register for. 

Degree Audit

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for monitoring student progress in completing degree and certificate requirements. 
  
Students will be graduated at the end of the semester in which they complete all requirements for a degree or certificate. A student cannot reverse their graduated status after it has been conferred by the Office of the Registrar. 
  
A student who graduates will receive his/her diploma or certificate by mail after the conclusion of the semester when requirements were completed. 
  
Note: Graduation conferred by the Office of the Registrar is not the same as participating in the College’s annual Commencement ceremony.

Registrar’s notification to pending graduates: Students will receive email notification from the Registrar during the sixth week of the semester in which they are enrolled in the courses needed to complete their degrees or certificate. The notification will confirm that pending successful completion of those courses, the student will graduate from the applicable degree or certificate programs. 
  
If a student does not wish to graduate, for any reason, he/she may opt out for the current semester. The student will automatically be placed in the group of those eligible for graduation at the end of the next semester. 
  
Graduation petition: Students who believe they are eligible for graduation at the end of the current semester who do not receive notification from the Office of the Registrar can complete a “Petition to Graduate” eform available through MyServices. The Registrar and the appropriate academic Program Chair will review the petition and the student will be notified of the petition outcome. 
  
Student preparation for graduation: During the semester when they expect to complete their final courses required for graduation, students should: 

Check My Profile in MyServices to make sure these items are accurate:  

1. Academic degree and/or certificate programs 
2. Up-to-date mailing address 
3. Monitor Cincinnati State email for communication from the Registrar regarding graduation.