Graduation and Commencement
WCU in Philadelphia Commencement Ceremony | 5/9/2026 | Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing
Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 9th at Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing. The undergraduate ceremony will begin at 9:30 AM, and the graduate ceremony will begin at 12 PM. Each ceremony will last approximately one hour. Graduates, please arrive sixty (60) minutes before the start of your ceremony. The procession begins fifteen (15) minutes prior to the ceremony start time. Contact Ben Morgan with questions about Philadelphia commencement.
If you or your supporters would like to book a room at the Hilton Hotel, you may reserve a room at the discounted rate. Check back soon for reservation details!
Parking
Parking at the hotel will be available for $20.
Commencement Tickets
Graduates may order tickets SOON for family and friends.
Student Speakers
One undergraduate and one graduate speaker will be selected for commencement. Click here to apply by March 27th.
Cap and Gown Ordering
GRADUATE STUDENTS - CHECK BACK SOON FOR THE LINK TO ORDER YOUR CAP AND GOWN.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS - CLICK BACK SOON FOR THE LINK TO ORDER YOUR CAP AND GOWN.
Students who take classes at the Philadelphia location exclusively have the additional option to ship their cap and gown order to the Philadelphia location for pickup. All students, regardless of campus affiliation, may ship directly to home.
Order deadline for pickup at the Philadelphia location: Sunday, March 22, 2026.
There is no additional charge for this service.
- You may pick-up caps and gowns from the Philadelphia location beginning Monday, April 27th.
Order deadline for ship-to-home: Friday, April 10, 2026.
There is an additional fee for this service, which must be paid by credit card when you order.
Diplomas
Paper diplomas will be mailed to your home address approximately 6-8 weeks after final grades post, after the Registrar's Office has verified the completion of all degree requirements.
If there are any outstanding issues that will prevent you from graduating, the Registrar's Office will notify you by mail and email. Visit the Registrar's page on Diplomas.
Honor Cords (Undergraduates Only) and Other Special Regalia
Honors cords will be available free of charge for all qualifying undergraduate students. Honor cords are available for all undergraduate students earning graduation honors (3.25 GPA or higher, based on cumulative GPA from next-to-last semester before a student graduates).
Honor cords will be available for pickup at the Philadelphia location beginning Monday, March 26th. Additionally, cords will be available at commencement for those who do not pick up the cords prior to the ceremony.
In addition to honors cords, a number of University colleges, academic programs, honor societies, organizations, and clubs award special cords, stoles, pendants, and tassels to recognize their graduates. Please view Cords, Stoles, and Regalia for a list of those regalia. Please note that these regalia are not designed or distributed by the University, but by the organizations that sponsor them.