Graduation

You are eligible to participate in commencement 2021 events if you have met one of the following criteria:

• You were awarded a degree in December 2020.
• You are a degree candidate (MBA, bachelor’s or Associate in Arts) scheduled to graduate in May 2021 with a status of “pending grad.”
• You are a degree candidate who can complete all degree requirements by August 2021. In this case, you will need to submit an academic petition and be approved to participate. Schedule a meeting with your advisor immediately to plan what needs to be done. Book a virtual meeting.

IMPORTANT: Participation in commencement does not imply that you have graduated or will graduate with a Marymount California University degree. You must meet degree requirements as indicated for your respective program to earn such degree.

If you have any outstanding accounts at Marymount, your diploma and transcripts will be held until all accounts have been cleared.  Please contact the following departments by phone or email to

Every graduate (Fall 2020) or candidate for graduation (Spring 2021/Summer 2021) must complete a commencement participation form if you are planning to participate in the virtual May commencement ceremony. The form must be completed no later than April 1, 2021.

Complete participation form

President Brian Marcotte has confirmed the university will generously cover the cost of the regalia for the 2021 virtual commencement ceremony. To qualify, students are required to place the order by April 19. IMPORTANT: If you are ordering after April 11, delivery is not guaranteed before May 8.

Students can order regalia to have it shipped to a home address starting on March 5 at http://colleges.herffjones.com/college/_marymount/  or  Herff.ly/Marymount/ Remember to use only the five last digits of your ID number.

Regalia consists of cap, gown, tassel and hood with Marymount colors – royal blue and white.

For an Associate of Arts degree, the cap and gown are royal blue. For baccalaureate and master’s degrees, the cap and gowns are black. The master’s gown has long sleeves, and the master’s hood also includes the designated color for the MBA degree.

Students also may order at their own expense commencement announcements cards, diploma frames and graduation rings.

How to wear cap & gown – master’s

How to wear cap & gown – bachelor’s

How to wear a hood only

Students with exemplary cumulative GPAs as of the end of Fall 2020 will be listed in the online commencement program with the following notations:

• Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.5 to 3.69
• Magna Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.7 to 3.89
• Summa Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.9 to 4.0

If you are a member of the following honor societies, please email the respective representative to order the honor stoles/sashes:

• Delta Epsilon Sigma: Professor Carlos Royal
• Psi Chi: Professor Kevin Kaeochinda 
• Sigma Beta Delta: Professor Suzanne Brust 

Membership from honor societies will also be identified in the program.

For approved cords, please contact:

• Internships: Roshni Lal 
• Athletes: Courtney Thomsen 

To order customized announcements cards and rings, visit the Herff Jones website.

If you live locally and would like a formal portrait photo wearing the Marymount regalia for your announcements or invitations, please contact Joey Ikemoto Photography Studio at (310) 212-7366.

All Marymount California University graduates automatically become part of the MCU Alumni Association. There is no membership fee to join, and enrollment is automatic upon graduation. MCU alumni enjoy free lifetime access to career planning resources to help you find a job, polish your resume and networking skills, or connect with employers and professionals in your field. 

Be sure to keep your contact information up-to-date and stay connected through Mariner Career Connect or reach out to us at Alumni@marymountcalifornia.edu. We want to hear how you’re doing so we can celebrate your professional successes and invite you back to campus for alumni reunions, networking and other special university events. We also hope you will join us for opportunities to share your happy memories and success stories with prospective students and families, and donors, and perhaps volunteer as a mentor. 

Download the checklist

Download these quick tips as a handy resource.

A verification is a request for a university to verify a student’s degree and enrollment information. Unlike a transcript, a verification is simply a confirmation of degrees earned and does not include course grades. Students may need certification of enrollment to defer student loans, provide proof of enrollment for health insurance, verify degrees for prospective employers or show proof of academic standing to enroll in another institution.

• An enrollment verification may not be requested until after until the add/drop deadline has passed.
• We verify one semester at a time.
• We can verify the current semester and the prior semester of enrollment.
• The Registrar cannot give grades as part of an enrollment verification, so you will need to request an official transcript instead.
• Lenders will require a new enrollment verification each semester.
• The Registrar will provide an enrollment verification should a deferment need to be resubmitted or faxed.
• There is no charge to fax deferment forms.
• It may take up to 72 hours to process your request.

Please refer to the enrollment and degree verification form to request a verification of enrollment status or a letter of completion confirming the conferral of your degree.