Winter Commencement 2026
Jan. 13, 2026, at 1 p.m.
OceanFirst Bank Center
Winter Commencement
Monmouth University will hold a Winter Commencement on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 1 p.m., on campus in the OceanFirst Bank Center. Students who have completed their degree requirements in the Fall 2025 semester will be recognized at this time.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Student Life at 732-571-3417 with any questions you may have.
Commencement Decorum
The Commencement Ceremony is a dignified academic event that recognizes the achievements of our graduates and honorees. Students who choose to participate in Commencement are asked to observe the following guidelines.
- Graduates must return to the seating area after receiving their degrees. Out of respect for all students being recognized, participants are required to remain for the entire ceremony. The conferral of degrees is an important part of our program, and it is imperative that consideration be extended until the final student receives his/her degree. If you choose to participate, you are expected to remain until the recessional.
- All cell phones and electronic devices must be turned off for the duration of the ceremony.
- Noise-making devices are prohibited in the ceremony, as are any objects that would detract from the formality of the event.
- Balloons are not permitted in the arena.
- Applause should be held until all students have received their degrees. Names will be read quickly, and it is important that every name is heard.
The points listed above are meant to ensure that our graduates and guests have the most enjoyable day possible.
Honor Cords
Please note: If you are a baccalaureate degree recipient graduating with Honors (cumulative GPA 3.50 or higher with at least 53 MU credits) please pick up your honor cord at the check-in table the day of commencement.
Honors Designations:
- Cum Laude: 3.50 – 3.64
- Magna Cum Laude: 3.65 – 3.84
- Summa Cum Laude: 3.85 – 4.00
Honor society and non-academic honor cords will be distributed by the advisor for each of the relevant organizations. If you are currently a member of such an organization, you should contact your advisor to determine if and when honor cords will be distributed to the graduating members.
Graduate students are not eligible for honor cords unless provided by their specific academic discipline’s honor society.
Philanthropy Cords
Graduating students who make a gift of $5.00 to the Class of 2026 Giving Campaign will receive a philanthropy cord to wear at Commencement. Gifts can be made at https://fly.monmouth.edu/26gift and can be designated to scholarships, a favorite academic program, Division I sport, or a club or organization that means the most to you. The Class of 2026 Giving Campaign exists to educate graduating students on the vital need to raise private support, while encouraging them to begin their participation as donors, and helps ensure continued access to a personalized Monmouth education for current and future Hawks. Please continue to check your Monmouth email for more information on philanthropy cord distribution as Commencement gets closer.
Color Representation
The colors you will see in the hoods of our faculty represent the various fields in which the degrees were taken:
- Apricot – Nursing
- Brown – Fine Arts
- Citron – Social Work
- Crimson – Journalism
- Dark Blue – Philosophy
- Golden Yellow – Science
- Green – Medicine
- Lemon-Yellow – Library Science
- Light Blue – Education
- Orange – Engineering
- Pink – Music
- Purple – Law
- Sage Green – Physical Education
- Salmon Pink – Public Health
- Scarlet – Theology
- Yellow-Brown: Commerce, Business, Accounting
- White – Arts, Letters, Humanities