Graduation
Fall 2024 Graduation
Credit Union of Texas Event Center
(formerly known as Allen Event Center)
Friday, December 13, 2024
7 p.m.
Doors open for graduates and guests at 5:30 p.m.
General Information
For general information regarding the ceremony please view the various menu options below.
Credit Union of Texas (CUTX) Event Center is located at 200 E Stacy Road #1350, Allen, TX 75002. Get directions to the CUTX Event Center.
Parking at CUTX Event Center is available in the South Parking Garage and is free. Parking is not permitted in the uncovered retail parking lots surrounding the event center.
Graduates should plan to arrive for check-in at 5:30 p.m. and enter the building using the North Entrance.
Guests can begin arriving at 5:30 p.m. and will enter through the Main Entrance on the west side.
Tickets will be required for guests to attend the ceremony and each participating graduate will be issued 6 guest tickets. Children ages 2 and older willl require a ticket, while children under 2 years of age will be permitted to enter without a ticket if they will be sitting in an adult's lap. If a graduate wants more than 6 tickets they may request additional tickets on their participation form so they may be placed on a waitlist in the event additional tickets become available. Extra tickets will be distributed to those on the waitlist in the order of their submission until no additional tickets remain.
Guests with general admission (GA) tickets may sit in any available non-reserved seat in the arena. Guests with tickets for an assigned seat will only be permitted to sit in their assigned seat unless GA seats are available after the ceremony has started.
If any of your guests need seating accommodations due to mobility concerns or if they are deaf or hard of hearing and need to sit near the sign language interpreter, you must indicate this on your participation form or email graduation@chinakfbdf.com to request assistance.
Students may opt to purchase announcements through Herff Jones.
Graduates, that need seating accommodations (ex: wheelchair access) may indicate this on their participation form. If a form has already been submitted and did not include accommodation requests, please email Collin College Graduation Team at graduation@chinakfbdf.com to make arrangements.
Accessible seating for guests will be available on the second floor of the Event Center. An elevator is located next to the guest entrance which can be used for easy access to these reserved seats. Guests that need accessible seating will be permitted to have one family member sit with them, but all other guests in the party will need to sit in the general seating area.
Sign language interpreters will be signing throughout the ceremony for guests with hearing impairments. Section 114 is reserved for those needing to be within sightline of the ASL interpreters.
You must indicate on your participation form or email graduation@chinakfbdf.com requesting assistance if accessible seating is needed for you or any of your guests.
CUTX Event Center has a clear bag and small clutch policy in place that is designed to enhance your safety and allow for quick and easy access to the facility.
Other prohibited items include: outside food or beverages, balloons, confetti, noisemakers,
strollers, weapons, and animals (except service animals).
Please review CUTX Event Center’s website for a full list of prohibited items. *Please note: CUTX Event Center is permitting guests to bring in flowers for the
graduation ceremony as an exception to their policy.
Diplomas are not handed out at the ceremony. Graduates will receive a souvenir diploma cover when they cross the stage.
Diplomas for Summer 2024 graduates have been mailed, with the exception of any graduates who have holds or restrictions on their account.
Fall 2024 candidates for graduation will be reviewed for final degree and certificate requirements after final grades have been submitted for the semester, and those who have completed all requirements will be awarded their academic credential. Diplomas will then be mailed out approximately 6-8 weeks after the semester ends.
Graduation Regalia
Graduation regalia is formal clothing worn by graduates and includes the cap, gown, and other distinguishing hoods, stoles, and cords that denote traditions of academic achievement. View the information below to learn more about where to get your regalia, how it should be worn, and rules on cap decorating.
Graduates must wear the college-approved cap and gown available for purchase at our campus bookstores. Graduates are expected to wear regalia without altering the appearance or attaching anything to the gown.
Graduates who have earned an honors status through academic achievement by having a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher will be given a cord at check-in to wear during the ceremony. For the ceremony only, this honors designation is based completed coursework and cumulative GPA through the Summer 2024 semester. It is designed to recognize the graduates' achievement, but may (or may not) change when the GPA is updated to include the final Fall 2024 semester grades.
Graduates who are members of an approved honor society may purchase regalia (cords, stoles, medallions) directly from the organization. The approved list of societies include: Phi Theta Kappa, Psi Beta, National Technical Honor Society, Sigma Kappa, and Kappa Delta Pi.
Caps are worn so the mortarboard is flat on top of the head, parallel to the floor, and not tilted to any side. The inside of the cap shows which side is the front and back, and typically the front is the side with the point and will be worn with the point in the middle of the forehead. The tassel should be worn on the right side.
We encourage graduates to decorate and personalize their caps. Decorations should lay flat on the mortarboard and not hang off the sides. No profanity or explicit images will be permitted. If decorations are deemed inappropriate, college staff may ask you to remove your cap and purchase a new one from the bookstore.
Graduate Check-In
Graduates should begin arriving at 5:30 p.m. for check-in. All graduates should be checked in no later than 6:30 p.m., so the Collin College Graduation Team can ensure all students are lined up properly in alphabetical order before the ceremony processional begins.
Any graduates arriving late, after 6:30 p.m., will be placed at the end of the graduate line and will not be in alphabetical order.
Any graduates arriving late, after 7 p.m., will be required to wait until the processional is over and will be escorted into the arena and seated on the back row by a Collin College volunteer.
Upon arrival graduates will be directed to the check-in tables to get their name card. DO NOT LOSE THIS CARD as it will be used to line graduates up in alphabetical order before the ceremony begins. This card will also be used by the name reader to announce the graduate's name when they walk across the stage.
Ceremony
The commencement ceremony can be broken up into three major parts and we anticipate the ceremony to be two hours in length. Graduate check-in is part of the pre-ceremony process. During the ceremony there is the processional, graduation message, name reading, and finally the recessional. See below for details important information about each part of the ceremony.
The processional is the start of the ceremony when everyone marches into the arena in a formal and orderly fashion to be seated in their appropriate seat. The ceremony will begin promptly at 7 p.m., and our Board of Trustees and Executive Leadership team will lead the processional into the arena, with Line Marshals following behind to lead in all the graduates.
Line Marshals will bring you to your row so you can be seated in alphabetical order. The processional is simply follow-the-leader, so you will just need to make sure you stay in your line until you are guided to your row and seat.
The beginning of the ceremony will include messages from Collin College’s District President Dr. Neil Matkin, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and our guest speaker. After the speeches, graduates will be led to the stage to have their names called while they cross the stage.
When it is your turn, Line Marshals will prompt your row to stand up and will lead you to the front of the arena. You will have your photograph taken (see below for more information on these photographs) and then will make your way up a ramp to the stage. College staff will help make sure your regalia is in order and you look great before you cross the stage. They will also make sure you are holding your name card so that it can be handed to the name reader. When it is your turn to walk across the stage, the name reader will announce your name, you will be handed a Collin College diploma cover, and you will continue walking to the middle of the stage and down the stairs.
Line Marshals will then lead you back to your seat where you will stay for the remainder of the ceremony. If you need mobility assistance or cannot walk down stairs, please let a Line Marshal know ahead of time so they can bring you back down the ramp.
Once all graduates have crossed the stage, the ceremony will be concluded with an exciting surprise. If loud noises are a trigger for you, please talk to a Line Marshal ahead of time so accommodations can be made.
After the ceremony ends, Line Marshals will lead you in a recessional out of the arena. You can reunite with family outside of the Event Center. All graduates and guests will be asked to exit the Event Center where you can take photographs, talk with your family and friends, or visit one of the many restaurants nearby to celebrate. Once you exit the building you will not be permitted to re-enter, so you will need to make sure you have all your belongings with you as you exit.
Graduate Do’s/Don’ts
DO: Bring your regalia with you to the ceremony, including your gown, cap, tassel, and any cords or stoles from honor societies or other official organizations. Extra regalia will not be available at the ceremony!
DO: Wear nice clothing and comfortable shoes. Suggested attire is button-down shirts, tie, dark pants, dresses, dark shoes, minimal jewelry.
DO: Bring your cellphone so you can coordinate with your guests after the ceremony.
DON’T: Have your cellphone out during the ceremony. Your phone should remain in your pocket or tucked away during the ceremony.
DON’T: Bring any items restricted under the Event Center’s Bag Policy or on their prohibited items list.
DON’T: Bring any items with you that cannot be concealed under your gown. If you need to bring a small purse we suggest it is a cross-body purse that can easily be hidden under your gown. If you cannot conceal the item you will need to leave it with one of your guests or in your car.
DON’T: Leave any items unattended. Collin College and CUTX Event Center are not responsible for your items and are not liable for any lost or stolen items.
Ceremony Video
The ceremony will be livestreamed for friends and family that are unable to attend the ceremony. The link to the livestream will be available 30 minutes before the event.
The ceremony video will be uploaded to Collin College’s YouTube channel for viewing by the public.
Ceremony Photography
Flash Photography will be taking two professional photographs of each graduate during the ceremony that will be available for purchase. You will have an opportunity on your name card to provide your personal email address, which will be used to send you proofs of your ceremony photos.
Every graduate will be mailed and emailed proofs within 10 days of the ceremony. If you have not received your proofs within that time frame, please contact Flash Photography directly at: http://flashphotography.com/contact
Questions? Email Graduation@chinakfbdf.com