Graduation at Columbus State

Columbus State Community College holds Commencement Ceremonies four times a year, on the last Friday of the quarter. The ceremonies are held at Veterans Memorial, 300 West Broad Street.  The schedule for upcoming graduations is as follows. To view the program of past ceremonies in PDF format, please click on the ceremony date.

Autumn Quarter 2005- December 9, 2005

Winter Quarter 2006 – March 17, 2006 

Spring Quarter 2006 – June 9, 2006

Summer Quarter 2006 – September 8, 2006
Autumn Quarter 2006 – December 8, 2006
Winter Quarter 2007 – March 16, 2007
Spring Quarter 2007 – June 8, 2007
Summer Quarter 2007 – September 7, 2007
Autumn Quarter 2007 – December 7, 2007
Winter Quarter 2008 – March 21, 2008
Spring Quarter 2008 – June 13, 2008
Summer Quarter 2008 – September 12, 2008

Next ceremony: Summer Quarter 2008 – September 12, 2008 (see details below)

Summer Quarter 2008 – September 12, 2008
Autumn Quarter 2008 - December 12, 2008
Winter Quarter 2009 - March 20, 2009
Spring Quarter 2009 - June 12, 2009

When do I petition to graduate?

A student at Columbus State who is nearing completion of their degree should meet with their advisor to file a “Petition to Graduate.”  Your advisor will evaluate all course work completed, review the cumulative grade point average and review courses that you are currently enrolled in to determine your eligibility to graduate. When completed, this Petition must be filed with the Office of Records and Registration by the following dates:

To graduate this quarter                  File Petition by this date

Autumn Quarter 2008                        October 3, 2008
Winter Quarter 2009                           January 16, 2009
Spring Quarter 2009                            April 10, 2009

Summer Quarter 2009                        July 10. 2009

What if I miss the deadline to file a Petition to Graduate?

If you miss the deadline to petition, please contact your academic advisor in the Advising Center to determine your options.

Who can attend Graduation?

The Summer Quarter 2008 Commencement Ceremony will be held at Veterans Memorial, 300 West Broad Street, and is free and open to the public. Columbus State does not require tickets for your guests, as there is generous seating in the auditorium.  Parking at Veterans Memorial is adjacent to the building, and costs $5. Additional parking is available in the COSI lot across Broad Street.  Handicap accommodations are available. The College provides interpreters for the deaf at all ceremonies.

Is there a rehearsal?

Columbus State does not require graduating students to attend a rehearsal for the ceremony. Instead, graduates are asked to arrive at the ceremony at 8:30 a.m. in order to allow for a briefing by the Registrar, who will instruct the graduates on the procedure for marching in the Processional, and receiving their diplomas on stage.  The Processional will start promptly at 10 a.m.

What do I wear?

Once you have chosen to attend the ceremony, you can pick up your graduation attire in the new bookstore, Discovery Exchange during business hours prior to the graduation ceremony. There is no charge for the caps and gowns. If you are unable to pick up your gown yourself, you can send a friend, a relative, a spouse, or a classmate to pick it up for you, so long as they know your name and approximate height!  

Coordinators at the graduation ceremony will also have a list of those students who have earned academic honors by earning an accumulated 3.5 GPA or higher throughout the course of their degree.  Honors graduates wear an Honors Cord, which will be distributed at the ceremony when you check in for the line-up. Graduates who have earned a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout the course of their degree also wear an honors medallion, distributed at the ceremony.

Caps and gowns are black; the tassels are blue and white.  Sizes range from 4’10” to 7’ tall, in Regular, XL or 2XL.   

If you have questions about graduation attire, call (614) 287-5115.  We cannot accommodate late or early requests.  

Photography at the ceremony

Columbus State contracts with Bruce Heflin Photography to do commencement photos of each graduate receiving their diploma from the President on stage. The company also produces a video of each ceremony.  The photographer will also give you the opportunity to do a portrait in cap and gown prior to the Processional March – this is optional.  After the ceremony, the photographer will be available to take candid photos and family portraits.  All photos are immediately available for viewing on the photographer’s website, at www.mypicturesnow.com.  Simply select the event name, and scroll through the images to select which photos you would like to order. 

Graduation Announcements

Summer Quarter 2008 Commencement Ceremony

When: Friday, September 12, 2008– Ceremony begins at 10 a.m.

(Graduates should arrive at 8:30 a.m. to check in and line up)

Where: Veterans Memorial, 300 West Broad Street, Columbus, 43215

Parking: Parking is $5 per car at Veterans Memorial and also at COSI

Caps and Gowns:  Distributed (no charge) in the bookstore, Discovery Exchange during regular store hours. Distribution will begin the week of August 29, 2008

Guest Tickets: not required

Handicap Accommodations: provided

Photography: Bruce Heflin Photography-images available to view online after ceremony at www.mypicturesnow.com

Commencement Address: President and CEO of the Columbus YWCA, Cynthia Lazarus