Graduation

At the time you start taking classes with us we are already planning for your graduation, as the much-awaited, well-deserved culmination of your career. It is also the time to reflect on what has been done and what is to be done next. You will find below how graduation works at St. Augustine.

Graduation Clearance Procedures
When registering for your last semester you must review your academic performance with your Academic Advisor, with the main goal of removing all potential obstacles for graduation. This is what you will do when applying for graduation:
• You must fill out a graduation application in order to get the graduation process started. The graduation application summarizes your coursework at St. Augustine College, and reflects the completion of all the requirements. Its acceptance by the Registrar’s Office means that you have completed the graduation clearance procedure, and therefore you become a candidate for graduation.
• Your Academic Advisor will notify you of any impediments to your graduation, and most importantly, how to address any pending issue.
• You will be asked to fill out an online graduation survey.

Receiving your Diploma or Official Transcript
In order to receive your diploma or official transcript you must have fulfilled all of the graduation requirements, and have completed your graduation application and clearance procedures. Diplomas are issued three times a year, at the end of the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters, yet there is only one commencement ceremony (graduation) each year, at the end of the Spring semester. Those students fulfilling incomplete coursework or other graduation requirements during the summer will have their diplomas issued by the summer graduation day if possible; if not, by the end of the following Fall semester.

You must have a zero balance with Bursar’s Office to be able to pick up your diploma or to request an official transcript. There will be no exceptions to this requirement.

Graduating with Honors
To celebrate academic achievement, the College awards degrees of distinction to those students graduating with cumulative grade point averages of 3.5 or higher as listed below:
• Cum Laude: GPA of 3.50 to 3.699
• Magna Cum Laude: GPA of 3.70 to 3.899
• Summa Cum Laude: GPA of 3.9 to 4.00

These honors are awarded during the Commencement Ceremony.

Graduation Ceremony
There is one annual official graduation ceremony, called Commencement, and it is held at the end of the Spring semester. In order to participate in the ceremony, you must complete the graduation clearance procedure as described above. Those students graduating with Honors proudly wear their medals for the occasion. It is the honor of the Graduation Class Representatives, usually referred to as valedictorians (one for the Associates and another for each one of the Bachelors) to give speeches on behalf of their graduating class. If you are eligible to be a candidate to present the graduation speech based on your GPA, you will be contacted by the Dean of Students with a formal invitation to apply.

Contact your Learning Facilitator to being the graduation application process.