Graduation & Commencement
Ashtabula Campus Commencement
Kent State Ashtabula will celebrate their Spring 2025 graduates on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
80th Commencement Ceremony
Thursday, May 8, 2025 / Ceremony to begin at 7 p.m.
Susan J. Stocker Hall Gymnasium
Â鶹´«Ã½ at Ashtabula
Helpful Links:
- Campus YouTube Channel for Livestream and past ceremonies
- Commencement Celebration Program (when available)
Kent State Ashtabula Commencement information details will be emailed to your kent.edu account in mid February. Please email Kathy Barbato at kbarbat3@kent.edu with questions or if you need more information
- Students must RSVP (see above) by Fri., March 28, 2025 to attend the Ashtabula Campus ceremony.
- You will not receive paper tickets, however, you will need to fill in your guests' information on the RSVP survey. The ceremony will also be live-streamed into the Auditorium across the hall from the gymnasium. Reservations are not needed to watch Commencement from the Auditorium
- Theater doors open 30 minutes prior to ceremony.
Cap, Gown & Tassel
Kent State graduates wear a black cap and gown. Your tassel color is determined by the university college that offers your degree. You can purchase a gown or borrow one from a friend. The only requirement is that your cap and gown must be black.
Caps, gowns and tassels can be purchased from the Regional Campus Bookstore located at the Stark Campus. Orders should be placed before April 4. Orders placed after April 11 may incur a late fee and sizes may be limited.
Direct questions to the Regional Campus Bookstore at 330-244-5112 or email sm8153@bncollege.com.
Spring 2025 Grad Fair Package Prices
- Cap, Gown, Tassel and Zipper Pull - $77.92
- Cap, Gown, Tassel, Zipper Pull and Diploma Frame - $190
- Cap, Gown, Tassel, Zipper Pull, Stole and Diploma Frame - $215
- Cap and Tassel only - $25.96
- Gown only - $42.98
- Cap only - $9.98
- Tassel only - $15.98
- Zipper Pull only - $8.98
- Class of 2025 Stole - $24.98
- Extreme Cap with Flash - $26.98
- Extreme Cap with Seal - $26.98
Orders can also be placed online through .
Grad Fairs
The University Bookstore will host four Grad Fairs at various campus locations for you to pick up and pay for your commencement regalia (cap and gown). You are welcome to attend any of the fairs, regardless of the commencement ceremony you will attend. Please RSVP to one of the Grad Fairs below if you plan to attend. You will be asked the regalia package and size you wish to purchase.
DIPLOMAS
The Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center has partnered with Parchment Inc. to improve the diploma fulfillment process for graduates of Â鶹´«Ã½. Upon final degree approval, diplomas will be fulfilled by Parchment.
- Your digital diploma will arrive approximately 4-5 weeks after commencement. Watch for an email notification.
- Notification will be sent to your Kent State email.
- Follow the link to set up your Parchment Digital credentials account.
- Share and Download your digital diploma as many times as you like.
- Paper diplomas will be mailed separately to your permanent address on file 7-10 days after you receive your digital diploma.
To verify a diploma or permanent address:
- Visit
- Select the Student category
- Select Dashboard
- Select My Personal Information located under Profile
Contact the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center directly at gradsvc@kent.edu with any diploma questions.
Additional Details
Apply for Graduation
Students who are preparing to graduate must apply for graduation by April 11, 2025. To apply for graduation:
- Visit
- Select the Student category
- Select Resources
- Select Graduation
- Select Apply for Graduation
Permission to Publish
When you graduate from Kent State at Ashtabula, there are many places that your name could be published. This includes, but is not limited to: the Commencement Program; releases to the media, which will include, name, city and degree; and the kent.edu website.
Please check here to make sure the proper restrictions are either in place or lifted depending on what you want the public to know about your upcoming graduation.
To make any changes to your information restrictions, please follow these steps:
- Login to FlashLine.
- Click on Student, Resources, Requests, and Authorizations
- From the Requests and Authorizations channel, select Maintain the Disclosure of Your Directory Information
- Cancel you restriction of disclosure of directory information
Honor Cords
Students graduating with institutional honors will need to pick up your cords in the Academic Affairs Office in Stocker Hall. An email will be sent to you before commencement on when to pick them up. Please wear the cords to commencement. If you are a Veteran, you will receive your cords prior to commencement, please wear them to commencement.