Weber State University’s Fall 2011 commencement ceremony is on Dec. 9, and there are a variety of ideas about what to wear underneath the gown. According to Lynn Schow, WSU’s graduation supervisor, a dress code does not exist.
Despite this freedom granted to students, Schow cannot recall that she has ever encountered any outfits that have been out of the ordinary.
Schow said that dress normally “ranges from extremely casual to dressy business attire.”
However, Stefanie Reed, a student graduating next week, recalled “a guy (who) wore a fantastic 70s suit to our (licensed practical nurse) graduation.”
Reed is not participating in the ceremony, but said she would don a skirt or a dress .
“Because I want to look good!” she said.
Another graduate, Braydon Eden, said he believes it is important to look professional in graduation photos and will be wearing a dress shirt and tie for the ceremony.
Aimee Nelson, who graduated in spring of 2011, expressed a similar sentiment and recommended “. . .to look nice; be proud of what you’ve accomplished. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are that you deserve to have everyone look at you and say, ‘Wow, they look great.'”
Nelson said she went shopping for clothing and accessories right after she finished her last final exam. She was the first in her family to earn her bachelor’s degree, and said for this reason, she wanted to take a more formal approach with her attire.
English major Emma Koller is also among the graduates this fall and is planning on taking a sentimental and reflective approach to what she will put on that day, as she has been dreaming of obtaining her bachelor’s degree from the time she was a child.
“A lot of my family is unable to fly out to Utah for my graduation, so it’s really important to me to incorporate a little something from everyone,” Koller said.
She plans on wearing her grandmother’s wedding ring, a necklace given to her by her family on her 16th birthday and a white lace dress her grandparents bought for her for her high school graduation.
In a more casual contrast, graduating student Mariano Campos said he plans to wear his red Converse sneakers along with a white shirt and possibly a red tie to match.
Deric San Juan, another spring 2011 graduate, said he chose to wear a pinstriped Hugo Boss suit. Drawing from his experience, he suggested to those graduating to wear something formal but comfortable.
“It’s going to be a long, but exciting day,” San Juan said.
He also recalled an interesting thing about his fellow graduates’ attire.
“People (were) taping things to the top of their tassels so they (were) identifiable,” San Juan said.
Schow recommended that people wear casual business attire. However, it is not required. Purses, wallets, phones and cameras are not permitted to be carried during the ceremony, although she said that the location for the ceremony, the Dee Events Center, is able to hold personal belongings and is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
“These items could be cumbersome as they walk across the stage and shake hands with their deans,” Schow added.
