Commencement

Students who have completed or expect to complete their degree or certificate in summer 2023, fall 2023 or spring 2024 will be invited to participate in the commencement ceremony.

You must complete the following steps:

• Apply for graduation via MyChaffey portal Self-Service
  • Prior to February 20, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. to have your name included in the program
  • After February 20^th, please make an appointment to see a counselor. (Note: Your name will not appear in the commencement program.)
• Complete the Graduate RSVP form
  • Prior to March 28, 2024 to participate in the ceremony and reserve guest tickets (you will also have the option to add your name to the waitlist for additional tickets).
  • Prior to April 26, 2024 to participate in the ceremony without guest tickets

No, the Chaffey College Governing Board approved at the November 2022 Governing Board meeting to sunset the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate effective January 1, 2023. Should any changes to the vaccinate mandate occur, notice will be posted here.

Students who have earned an associate degree and have a 3.50 GPA or above in degree applicable units will graduate with honors. GPA for Honors at Graduation (listed in commencement ceremony booklet) is computed after the fall semester grades are recorded on the transcript for spring commencement. The eligibility lists at the top of this page will notate students with honors.

To be eligible for selection as valedictorian for the spring commencement ceremony, students must have applied for a summer 2023, fall 2023 or spring 2024 graduation by the posted deadlines and earned an associate’s degree and a cumulative 4.00 GPA in degree applicable units, and have completed a minimum of 12 degree applicable units at Chaffey College each consecutive term, except the first term in college may be fewer than 12 units.

All valedictorians will be notified of their status by late March 2024.

Members of the graduating class are invited to apply to be considered for the role of Class Speaker. To be selected as the Class Speaker for the Chaffey College Commencement ceremony is a great honor and carries great responsibility as the individual chosen represents the graduating class and the entire Chaffey College student body. This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Click HERE for more information about goals, eligibility, and to apply to be the class speaker. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, February 20th.

If your speech is selected for an audition, the auditions will be held on Friday, February 23rd at 1:00 pm. Once you submit your application, please check your panther email for a confirmation email containing more information about an audition.

Auditions to be the National Anthem Singer for the 2024 Commencement ceremony will be held on Monday, March 4th from 10:00 am to 11:00 am in CAE-101 or via Zoom and Wednesday, March 6th from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm in CAE-101 or via Zoom . In order to be eligible, you must be cleared to participate in the 2024 commencement ceremony and be in good disciplinary standing. No application or appointment is necessary, just be present during one of the audition timeframes.  If you'd like to audition via Zoom, please contact Professor David Rentz for the link.

You must have applied for a degree or certificate and been found eligible for graduation. If you are eligible to graduate, you will receive an email inviting you to RSVP. The RSVP will go live on Monday, February 5th.

Once you have applied for graduation and been found eligible, you will receive an email with instructions to RSVP. The deadline to RSVP is Thursday, March 28th. The list of eligible students will be posted on the commencement website and include those who have agreed to have their name listed in the commencement program. If you are eligible, but you did not want your name in the commencement program, your name will not be on the eligibility list.

If you were unable to RSVP, did you:

• meet the February 20^th deadline to apply for graduation
• receive an email indicating you are eligible to participate

If you did not meet the bullets listed above, please contact the counseling office to review your eligibility to RSVP. If you did meet the bullets above, please contact the commencement office.

Yes, the college does schedule additional graduation celebrations. You are not required to attend all events. Events are open to all interested students. Your RSVP will ask about your interest and you'll receive additional information regarding an event if you indicated interest. 

The list and dates will be updated as they become available.

CULTURAL Celebrations of graduates Flyer (PDF)

• The EOPS Celebration of Graduates - May
• The Black/African American Celebration of Graduates  - Saturday, May 11, 5 - 8pm
• The Nuestra Graduation Celebration - Sunday, May 5, 9am - 12pm
• The Lavender Graduation Celebration - Thursday, May 9, 6-8pm
• Undocumented Celebration of Graduates - May 

Please contact the commencement office with any questions.

Guest Tickets will begin being distributed at Grad Fest events in April 2024. You will be notified via email regarding the Grad Fest events including how to pick-up tickets following those events.

Unfortunately, no, tickets are only available by picking them up at Grad Fest, a designated location (TBD) following Grad Fest events, or at the Chaffey Will Call table on the day of commencement at Toyota Arena. All tickets are issued to graduates FREE of charge and no electronic tickets will be issued or accepted at Toyota Arena. Chaffey receives a limited number of tickets for distribution and cannot reprint or reissue tickets once distributed; therefore, lost or misplaced tickets will not be replaced.  

No, we will issue all available tickets to graduates as reserved during the RSVP process; therefore, there will be no additional or "extra" guest tickets for distribution at a later time. Chaffey receives a limited number of tickets for distribution and cannot reprint or reissue tickets once distributed; therefore, lost or misplaced tickets will not be replaced.

There is no rehearsal. We will provide you with all the instructions that you need via email, as well as, during check-in and line-up, prior to the procession into the arena.

Your name will appear in the program if you met the February 9th deadline to apply for graduation via the MyChaffey Portal and indicated on your application that you would like your name printed in the program.

Grad Fest is a one-stop-shop to pick-up everything you need for commencement. You can purchase your regalia, meet vendors for announcements, pick-up the guest tickets you RSVP’d for, and much more. 

A Grad Fest event will be held on all three campuses.

Fontana - Tuesday, April 23, 2024 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Rancho - Wednesday, April 24, 2024 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Chino - Thursday, April 25, 2024 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

All students who RSVP'd indicating they would be attending a Grad Fest event will receive a confirmation email with additional details the week prior to the event including when and where to go for the Grad Fest event they indicated they would be attending.

If you RSVP'd by the March 28th deadline and you are unable to attend Grad Fest, you can pick-up your guest tickets at the Office of Student Life (CCE-124) on the Rancho Campus beginning Monday, April 29th. You can pick-up your grad bag at the Campus Store following the grad fest. See the Campus Store website for business hours.

Information regarding how to purchase graduation announcements will be available on the Chaffey College Campus Store website.

The Transfer Celebration/Cap Decorating event will be held on Wednesday, May 1 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the CCE Quad at the Rancho campus. Cap decorating materials will be provided. If you are not able to attend the event, cap decorating materials will be available at Toyota Arena.

The Alumni Panel Presentation will be held on Thursday, April 11 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the Rancho campus. More information will be provided to those interested in attending.

Dress appropriately for the special occasion. If you do not have your regalia (which includes a cap, gown, and tassel) you will not be able to participate in the ceremony.

Regalia can be purchased at grad fest in the Campus Store. Please visit the Chaffey College Campus Store website for more information.

A grad bag contains an assortment of items typically worn or associated with graduation. The bag will include: cap and gown, tassel, sash, and an alumni membership (valued at about $125). The cost of the bag is $99.99.

The Foundation will be offering a scholarship for a limited number of grad bags. The application will open Wednesday, April 10, 2024 and will close on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 11:59PM. Please apply online at: https://chaffeycollegefoundation.awardspring.com/

Grad bags will be available for purchase from the Campus Store beginning at grad fest. After grad fest, grad bags can be purchased at the Campus Store or through the Campus Store webpage.

The Foundation will be offering a scholarship for a limited number of grad bags. The application will open in late February. Please check back here for more information.

No. Only college approved regalia is allowed, as this is Chaffey College’s commencement ceremony. College staff may ask you to remove any non-approved or inappropriate regalia.

It is completely acceptable to decorate your cap. Please be respectful when decorating your cap, but have fun. Please note that your graduation gown should not be decorated.

Cap decorating events will be hosted in early May. Decorations will be provided for decorating at the event. More information will be posted here once scheduled.

To allow time for commencement participants to go through the arena security, robe, take photos, and find their places in the processional line, commencement participants should arrive 60 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony, so by 3:00 p.m.

Check-in for Ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m.

Line-up will be at 3:30 p.m.

You will be seated next to the graduates who are in line behind you and in front of you during the processional. So if you would like to sit with your friends, be sure to line up together as there is no holding spots in line.

To keep the ceremony on time, the procession of students into the arena will begin without late students. This means you will not be able to process into the ceremony with friends and you will not be able to sit next to them during the ceremony.

The ceremony will last approximately three (3) hours. Participants are not permitted to leave the commencement ceremony early.

Do not bring any personal belongings to the processional line-up and robing location; give them to friends or family before checking in at the loading docks (guests are not allowed in the line-up and robing location). There is no secure storage area and staff are prohibited from holding any personal items for graduates and will not be responsible for lost items.

Yes, for those family members and friends who are unable to attend the Commencement, Chaffey College is pleased to offer a live video stream of the ceremony.  A link will be available on the Chaffey College main webpage begin by 4:00 p.m. the day of the ceremony.

Yes, you will have the opportunity to have pictures of you taken by our commencement photographer, Grad Images, before the ceremony. This photo session is FREE and you are under no obligation to purchase these photos. Additional photos will also be taken of you during the ceremony as you are about to go on stage and as you accept your degree/certificate. All of these photos will all be available via the Grad Images website following the ceremony around mid-June 2023. Any questions regarding these photos should be directed to Grad Images.

No, parking is FREE.

The Arena is accessible via the Omnitrans bus (Line 81) - the nearest stop is Concourse and Mercedes Lane.

You can RSVP for up to six (6) guests.

Yes, tickets will be required to enter the arena for guests age two (2) and up. Tickets will be reserved by completing the Student Graduate RSVP Form. Please note: Tickets are not required for Student Graduates.

Guests should review the arena website for more information on current mask wearing and vaccination requirements.

You have until Tuesday, May 14th to pick-up your tickets or request your tickets be available at Chaffey's Will Call located outside the loading dock at Toyota Arena. If you do not pick-up by this date, your tickets will be released to other graduates.

No, at this time we will not be releasing any additional or "extra" guest tickets.

Lost tickets cannot and will not be reissued.

The parking lots will open by 2:00 p.m. and the doors to the arena will open at 3:00 p.m. Please plan to arrive with plenty of time to get parking and get through security before the start of the ceremony.

No. You will receive a diploma/certificate cover containing a certificate of participation. The Admissions and Records Office mails your diploma/certificate to you 3 - 4 months after your degree/certificate is posted. Keep us informed of your current address to ensure delivery of your transcript and diploma.

If you change your mailing address or you do not receive your diploma, please notify the admissions and records office at:

Last Name beginning with A – K – therese.coming@chaffey.edu

Last Name beginning with L – Z – brian.stone@chaffey.edu

The Alumni Association will have a table at Grad Fest and the Commencement ceremony. You can also go to the website at: https://www.chaffey.edu/alumni/

Grad Images, the commencement photographer, will email graduates once your pictures have been posted online for viewing. We anticipate photos being made available by mid-June 2023. You can also check for photos yourself by going to www.gradimages.com. Any questions regarding these photos should be directed to Grad Images.