Graduation

Is your degree completed? Verify your degree completion with an academic advisor. You must complete the Graduation Application, one per program, to determine if you are eligible to obtain your certificate or diploma and to participate in commencement.

If students are not applied for graduation by May 12th, their name will NOT appear in the printed program.

Caps and gowns will be distributed through the SFCC bookstore and be available for pickup May 30 through June 2

Bookstore Location and Hours:
SPOKANE FALLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
3410 West Whistalks Way, Bldg # 17
Spokane, WA 99224

There is no cost for caps and gowns and students do not need to reserve them in advance.

Honor cords will be distributed with caps and gowns. Honor cord determination in based on a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher as of the most recent winter quarter completed.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society regalia are available for P.T.K. members to purchase at portal.ptk.org/Store.aspx. If you are a Phi Theta Kappa member and you have questions, please contact the PTK advisor Michele Moore at michele.moore@sfcc.spokane.edu for more information.

Americana cords will be distributed by Veteran’s Services. Please contact Laticia Morales for more information at leticia.morales@sfcc.spokane.edu

Advance registration or reservations are not required, but you must pick up your cap and gown in advance.

Student participants are expected to arrive by 2 pm for line-up, with their cap and gown. Upon arrival, students will be directed to check-in and gather in the lower-level loading dock on the west end of the Arena.

Students should bring only what they will carry throughout the ceremony. There is no place to leave personal bags or belongings.

Wheelchair accessibility and other mobility assistance will be available via a chair lift or ramp for participating in the ceremony. Students needing assistance in walking or staying off their feet for an extended period of time are encouraged to let staff know when they check in.

Wheelchair seating for guests is available all throughout the main concourse, but the best seats seem to be above sections 112, 124 and 125.

An elevator is available for wheelchair access between the upper and lower levels. The elevator is accessible from the upper main entrance and lower side entrance.

Sign language interpreters will be positioned near the front of the stage. Individuals needing this service are encouraged to sit in section 115.

The main portions of the ceremony will be close captioned on a large screen above the stage.

The Spokane Arena offers a variety of food and beverage items in two food courts and five additional concession stands.

• There will be limited concessions for sale located around the main arena entrance.
• Concession stands feature traditional items such as hot dogs, popcorn, ice cream, soda.

All attendees will be expected to adhere to the mask regulations of the Arena. Make sure to check out the Arena’s Know Before You Go page for the latest updates and requirements or visit safeandsoundspokane.com.

Directions and Parking

Printable PDF Directions Map
Printable PDF Parking Map

Parking at the arena for CCS graduation is free of charge.

Sign up to be notified as soon as photos are available online at www.gradphotos.biz!
After Image Visual Services will be photographing each graduate at the commencement ceremony. Proofs will be mailed and emailed to the addresses provided by the graduate and will also be available online within a few days of the ceremony at www.gradphotos.biz. In addition to photo prints and digital image downloads, customized plaques, tassel display frames, and various other photo products will be available to order.

Phone: (208) 882-5594
Website: www.gradphotos.biz
Email: info@gradphotos.biz
Mailing Address: 314 S. Washington St, P.O. Box No. 8836, Moscow, Idaho 83843

Every effort is made to list graduating students correctly in the printed programs. Between 3000 – 3500 are printed each year. These are free and distributed at the ceremony.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to:

• Illegal drugs or paraphernalia
• Weapons, firearms and pocketknives
• Cans or bottles including metal water bottles
• Outside alcohol
• Throwable items such as hacky sacs and beach balls
• Large signs or signs with sticks in or on them
• Laser pointers
• Large purses, backpacks and bags
• Animals that are not service animals
• Fireworks
• Artificial noise makers
• Outside food and beverage
• Coolers
• Wallet chains

All graduates will sit in chairs on the floor of the Arena, with guests in the seating above. There is no reserved or assigned seating for guests. There is no limit to the number of guests for each graduate.

No balloons will be allowed inside the arena.

There are no lockers, so bring only the essentials you can keep with you.

All guests attending events at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena will be required to enter through walk-through metal detectors (magnetometers).

To help everyone have a positive experience when coming to an event, Spokane Arena asks that you do the following:

• Bring only essential items needed for the event you are attending.
• All bags will be checked prior to entry and no large bags or backpacks will be allowed.
  • Clear Bag Policy –
    • Guests may carry one clear plastic or vinyl bag no larger than 14” x 14” x 6”. One-gallon clear plastic zip-top bags or small clutch bags no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″ are also permitted.
    • Backpacks and purses larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″ are not permitted. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items or single compartment diaper bags (child must be present).
• No smoking and no vaping inside the building or within 25 feet of any entrance.
• Leave ALL weapons at home. Weapons may include firearms, knives of any kind and/or wallet chains.

The ceremony will be broadcast via the college’s website. The video will not be available for purchase after the ceremony but may be accessible on the website.

Yes, a student can change their expected graduation date. If a student would like to change their expected graduation date, they can contact the Graduation Office at sfcc.graduation@sfcc.spokane.edu. Please provide your name, student ID, a brief explanation of what we can do for you, and the quarter you would like to update to.

Let’s go through a few scenarios to make sure you need to ask to change your graduation date:

“It is the quarter I listed as my graduation quarter, but I still need to take a class and am enrolled in the class next quarter.”

No need to contact anyone, your expected graduation quarter will automatically be updated by the graduation department.

“I put that I was going to be graduating three quarters from now on my application, but my counselor just told me I could graduate in two.”

Contact the Graduation Office at sfcc.graduation@sfcc.spokane.edu.

We recommend students speak with their program or academic advisor for guidance on when to submit their graduation application.

A general rule of thumb for graduation application submission is 45 completed credits and two quarters away from expected completion date.

Below are priority cutoff dates for each quarter. A priority cutoff means that after the stated date there is no guarantee that your application will be evaluated in time to graduate that quarter.

• January 31st - Spring Quarter Graduation
• March 31st - Summer Quarter Graduation
• July 31st - Fall Quarter Graduation
• September 30th - Winter Quarter Graduation

If a student believes they have not received an earned diploma they can contact the Graduation Office at sfcc.graduation@sfcc.spokane.edu.

If the student wants to find out information regarding commencement ceremony regalia, they can contact Shelli Cockle at Shelli.Cockle@sfcc.spokane.edu

For updates beyond the pending letter received from the Graduation Office listing remaining requirements students are urged to reach out to their program or academic advisor.

Your advisor’s information can be found in ctcLink by navigating to your Student Homepage --> Academic Progress --> Advisors.

If you do not have a listed program or academic advisor, please contact the Counseling Department at sfcc.counseling@sfcc.spokane.edu or on the phone at 509-533-3525.

If you applied for graduation in ctcLink you will need to reapply using the form below. Currently the graduation application form in ctcLink is not an active form.

Graduation Application — SFCC CCS Online Version (allows signature and submit)

If you applied using the form above, please note that depending on volume it can take up to three weeks for graduation application processing. If it has been longer than three weeks and you have not heard anything, please contact the Graduation Office at sfcc.graduation@sfcc.spokane.edu.

For specific information regarding classes, students should contact their program or academic advisor.

Your advisor’s information can be found in ctcLink by navigating to your Student Homepage --> Academic Progress --> Advisors.

If you do not have a listed program or academic advisor, please contact the Counseling Department at sfcc.counseling@sfcc.spokane.edu or on by phone at 509-533-3525.

If a student suspects that something has been overlooked in their official graduation evaluation, the first step in correction is contacting their program or academic advisor. The advisor will do a second unofficial evaluation and if the mistake is confirmed, they will contact the Graduation Office for an official review and update.

If a student cannot find a copy of their official graduation evaluation letter, the Graduation Office does keep copies archived and would be more then happy to email the student another. Please contact the Graduation Office at sfcc.graduation@sfcc.spokane.edu.

Students who are attending the June graduation ceremony will receive a diploma cover on stage.

Student who are not planning on attending the graduation ceremony can come into the Admissions and Registration office to pick up a cover Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

If you live outside the Spokane area and would like a diploma cover, please contact sfcc.graduation@sfcc.spokane.edu. Provide your request, name, and current address.

You do not need to download the Sign Now app to submit the graduation application on your mobile device.

Under the two main options, select “Sign with Mobile Browser” (see image below). This will take you to the online form in your browser.