First Generation Stole

About forty percent of UM students are the first in their family to attend college. Those graduating today are wearing a white stole to celebrate their achievements.

Rainbow Stole (Also available as a cord)

Students wearing rainbow stoles and/or cords are members of our campus LGBTQ+ community. The stoles and cords acknowledge their achievements and contributions to the University.

Stole of Gratitude

Many of our graduates are wearing the maroon Stole of Gratitude. After the ceremony, the stole is given as a symbol of appreciation from a graduate to a special person who provided support during their college career.

Davidson Honors College

Graduates from the Davidson Honors College are wearing the DHC medallion, trimmed in maroon ribbon. This represents their completion of the DHC curriculum and graduation with University Scholar distinction.

Graduates wear headwear which typically includes either a cap (also known as a mortarboard) or a tam for those who have completed an advance degree such as masters or doctoral degree.

The traditional headwear is a mortarboard. University of Montana graduates are encouraged to decorate their caps for their commencement ceremony. Decorated caps must not be not be derogatory, defamatory, or otherwise offensive in any nature. 

Franke Global Leadership Initiative - Students who have successfully completed the 4-year Franke Global Leadership Initiative, gaining an interdisciplinary look at some of society’s more pressing issues, are wearing copper, silver, and gold cords.

Military service members and Veterans are wearing red, white, and blue cords to recognize their service to our country.

TRiO Scholars are wearing red and black cords-TRIO scholars are First Generation, low income, or students with a disability who overcame barriers to earn their Bachelor’s Degree.

The Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center Students are wearing green and blue cords. RM-PHTC Student Leaders in Public Health awards select students in higher education $3,500 in financial support to assist with public health focused field placements and faculty-student collaborative projects. 

Cumulative GPA Honors Cords- NOTE: There is no "Honors" distinction for Graduate students. 

• Undergraduate students who earned Summa Cum Laude/Highest Honors (3.90 UM cumulative GPA) wear gold cords.
• Undergraduate students who earned Magna Cum Laude/High Honors (3.70 UM cumulative GPA) wear silver cords.
• Undergraduate students who earned Cum Laude/Honors (3.40 UM cumulative GPA) wear bronze cords. 

President’s Outstanding Student Award- Students receiving this award wear copper cords.

Inclusive Excellence - Students actively supporting and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within our campus community through their service and initiatives wear green and maroon cords.

Mortar Board- Red cords are worn by students involved in the Mortar Board Executive Team, A National Senior Honors Society. Black & Gold cords are worn by Mortar Board members, A National Senior Honors Society

Society of Physics Students - Members of this organization are active in physics outreach and professional development wear royal blue and white cords.

Navy cords are worn by UM Advocates.

Gold & Blue cords are worn by Golden Key, A National Honors Society.

Purple cords are worn by Rho Chi, The Pharmacy Honors Society.

Blue, Gold, & Brown cords are worn by Gamma Theta Upsilon, The Geography Honor Society.

Violet, Gold, & Lavender are worn by Pi Mu Epsilon, the Mathematics Honor Society.

Orange & White cords are worn by National Student Speech Language Hearing Association.

Salmon cords are worn by Delta Omega, Honorary Society in Public Health.

Navy, Green, & Silver cords are worn by AHEC Scholars.

Green cords are worn by Order of Omega, a leadership honors society for members of Greek organizations.

Academic hoods signify achievement of a graduate degree. They consist of the inside colors representing the school where the degree was achieved, and the outside velvet color corresponding to the area of study. For information on how to wear your hood, please see the video linked above, or visit this website. 

Agriculture – Maize  

Arts, Letters, and Humanities – White

Commerce, Accountancy, Business – Drab   

Dentistry – Lilac

Economics – Copper

Education – Light Blue

Engineering – Orange  

Fine Arts, including Architecture - Light Brown  

Forestry, Environmental Studies, Sustainability – Russet

Law – Purple

Library Science, Information Management – Lemon  

Medicine – Green

Music – Pink

Nursing – Apricot

Oratory, Communications Studies, Broadcasting – Silver Gray

Pharmacy – Olive Green

Philosophy – Dark Blue

Physical Education – Sage Green

Manual Therapy, Physical Therapy – Teal

Public Administration, Public Policy, Foreign Service – Peacock Blue

Public Health – Salmon

Science (Both Social and Natural) – Golden Yellow

Social Work – Citron

Theology – Scarlet   

Veterinary Science – Gray