Houston Community College’s 2015 commencement ceremony will be held at the NRG Stadium on Saturday May 16.

Students who have applied and been approved for graduation are required to register for the ceremony online here.

The graduation ceremony for those earning an academic degree is at 8:30 a.m. All graduates must arrive by 7 a.m. and guests may enter the stadium beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The workforce and GED graduation ceremony is at 1 p.m. All graduates must arrive by 11:45 a.m. and guests may enter the stadium beginning at noon.

The registration confirmation email will note which ceremony students are graduating in.

All attendees at either ceremony will need to enter thought the front Amegy Entrance by the Blue parking lot. Parking will be $12 in the Blue Lot for all graduates and guests.

Audience seating is on a first come, first-seated basis. It is recommended that guests arrive at least 45 minutes before the ceremony begins to be seated by a host.

The required graduation caps and gown are available for purchase at HCC bookstores for $45. Certificate and degree graduates’ caps and gowns are black while GED graduates’ caps and gowns are gold.

The official graduation instructions recommend that under the regalia, men wear a white shirt, dark tie, dark slacks, dark shoes and dark socks while women should wear a dress of lightweight fabric, stockings and dark shoes with low or medium heels. No sandals are allowed for either gender.

The academic cap should be worn straight, and pulled down slightly on the forehead. The tassel of the cap should be worn on the right first, and then changed to the left at the end of the ceremony

No purses, backpacks or other bags will be allowed in the back staging area with graduates because of safety concerns.

HCC’s Chancellor Cesar Maldonado will present graduates with their faux diplomas. Official degrees and certificates will be mailed to the graduate’s address on record, while GED certificates can be ordered online at www.texged.com.

Ceremony guests are asked to stay seated during the ceremony and not to come up to the stage during the ceremony.

Official graduation photos will be available for purchase a few weeks after graduation.

For more information, call the graduation hotline 713.718.2000; email [email protected]; or live chat hcc.intelliresponse.com

Full graduation instructions are available at HCC’s website.

Graduates who wish to request accommodations should Dr. Lee Rinker at 713.718.5391 or [email protected] and provide a contact phone number and email.