Caps Off!

CU’s Commencement History and Traditions

From humble beginnings in Old Main’s Chapel in 1882 with six graduates taking the stage, CU’s commencement celebrations and traditions have endured and grown. A rite of passage capping off a student’s academic achievements, the rituals of commencement provide each graduate a sense of unity and connection to the university. The shared traditions in the present tie us to both our past and the future. We celebrate where we have come from to enhance our dreams of where we might go. From the solitary graduate in 1884 to the thousands each year in the twenty-first century, explore CU’s commencement history and honor the shared bonds with all who make up the Forever Buffs community.