FCC Graduation & Commencement
Commencement Ceremony
Thursday, May 18, 2023
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: FCC Athletics Center
GENERAL INFORMATION
Congratulations to the graduating Class of 2023, those students who have completed their degree or certificate in August or December 2022, or will do so in May 2023.
To be eligible to participate in the May Commencement ceremony you must have submitted a graduation application, completed all academic requirements for the degree or certificate, and settled all outstanding financial obligations (tuition balances, parking tickets, library fines, etc.) prior to receiving your diploma. Pending graduates: Please note that any changes in your registration (dropping, withdrawing, repeating, and unsuccessful completion from courses) may affect your graduation status.
Ceremony Participation
As graduation applications are approved, eligible graduates will receive an email to their FCC email address to participate in the ceremony. Your request to participate is REQUIRED by April 1, 2023.
Ordering Your Cap and Gown
Once your response to participate in the ceremony is received, an email will be sent to your FCC email address with directions for ordering your free cap, gown, and tickets. Only students who received this email are eligible to place an order. The deadline to order your cap and gown is April 5, 2023.
Picking Up Your Cap and Gown
Your regalia order may be picked up in the Bookstore during the Commencement Fair on May 8, 2023 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm or any day through May 17 during store hours. Have your student ID available. If you are unable to pick up your order in person, you may send someone else to pick up on your behalf. Anyone picking up for another person will be asked to sign for the order.
Commencement Ceremony Rehearsal
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: FCC Linganore Hall
No registration necessary
Receiving Your Diploma
You do not have to participate in the ceremony to receive your diploma or certificate. Physical diplomas are mailed to your address listed in PeopleSoft as follows:
August 2022: October 2022
December 2022: February 2023
May 2023: July 2023
If necessary, you may update your mailing address using the Change of Address form.
Questions: [email protected]
Bookstore
The FCC Bookstore will offer flowers, concessions, and alumni gifts for cashless purchase in the Athletics Center from 3:00-5:00 p.m. before the Commencement ceremony. The Bookstore will also be open in the Student Center from 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. the day of Commencement, offering a full complement of FCC apparel, gifts, and graduation accessories.
Shop for your FCC graduate online anytime https://bookstore.frederick.edu/category/10002754
Preorder a beautiful bouquet for your graduate https://www.thecommencementgroup.com/frederick-cc/
Show pride and celebrate your graduate with a custom lawn sign! https://www.customlawnsign.com/frederick-community-college
CEREMONY INFORMATION
- Doors open to guests at 4:30.
- Students must be in regalia and lined up in Linganore Hall by 5:00.
- The ceremony lasts approximately 90 minutes.
Public Safety
To ensure the safety of all graduates and their guests, guests and their bags will be subject to a security inspection prior to admission. Bag checks and wanding (handheld metal detectors) will be completed prior to entering the field house. Large bags, backpacks, and strollers will not be permitted inside during the ceremony. No weapons (including pocket knives) will be permitted, with the exception of sworn law enforcement officers with proper identification.
Seating
- All guests (including children) attending Commencement need a ticket.
- General seating in the Athletics Center is on wooden bleachers without seat backs. Guests are permitted to bring seat cushions or seat backs.
- Only those with special seating tickets will be allowed in special seating. There will be designated seating areas for persons using wheelchairs. Seating is available for the individual with the disability and up to two companions on a first-come, first-served basis. For assistance finding seating, please see one of the Commencement volunteers.
It is strongly recommended that you arrive early to ensure you can find a seat that meets your needs. Those with a disability may be dropped off behind the field house.
Disability Accommodations
- A ramp is available to all students.
- FCC makes every effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities for College-sponsored events and programs. If you have accommodation needs or questions, please call 301-846-2408. A sign language interpreter will be provided for the ceremony. If you have interpreting related questions, please email [email protected].
Live Stream
The ceremony will be streamed live to the Visual & Performing Arts Center and on the FCC website, www.frederick.edu. Seating in the Visual & Performing Arts Center is the most comfortable for older guests or those with special accommodation needs.
Photographer
A photographer will take a photo as you receive your diploma on stage and after you step off stage. They will send proofs by e-mail to your myfcc e-mail address within a few days of the ceremony. You are under no obligation to purchase photos. For more information: Charles Studio
GRADUATION
Graduation is a multi-step process consisting of submitting a graduation application, completing all academic requirements for the degree or certificate, and settling all outstanding financial obligations (tuition balances, parking tickets, library fines, etc.) prior to receiving your diploma.
If you are a Federal Stafford Student Loan recipient and you are graduating, you must complete the required exit loan counseling at https://www.studentaid.gov. Follow the instructions for exit loan counseling. If you have questions regarding your loan history, contact Financial Aid at 301.846.2620.
Graduation Application Process
Step 1: In your myFCC PeopleSoft account, verify your academic program requirements for your major viewing your FCC transcript and academic advisement report in the Academics Records tile. Contact your assigned academic advisor, faculty mentor, or program manager for assistance.
Step 2: If you have additional credits from another college or university, send official transcripts to FCC and/or request official exam scores to be sent to FCC (CLEP, AP, DSST, PRAXIS, etc.).
Step 3: Submit the Graduation Application by the published deadline.
Associate and Certificate Degrees
Students who anticipate completing the requirements for an associate degree or certificate are required to apply for graduation through their PeopleSoft Student Center or via the Graduation Application Form.
- A student can only submit an online PeopleSoft application through their myFCC PeopleSoft Student Center for their current major. If a student is submitting an application for multiple credentials and/or a credential that is not their current major, they will need to submit the Graduation Application Form.
- Login to your PeopleSoft account.
- Select the Student Center tile.
- Under Academics select the drop down menu “other academic.”
- Select Apply for Graduation.
- Follow form information fields and submit.
- It is recommended that a student submit the Graduation Application when they register for their last required course(s).
- After a student submits the Graduation Application, it will be reviewed and the student will receive an email regarding their graduation status. All emails will be sent to the student’s myFCC student email account.
- After final grades are posted and the end of a term processing is finalized, final graduation reviews will begin. If a student meets graduation requirements, their credential(s) will be posted to their student record and FCC transcript by posted dates and deadlines. No additional communication is sent. However, if a student does not meet graduation requirements by the deadline to award a credential, an updated graduation status email is sent to their myFCC student email account.
- Please see the published Dates and Deadlines for Graduation.
- Students may check their myFCC PeopleSoft account, Academic Records tile, and view their unofficial transcript to see if a credential(s) has been posted. Please view your unofficial transcript to make sure your credential has posted before ordering an official transcript request.
Digital Diplomas for Associate and Certificate Degrees
Frederick Community College is pleased to announce that effective August 2022 the Class of 2023 graduates and future graduates receiving an associate and/or certificate diploma will receive a printed diploma and will be able to retrieve a free certified electronic credential known as CeDiploma or CeCertificate. Watch an overview video on YouTube to learn more.
Students whose associate and/or certificate credential that was posted on or after August 30, 2022, will receive an email with a link to retrieve their free digital credential when it is available from our trusted partner, CeCredentialTrust. Availability will be when the credential has been printed and mailed following the published Graduation Dates and Deadlines. After the diploma has been printed, graduates will receive an email and information on how to download their digital credential from [email protected] with a subject line that will read: Subject: Diploma Information: Download your FCC Digital Diploma Now.
Please continue to monitor your email account. To request a new download link, please use the CeCredential Trust site to resend the link.
Students whose associate and/or certificate credentials were posted before August 1, 2022 can order a legacy digital diploma using the duplicate diploma re-order form. The cost to order a legacy digital diploma is $50. Select Legacy CeDiploma from the drop down menu.
How to Access Your Digital Diploma or Certificate
Please click Your FCC Diploma.
VALIDATE a Digital Diploma or Credential
If you need to validate a FCC CeDiploma or CeCertificate, click here.
GRADUATION FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Don’t I just graduate automatically when I have finished my requirements?
No. To graduate from Frederick Community College, you need to submit a graduation application via your myFCC PeopleSoft account in the Student Center tile or Graduation Application Form. All students need to submit a graduation application to be awarded a credential.
What are the qualifications for graduation?
To qualify as a candidate for an associate degree or certificate, students must:
- Successfully complete a prescribed curriculum as approved by the College and published in the Catalog.
- Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 for all work at the College.
- Successfully complete a minimum of 60 college level credits to award an associate degree. Note: Some majors have additional GPA or final course grade requirements. AAT students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 and meet the MSDE requirements (official documents to waive the MSDE requirement must be on file in Registration and Records).
- Complete a minimum of 15 academic credits at FCC for an associate degree or 25% of required credits at FCC for certificate.
When should I apply to graduate?
Students should apply for graduation when they are in their last semester of classes. Please refer to the Graduation Dates and Deadlines. All students need to submit a graduation application to be awarded a credential. There are three graduation conferral dates for August, December, and May for an academic calendar year.
Do I have to pay a fee to graduate?
There is no fee to apply to graduate (no application fee) or to attend the annual Commencement ceremony.
Do I have to attend the ceremony in order to receive my diploma?
No. The graduation process and awarding of a credential is separate from the ceremony. FCC encourages you to attend the annual Commencement Ceremony to celebrate and recognize your academic accomplishments, but you do not have to attend in order to award your credential and receive a diploma. All diplomas are mailed to students at the mailing address on file. Please submit a Change of Address Form to update your mailing address.
What requirements do I need to graduate with Honors? There are three levels of honors awarded at the completion of degrees or certificates.
- High Honors (associate) = a cumulative grade point average of 3.750 to 4.00
- Honors (associate) = a cumulative grade point average of 3.500 to 3.7490
- Distinction (certificate) = a cumulative grade point average of 3.750 to 4.00
Honors College Graduates
Students who have successfully completed designated honors courses and who qualify at graduation earn an Honors College transcript notation and may wear the designated Honors College medallion at the Commencement Ceremony to reflect their academic achievement. Students qualify for the Honors College, High Honors designation on the FCC transcript and a gold medallion with 12 honors credits (3 honors credits must be at the 200 level) and a GPA of 3.750 or higher. Students earn an Honors College, Honors designation on the FCC transcript and a silver medallion with 12 honors credits (3 honors credits must be at the 200 level) and a GPA of 3.500-3.7490. Students merit the Honors College designation on the FCC transcript and a bronze medallion with 12 honors credits (3 honors credits must be at the 200 level) and a GPA of 3.250-3.490. For eligibility and information, please contact the Honors College Coordinator at [email protected].
I am a member of PTK.
For information on PTK eligibility and regalia, please contact Student Leadership & Engagement at [email protected].
What happens if I do not successfully complete all the credits I need for my degree after I apply to graduate?
You will be notified via your myFCC student email account that you did not satisfy your requirements and you may apply again as soon as you register for your remaining classes or meet outstanding requirements.
Additional questions, contact [email protected].