GSS Regalia Award

About the Award:

It is a significant commitment of resources for graduate students at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) to attend their commencement ceremony. In order to encourage more graduate students to walk in a BGSU commencement ceremony (May, August, or December), the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) created the GSS Regalia Award to support graduate students who may need help covering the cost of renting regalia (for Doctoral students)* or purchasing regalia (for Master’s students).

The Regalia Award will cover the full cost of renting Doctoral Regalia (robe, tam, and hood rental), but students can apply the rental amount to the purchase price of the Doctoral Regalia if they wish to purchase rather than rent the robe, tam, and hood. If you are purchasing Doctoral Regalia and plan to apply for the GSS Regalia Award, you will need to purchase through Falcon Outfitters, and not through Jostens. Jostens is not able to accept the Regalia Award.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the award, the applicant must (1) be currently enrolled in a recognized BGSU graduate degree program and (2) have a graduation application on file with the Graduate College. Graduation application deadline for Summer 2023 is Friday, May 26, 2023.

All recipients must be in good standing with BGSU and the applicant's department must be in good standing with GSS. Individuals belonging to censured departments will not be eligible to receive professional funding or awards from GSS.

Application Process:

The Summer 2023 Regalia Award application will open Monday, May 22, 2023. Please submit your regalia award application form on the Graduate Student Senate Canvas Page by Friday, June 2, 2023 at 11:59 pm and write a short essay that specifically describes the reasons why you are in need of assistance in covering the cost of renting/purchasing regalia AND why your attendance at the graduation ceremony is important to you.

In June, you will receive an email from Lori Naugle in Falcon Outfitters. Within this email, there will be instructions regarding how to order graduation regalia. You will want to request regalia by the deadline set within the email. Payment will not be due until approximately two weeks prior to graduation.

If you do not have access to the Canvas page but believe you should, please contact gss@bgsu.edu PRIOR to the deadline. Submissions will only be accepted on Canvas. 

Selection and Presentation:

A selection committee will be composed of three graduate senators anf two SEC members appointed by the GSS Vice President, to include at least one Master’s student, one Doctoral student, and all three students will be from different colleges. The committee will review all application materials received by the deadline and will determine the recipients. 

The recipients will be notified of the award by email. The award can be redeemed directly through Falcon Outfitters for Doctoral regalia rental or Master’s regalia purchase.

Upcoming Regalia Award Application Windows:

Dates for applications for 2023-2024 will be posted during Summer 2023.

Please contact GSS Vice President, Nick Malendowski (gss@bgsu.edu) with any questions/concerns.