Commencement
To earn a degree or certificate, students must complete the academic requirements
shown in the catalog for the year in which they entered Prairie State College.
If the degree or certificate requirements are changed during your attendance, you may elect to satisfy either the new requirement or the ones in place when you enrolled. If you withdraw from Prairie State College for either a fall or spring semester, you must satisfy the requirements in place at the time you re-enroll.
View Academic CatalogCommencement Ceremony
The 2025 Commencement Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 12 p.m.
at Tinley Park Convention Center-South Pavilion, located at 18451 Convention Center
Dr, Tinley Park, IL 60477. The number of tickets each student will receive will be
determined in March 2025. Tickets are required for all guests with the exception being
children under two years of age. They will be permitted into the ceremony without
a ticket. A live stream of the ceremony will be available.
More information will be communicated via email in the spring semester.
PSC grants certificates and the following five associate's degrees:
- Associate in Arts (A.A.)
- Associate in Science (A.S.)
- Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A.)
- Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.; career and technical degree)
- Associate in General Studies (A.G.S.; not intended for career program or a bachelor's degree)
When submitting a graduation petition, students will be asked to identify the year of the catalog from which they are graduating. Any modifications of graduation requirements must be approved by the department. A course substitution form must be completed with the program coordinator. The dean of the department also will review the document. If approved, the course substitution form will be submitted to Enrollment Services.
Graduation petitions must be completed by the following deadlines to be eligible for graduation:
- October 1 for December graduation
- March 1 for May graduation or August graduates participating in the annual Commencement ceremony
- July 1 for August graduation
December, May, and August candidates may choose to participate in the annual Commencement ceremony, but it is not a requirement.
Graduation Petition
Note: A $20 graduation fee will be will be applied to student’s accounts. An additional $20 late fee will be assessed if the petition is submitted after the deadline date.
There are three categories of graduation honors: Cum Laude (3.30-3.64 GPA), Magna Cum Laude (3.65-3.84 GPA), and Summa Cum Laude (3.85-4.0 GPA). Certificate students are not eligible for graduation honors.
The earned GPA is used to determine the recognition of honors at the ceremony. Any courses in progress during the spring term will not be used to determine honors eligibility for the Commencement ceremony. The official designation of honors will be applied to the student’s transcript once all grades have been received for the semester in which the degree is conferred.
Graduating members of the college's academic honor societies may purchase regalia items as mementos of their achievement. Honors stoles, cords, and tassels that are not provided by the college generally need to be purchased through the online store for their honor society. Students with questions about ordering academic honor society regalia items can reach out to their faculty advisor.
| Alpha Beta Gamma (Business) | Prof. Colleen Ivancic, civancic@prairiestate.edu |
| National Technical Honor Society | Prof. Georgia Karras, gkarras@prairiestate.edu |
| Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society | Prof. Michael Massengill, mmassengill@prairiestate.edu |
| Psi Beta (Psychology) | Prof. Cynthia Cornejo, ccornejo2@prairiestate.edu |
Prospective and current Phi Theta Kappa members should complete the following:
- accept your membership and pay the $80 one-time membership fee
- order your graduation regalia no later than the last week of April at https://portal.ptk.org/Store.aspx to ensure delivery before commencement.
Student veterans and those currently serving can contact MSgt (Ret.) Georges Sanon, Coordinator of Military Student Affairs, at gsanon@prairiestate.edu for military stoles and honor cords.
Students planning to receive a degree and/or certificate at PSC must request an official evaluation of their credits at least one or two semesters prior to degree and/or certificate completion in order to ensure correct course selections.
Transcript Evaluation Request Form
When you have completed the requirements for your degree, and your graduation application has been approved, your transcript will be updated to show that your degree has been awarded. This can take 4 to 5 weeks after grades are posted for the semester since every application must be individually reviewed to ensure that all the requirements for the awarding of the degree have been met. Students can order their transcripts at any time and request 'Hold for Degree to Post.' Once posted, the transcript will be mailed to the address on file.
Degrees and certificates will be mailed to student homes in early to mid-July.
Order Transcripts
Dr. Christine Brooms | 2025 Commencement Speaker
Dr. Christine Brooms is a trailblazer who has dedicated her career to breaking boundaries and empowering the next generation of scientists. An eminent figure in the field of chemistry, Dr. Brooms stands as a source of inspiration and innovation. As the Department Chairperson for Natural Sciences and Professor of Chemistry at Prairie State College (PSC), Dr. Brooms has consistently shattered barriers throughout her remarkable career. Since joining PSC in 2007, she has embarked on a mission to empower underrepresented students, pioneering groundbreaking initiatives to enhance their educational journeys.
With a distinguished academic background, including a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in Organic and Polymer Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. Brooms brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the forefront. Her commitment to fostering active learning techniques within the classroom and laboratory settings has garnered national attention, as evidenced by her presentations at American Chemical Society meetings and other conferences.
Prior to her teaching career, she was a research analyst for the Center for Naval Analyses in Alexandria, Virginia, where she studied naval operations aboard naval ships and at the Pentagon.
Dr. Brooms’ exceptional leadership extends beyond the confines of the classroom. She has led transformative projects, such as a Department of Education STEM grant, and has championed diversity and professional development through her involvement with the ChemEd Bridges project. Currently, she serves as the site coordinator for the NSF grant-funded Illinois Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (ILSAMP) at PSC, an initiative aimed at increasing the number of historically underrepresented students transferring to baccalaureate and graduate programs and conducting undergraduate research. She is also Member-at-Large on the executive board for the Illinois Community College Faculty Association (ICCFA).
Dr. Brooms’ accolades, including the John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award and the Outstanding Full-time Faculty Member Award from the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, as well as being recognized by Rolling Out magazine as a “Sister with Superpowers,” serve as testament to her enduring commitment to excellence.
Contact
For more information or clarification about the annual Commencement ceremony, contact Juanita Wyatt at (708) 709-7933 or via email at jwyatt1@prairiestate.edu.