It’s a celebration years in the making as thousands of graduates are turning their tassels, marking the end of their studies and the beginning their careers.
It signifies an accomplishment of hard work, relief of finally being done, and a grand entrance into a new world.
Graduation caps are a part of that celebration.
They can say it all, or say nothing at all.
Some students give thanks to their families and supporters.
Others display the joy of walking away with a diploma in hand and a bright future ahead.
Here are some of our favorite messages as graduation season begins.
A Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences major shows off their decorated mortarboard during the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences majors show off their decorated mortarboards during the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Cal Poly Pomona student decorates their cap with a statement for their graduation ceremony on Friday, May 16, 2025, in Pomona. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
A decorated mortarboard cap during Cal State Long Beach’s College of Engineering commencement ceremony at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Cal Poly Pomona kicks off its first graduation ceremony of the season on Friday, May 16, 2025. Agriculture science graduate Michelle Donovan sits among the crowd on the University Quad in Pomona, wearing a themed graduation cap to mark the occasion. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Students celebrate as they make their way to their seats during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
A decorated mortarboard cap during Cal State Long Beach’s College of Engineering commencement ceremony at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
A Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences major shows off their decorated mortarboard during the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences major shows off their decorated mortarboard prior to the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A decorated mortarboard cap, right, during Cal State Long Beach’s College of Engineering commencement ceremony at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
A Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences major shows off their decorated mortarboard prior to the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
A Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences major shows off their decorated mortarboard prior to the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
One of the many mortar boards during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Various decorated mortarboard caps on display during Cal State Long Beach’s College of Engineering commencement ceremony at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
A Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences major shows off their decorated mortarboard during the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences major shows off their decorated mortarboard prior to the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Notes on the back of students stoles during the 2025 USC graduation at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
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A Cal State San Bernardino’s Social and Behavioral Sciences major shows off their decorated mortarboard during the colleges 58th commencement at Toyota Arena in Ontario on Friday, May 16, 2025. It was the first of 5 graduation ceremonies for CSUSB which is graduating a total of 3,631 students this weekend. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
