The table below lists all approved university-issued adornments for graduation, including medallions, cords, pins, and stoles. Organizations seeking to issue adornments to graduates should submit their adornment for approval using the Adornment Approval Form in Service Now.
Graduates are also welcome to wear personal adornments such as leis or other culturally significant items as long as all additions are respectful and appropriate for the ceremony.
Honor Cords
Latin Honors cords are distributed by the Office of the Registrar to eligible undergraduate students. Students who qualify for Latin Honors should pick up their cord at the Grad Fair at the USU Campus Store on March 16 and 17, 2026. If students are unable to attend the Grad Fair, honor cords can be picked up directly from the Office of the Registrar beginning March 18. Students participating in Statewide Campus graduation ceremonies will be given their cords prior to the statewide ceremony.
Latin Honors are awarded, based solely on USU GPA, as follows:
- Cum Laude (3.5–3.79): Navy Blue cord
- Magna Cum Laude (3.8–3.94): Silver cord
- Summa Cum Laude (3.95–4.0): Gold cord
If you have questions about eligibility or distribution, please contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@usu.edu.
Approved Adornments
| Organization | Description | Contact | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-Team | White stoles embroiddered with the university seal and "A-Team" and years the student was on the A-Team | peggy.brown@usu.edu | A-Team Stoles |
| A-Team - Eastern | White stole with navy trim and the USU Eastern logo screen printed on the right and A-Team on left | j.barker@usu.edu | A-Team Eastern Stole |
| Aggie First Scholars (First Generation Students) | Navy blue and silver cord | whitney.castle@usu.edu | AFS First Generation Cord |
| Beta Alpha Psi | Set of solid black and solid red cords | lacee.wilkey@usu.edu | BAP Cords |
| College of Arts and Sciences | White ribbon with silver medallion depicting the college seal | natalie.smoot@usu.edu | ArtSci Medallion |
| College of Engineering | Navy ribbon with silver medallion depicting Old Main and College of Engineering | angie.peterson@usu.edu | College of Engineering Medallion |
| Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning | Navy stole embroiddered with the univeristy seal, U-State logo, denoting LAEP and the USU tartan pattern | keith.christensen@usu.edu | LAEP Stole |
| Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services | Light blue ribbon with silver medallion depicting Old Main and college name | lisa.christensen@usu.edu | CEHS Medallion |
| Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services College Ambassadors | Light blue stole embroiderred with "Student Ambassador" and the CEHS college logo | amber.summers@usu.edu | CEHS Ambassador Stole |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Education | Yellow stole with FCSE embroiddered | michelle.clouse@usu.edu | FCSE Stole |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Education - Advanced Fashion Studies Certificate | Braided cord made from recycled denim | michelle.clouse@usu.edu | Advanced Fashion Studies Cord |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Education - Fashion Studies Certificate | Flexible measuring tape that is either blue, white or yellow | michelle.clouse@usu.edu | Fashion Studies Adornment |
| Gamma Theta Upsilon | Yellow, rust, and light blue twisted cord | claudia.radel@usu.edu | GTU Cord |
| Gamma Theta Upsilon | Yellow stole embroiddered with the Gamma Theta Upsilon logo | claudia.radel@usu.edu | GTU Stole |
| Heravi Peace Institute | White stole with Heravi Peace Institute logo | bailee.fox@usu.edu | HPI Stole |
| Huntsman ProSales Student Association | Light grey stole with official ProSales and Huntsman School of Business logos | kaelyn.loveless@usu.edu | ProSales Stole |
| International Students at USU Eastern | White stole with dark blue trim embroidered with "International" and the U-State logo | kelsey.kaiser@usu.edu | International Stole |
| Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Master of Human Resources | Royal blue and white cord | heather.buatte@usu.edu | MHR Cord |
| Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Master of Human Resources Student Association | Light blue stole with MHRSA Member printed on one side and the MHR logo on the other | heather.buatte@usu.edu | MHRSA Stole |
| Master of Business Administration | White with blue design (U-State with MBA below it), Utah State University is in cursive on the other side | shelby.kennedy@usu.edu | MBA Stole |
| Master of Management Information Systems and Master of Data Analytics programs | Navy and white cord | kelly.seipert@usu.edu | MMIS & MDATA Cord |
| Master of Public Health - Health Education and Promotion | Salmon cord | julie.gast@usu.edu | MPH Cord |
| Order of the Engineer | Orange cord | kristina.glaitti@usu.edu | Order of the Engineer Cord |
| Residence Life - USU Eastern | White stole with a blue border and "Residence Life" printed on one side and the staff member's name, position, graduation year, and the U-State logo on the other side | eric.curwen@usu.edu | Residence Life Stole |
| S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources | Silver medallion with the college name and Old Main, and a navy blue ribbon | lisa.hunsaker@usu.edu | QANR Medallion |
| S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Dean's Leadership Council | White stole with navy blue printed U-State logo and the college name on one side and the organization on the other side | kalyn.shorthill@usu.edu | QANR Dean's Council Stole |
| Stephen R. Covey Leadership Center | Light blue cord | alex.bodrero@usu.edu | Covey Leadership Cord |
| Tau Beta Pi | White stole embroiddered with the Tau Beta Pi logo in orange | angie.peterson@usu.edu | Tau Beta Pi Stole |
| TRIO Student Support Services - Blanding | Black stole with grey trim and native print on left side and "TRIO Student Support Services" on the right | kelsey.bushman@usu.edu | TRIO SSS Stole |
| TRIO Student Support Services | Black and gray cord | elizabeth.griffiths@usu.edu | TRIO Cord |
| University Honors | Shiny gold medallion on dark blue ribbon depicting the University Honors slogan | kris.miller@usu.edu | University Honors Medallion |
| USU Advancement and Alumni Relations (Philanthropy Cords) | Teal cord | alana.haupert@usu.edu | Advancement Cord |
| USU Student Involvement and Leadership | White stole embroidered with USUSA and the student's name and year(s) of service | david.higashi@usu.edu | USUSA Stole |
Adornment Creation Guidelines
When designing any university-issued adornment, organizations must follow Utah State University’s brand and trademark standards. The use of the official Utah State logo or university marks is strongly recommended for all stoles, medallions and pins. Prior to submission, organizations should review the USU Branded Goods Guidelines to ensure compliance with the following:
- Proper use of university logos and trademarks.
- Adherence to official university colors and typography
- Prohibited use of the color red.
- Correct application of design elements on all adornment pieces.
Additionally, to preserve the distinct meaning of Latin honor cords, organizations, colleges, and departments are prohibited from using solid gold, silver, or navy cords. These colors are reserved exclusively for Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude distinctions.
Organizations are responsible for ensuring that all adornments meet these requirements before submission for approval.