Lavender Graduation
Lavender Graduation 2026: Thursday June 4th 6pm-9pm Viking Union MPR
Lavender Graduation
Welcome! This page details our annual Western Lavender Graduation.
Lavender Graduation was Thursday, June 4th from 6-9pm in the Viking Union MPR. If you missed it, you can still pick up a cord, certificate, and tassel.*
No registration required now, just stop by! If you registered online prior to May 28th, we have a certificate ready for you. If you registered online after May 28th for left your name at the Grad Celebration event, you will have your certificate printed on-demand when you come by the office.
Viking Union 721 from 10am-5pm M-Th and 10am-4pm on Friday. Email lgbtq@wwu.edu if you need after hours pickup.
This ceremony is open for all, celebrating our LGBTQ+ community and our Lavender Graduates. Anyone who has graduated or will graduate by Fall 2026 may be recognized.
We are also celebrating our Legacy Lavender Graduates, alum who graduated but never got their rainbow cord for whatever reason: early graduation, COVID-19, or even a graduate prior to us giving out the cords! Whether you graduated in 2024 or 1974, we wish to celebrate you! The 2025 ceremony was cancelled, so all previous Lavender Graduates are invited back to celebrate!
*Limited supply of cords until Tuesday with a new shipment. Limited supply of tassels, get them while they last!
Graduate Registration
For our 2025-2026 Lavender graduates and any alums who never received a rainbow cord.
Lavender Graduates may choose to receive their cord at the event on stage, off-stage privately, or pick up a cord prior or after Lavender Graduation Alums who cannot make it to the event can coordinate shipping, but this is on a need-to basis.
The Pride Awards
Every year, we recognize many across campus and our community who have supported and centered the holistic thriving of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff, and community.
Previous Winners:
2024:
Litav Langley Legacy Award: Pao Falcon
OUTstanding Graduate Award: Colter Lemons
LGBTQ+ Western Staff Member of the Year: Julian Cabrera
Queer Guild Club of the Year: Western Scream Queens
Collaboration & Impact Award: Michelle Harmeier
Faculty & Staff Advocate in Action Award: Alvyn Dimaculangan & Adam Littleton
2025:
Rainbow Wave: Robert Ashworth
Litav Langley Legacy Award: Em Sherwood
OUTstanding Graduate: Ella Newborn & Mars
Club of the Year: Royal Gambit Drag Club
Collaboration & Impact: Betty Desire, Mark Allyn
Faculty/Staff Advocate in Action: Deidre Evans, Tulea Enochs
Rainbow Wave Alumni Award
This new award honors the legacy of a Western alum who has Made Waves in the LGBTQ+ community by upholding the LGBTQ+ Western and Western Washington University mission and values after graduation and/or during their time at Western.
Queer Guild Club of the Year
Celebrating an LGBTQ+ club or organization that as provided transformational knowledge, resources, advocacy, and celebration to our community
OUTstanding Graduate Award
Honoring our graduating students who have impacted the experience of their LGBTQ+ peers during their time at Western.
Previously titled LGBTQ+ Western Legacy Award
Litav Langley Legacy Award
The Litav Langley Legacy Award is named after the first ever LGBTQ+ Director to honor a student, faculty, or staff member who has made a tremendous impact on the LGBTQ+ community at Western Washington University and thus creating their own legacy.
LGBTQ+ Western Staff Member of the Year:
Honoring an LGBTQ+ Western staff member whose passion, dedication, and commitment has made a profound impact on our team and the services that we provide
Faculty & Staff Advocate in Action Award
Honoring a faculty or staff member who inspires the Western community to uplift the holistic wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people.
Previously Titled the Rainbow Inspiration Award.
Collaboration & Impact Award
Honoring individuals who uplift the values of LGBTQ+ Western through collaborative engagement in the Bellingham community and beyond.
Previously titled the Rainbow Bridge Award
Schedule
Reception
Enjoy food and mingle with the community prior to the ceremony. Meet the LGBTQ+ club leaders and community organizations.
Opening Remarks
LGBTQ+ Director will introduce the event.
Faculty/Staff Keynote
Faculty/Staff Keynote to be determined!
Student Keynote Speaker
Student keynote to be decided nominate someone today!
LGBTQ+ Western Awards
Awards celebrating our faculty, staff, campus partners, and LGBTQ+ Western Student Staff.
Lavender Graduation Cording Ceremony
We will honor our graduating students and Legacy Lavender Grads with the cording ceremony. Graduates will take an optional group photo afterward.
Activites
We will have drag, photos, and other activities.
2026 Lavender Graduates
2025 Lavender Graduates
FAQ
This event is a combination of two important events featured at many universities, both with a history at Western.
The Western Pride Celebration is our final big event celebrating our LGBTQ+ community with the raising of the pride flag, activities like tie-dye, and more! Pride Celebration started in 2019, and we continue the tradition today!
Lavender Graduation is a ceremony celebrating LGBTQ+ graduates with a reading of names, cording ceremony, and often a speech from graduating. Lavender Graduations used to occur at Western, but stopped in the mid 2010s.
Combining the two events allows us to celebrate our grads and our larger community together!
Lavender Graduations first started at University of Michigan in 1995 by Dr. Ronni Sanlo. Sanlo had been denied the opportunity to attend her own children's graduations because of her sexual orientation. Understanding this was felt by her LGBTQ+ students, Sanlo created the first Lavender Graduation that honored three students.
Lavender was chosen because it combines the colors of the pink triangle gay men were forced to wear in concentration camps and the black triangle designating lesbians as political prisoners. We acknowledge the history of oppression LGBTQ+ have faced and the celebration of our community through Lavender Graduation.
We encourage students and guests to dress in whatever feels comfortable, identity-affirming, and whatever they feel comfortable having pictures in.
For graduates, we ask that you avoid wearing any non-WWU university or college branded items and have shirts that are appropriate to share in all WWU media for all ages.
And this link to be featured on our Instagram (WWU login required, if you don't have access to your WWU email anymore, email lgbtq@wwu.edu
Sign up using this link. Let us know if you want to be featured in the ceremony or just to get your cords at another time.
Yes! Sign up using the same registration form
The closest parking lot is Lot C, near the Wade Recreation Center.
We ask all graduates to stay until the end of the ceremony so we can get a group photo and respect other graduates. You do not need to stay for the activities, but we encourage you to!