Occurring the day before commencement, the ceremony features live music, awards, the student "Lavender Graduation Prairie Star Address" (voted on by graduating students), individualized recognition, and free lunch. Register in advance! All undergraduate and graduate students finishing a degree this spring or coming fall are eligible to participate. No qualifications are required. Students receive a lavender cord to wear at commencement, signed certificate, and printed invitations to invite family and friends.

Lavender Graduation is a cultural celebration that recognizes lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer (LGBTQ) and allied students of all backgrounds. The ceremony acknowledges their achievements and contributions to the university as students who survived the college experience thanks to their activities and education at UIS.

First started at the University of Michigan in 1995, the ceremony is now conducted at hundreds of universities nationwide including Princeton, Duke, MIT and NYU. The color lavender, adopted by the gay movement in the 1960's, is the main color of Sayville ("Gayville"), NY. Sayville is near Fire Island where the veterans of the 1969 Stonewall Riots organized. This history is honored during the ceremony as our graduates prepare to make history of their own.