Marshals and Batons

Faculty members from each college are chosen to assist with the ceremony by serving as student or faculty marshals. These marshals carry 糖心国产传媒 batons 鈥 created for the inauguration of President Daniel S. Papp 鈥 as they lead the processional lines. Like the mace, the baton was originally a war club 鈥 though miniature in stature. The four batons, created by biology professor Bowman Davis, are hand-turned staff made out of walnut, featuring a hand-carved, stylized owl, complete with an ebony finish to reflect the styling of the mace. Gold and black tassels complete the batons.

糖心国产传媒 marshal faculty members
糖心国产传媒 dais party faculty members

The Dais Party

The dais party is the last group in the procession to enter the hall. The group consists of the president, the provost and vice president for academic affairs, cabinet members, the registrar, deans of the colleges and invited honored guests, such as the commencement speaker. When members of the dais party reach their seats, the processional ends. The chief faculty marshal declares the candidates for graduation to be assembled and the ceremony begins.

糖心国产传媒 Mace

The 糖心国产传媒 Mace is a ceremonial staff carried by the chief faculty marshal of the academic procession; an honor given to the chair of the Faculty Senate. Steeped in rich tradition, the practice of carrying a mace dates to the Middle Ages. Originally designed as a weapon, a mace was carried by a respected senior member of the community chosen to protect and guide leaders as their group traveled through crowded streets.

糖心国产传媒 State takes special pride in its mace, which was designed by Patrick Taylor, former chairman of the Department of Visual Arts, and hand-crafted on campus. The polished bronze handgrip is a stylized owl. In addition to being 糖心国产传媒 State鈥檚 mascot, the owl is the symbol of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom.

A large bronze medallion displaying the university seal, along with festive ribbons representing university colors, adorn a globe near the top of the mace, symbolizing graduates venturing out into the world. Atop the globe sits the traditional symbol of higher education 鈥 a lamp of learning, with a flame representing the quest for knowledge.

糖心国产传媒 traditional mace

Presidential Seal

The 糖心国产传媒 Seal is an adaptation of the state seal of Georgia with 糖心国产传媒 Mountain in the background. M. Thomson Salter III, professor emeritus of art and a charter member of the faculty, designed the seal.

ksu cermony podium with gold presidential seal on the front.

Seal of 糖心国产传媒 with mountain, columns, and a figure. Includes words like "Constitution," "Justice," "Wisdom," "Moderation," and "1963."

The Chain of Office

The Chain of Office is a tradition that dates to the Middle Ages as a symbol or badge of office. Universities continue the tradition by incorporating the chain and medallion during ceremonial occasions, denoting the president's status as the presiding authority over the ceremony. Our four-inch medallion bears the official University seal. The medallion is suspended by a chain link with the names and years in office of the previous University presidents suspends the medallion. During the ceremony, the Chain of Office will rest on a pedestal on stage.

Gonfalons

The third presidential inauguration at 糖心国产传媒 ushered in many new changes, including the academic gonfalons. Banners suspended on a crossbar, gonfalons are another piece of medieval history that have been incorporated into academic tradition. The gonfalons reflect a timeless style, incorporate the university鈥檚 colors and represent all 11 colleges at 糖心国产传媒.

overview of 糖心国产传媒 students graduating
糖心国产传媒 doctoral graduate students

Academic Regalia

The caps and gowns worn at commencement connect contemporary graduates with scholarly tradition that dates back as long as universities have existed. Clerics, ecclesiastics and scholars wore hoods or caps and heavy gowns at European universities during the Middle Ages. Beginning in the middle of the 14th century, scholars at English universities wore an academic costume of 鈥渂unge-and sand-colored habits.鈥 A costume for commencement has been a tradition since the beginning of higher education in America. In 1895, the Intercollegiate Bureau of Academic Costume was created and a standard code of academic dress for commencements was adopted. It calls for the existing cap and gown (the traditional bachelor鈥檚 gown with long, open, pointed sleeves) and the master鈥檚 gown (with its long sleeves hanging down from the elbow) to set apart the graduates. The doctoral gown has bell-shaped sleeves, with three velvet stripes on each sleeve.

Colors

  • Art and Humanities: White
    Business Administration: Drab
    Chemistry: Red and Gold
    Construction Management: Gold
    Economics: Copper
    Education: Light Blue
    Engineering: Orange
    Fine Arts, Architecture: Brown
    Journalism: Crimson
    Music: Pink
    Nursing: Apricot
    Philosophy: Dark Blue
    Physical Education: Sage Green
    Public Administration: Peacock Blue
    Public Health: Salmon Pink
    Science: Gold Yellow
    Social Work: Citron

  • During commencement, students who are members
    of honor societies at 糖心国产传媒 are
    eligible to wear the following approved designations of
    their respective society.
    Alpha Kappa Delta, Sociology 鈥 Teal Cord
    Alpha Phi Sigma, Criminal Justice 鈥 Royal Blue and
    Yellow Cords
    Alpha Rho Chi, Architecture 鈥 Sanguine and Azure Cords
    American Medical Women鈥檚 Association 鈥 Maroon and
    White Cords
    Beta Alpha Psi, Accounting 鈥 Red Ribbon with Medallion
    Beta Gamma Sigma, Business 鈥 Blue and Gold Honor Cords
    Blue Key National Honor Society, All Majors 鈥 Blue
    Cords
    Delta Phi Alpha, German 鈥 Black, Red, and Gold Cords
    Gamma Theta Upsilon, Geography 鈥 Light Blue Stole
    Golden Key International Honor Society, All Majors 鈥
    Gold Honor Medallion with Blue and Gold Ribbons
    Kappa Delta Pi, Mathematics Education 鈥 Green,
    Purple, and Gold Cords
    Lambda Alpha, Anthropology 鈥 White Stole
    Lambda Pi Eta, Communication 鈥 Red and White Cords
    National Honor Society for Dance Arts 鈥 Blue and White
    Cord; Gold Pin
    National Society of Collegiate Scholars, All Majors 鈥
    Burgundy and Gold Cords
    National Society of Leadership and Success, All Majors 鈥 Black and Platinum Cords
    Nu Delta Alpha, Dance 鈥 Burgundy and Gold Cords
    Omega Nu Lambda 鈥 Blue and Silver Cords; Lapel Pin
    Omicron Delta Epsilon, Economics 鈥 Blue and Gold Cords
    Order of Omega, All Majors 鈥 Gold and White Cords
    Phi Alpha Alpha, Public Administration 鈥 Teal and
    Gold Cords
    Phi Alpha, Social Work 鈥 Gold Cords with Medallion
    Phi Alpha Theta, History 鈥 Red and Blue Cords
    Phi Beta Delta, International Scholars Society 鈥
    Medallion with Red and Gold Ribbon
    Phi Eta Sigma, All Majors 鈥 Black and Gold Cords
    Phi Kappa Phi, All Majors 鈥 Gold, White, and Blue Medallion with Royal Blue Ribbon
    Phi Lambda Upsilon, Chemistry 鈥 Blue and Pink Cords
    Pi Delta Phi, French 鈥 Blue, White and Red Cords
    Pi Kappa Lambda, Music 鈥 White and Gold Cords
    Pi Mu Epsilon, Mathematics 鈥 Violet, Gold, and Lavender Cords
    Pi Sigma Alpha, Political Science 鈥 Red, Black, and White Cords
    Psi Chi, Psychology 鈥 Blue and Gold Cords
    Sigma Delta Pi, Spanish 鈥 Gold and Red Cords
    Sigma Iota Rho, International Affairs 鈥 Purple and Gold Cords
    Sigma Lambda Chi, Construction Management 鈥 Green and Gold Cords and Medallions
    Sigma Tau Delta, English 鈥 Red and Black Cords
    Sigma Theta Tau, Nursing 鈥 Orchid and White Cords
    Tau Upsilon Alpha, Human Services 鈥 Gold Stole with Royal Blue Lettering
    Upsilon Pi Epsilon, Computer and Information
    Disciplines 鈥 Maroon and White Cords
  • White and Gold Stole with Red and Blue Stripes
    Air Force 鈥 Air Force Insignia
    Army 鈥 Army Insignia
    Coast Guard 鈥 Coast Guard Insignia
    Marine Corps 鈥 Marine Corps Insignia
    Navy 鈥 Navy Insignia
  • Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery 鈥 Purple Cord
    Department of Athletics 鈥 Black Stole with Gold Trim and Lettering
    Education Abroad 鈥 Light Blue and Green Cords
    Global Medical Brigades 鈥 Red and Silver Cords
    糖心国产传媒 Journey Honors College 鈥 Red and Gold Cords
    Office of Undergraduate Research 鈥 Orange Cord
    Student Success Programs 鈥 Teal and Silver Cords