Austin Peay State University will unveil a new commencement tradition beginning with the two spring ceremonies Friday, May 7th.
A selected student from each college will lead the class into the Dunn Center carrying a gonfalon, a banner specially designed for the college.
“We are excited about the new dimension this will add to commencement and pleased that the colleges will have an opportunity to honor one of their outstanding students as the college marshal,” said Carol Clark, executive aide to the president and one of the organizers of the commencement ceremony.
Gonfalons are the flags or banners, hung from crosspieces on poles, used since medieval times in the republics of Italy as symbols of state or office. Universities and colleges around the world have adopted gonfalons to heighten the ceremonial nature of commencement exercises.
The gonfalons are used during graduation ceremonies to symbolize the different academic areas within the University.
The gonfalons were designed by the APSU Public Relations and Marketing staff with input from the college faculty. The colors on the background behind each medallion correspond with the disciplines, or hood colors, associated with each college or school. The symbols within the shields represent the programs within each college.
Dr. Tristan Denley, provost and vice president of academic affairs at APSU, will recognize the student marshals during the presentation of diplomas.
APSU Spring Commencement
Austin Peay State University will send off 875 candidates for degrees during dual Spring Commencement ceremonies Friday, May 7th in the Dunn Center.
The Hon. John W. McClarty (’71), judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals Eastern Section, will be the keynote speaker at both events, the first at 10 a.m. and the second at 2 p.m. Both events will be held in the Dunn Center.
Of the 875 degree candidates, 746 of them have indicated they will participate in the 81st Spring Commencement, according to figures from the APSU Office of the Registrar.
At 10:00 am, Friday, May 7th, students slated to earn degrees from the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Science and Mathematics and the School of Technology and Public Management will participate in commencement. Doors will open at 9:00 am for guests.
At 2:00 pm, the candidates for degrees from the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, College of Business and College of Education will have commencement exercises. Doors will open for guests at 1:00 pm.
Students who have filed for graduate degrees will participate in the commencement ceremony for the college that houses the academic program. For instance, if a student is on schedule to receive a Master of Arts in communication arts, the student would participate in the 10:00 am ceremony with the College of Arts and Letters because the APSU Department of Communication belongs to that college.
