Graduation baton, circa 1996

Title

Graduation baton, circa 1996

Description

Commencement at UMBC is a celebratory yet traditional affair. The faculty wear regalia denoting their academic field and graduate school, campus administrators and student leaders are on hand to offer inspiration and congratulations, and honorary degrees are awarded to notable men and women. Other traditional and frequently overlooked elements of commencement are the ceremonial batons and mace. These short wooden staffs are decorated with metal emblems and are carried by campus leaders that represent the students, staff, and faculty at UMBC. These representatives, or marshals, are traditionally the current Presidential Teaching Professor, representing the student community; the current Presidential Research Professor, representing the faculty; and the current Presidential Distinguished Staff members representing both Professional and Non-Exempt staff at UMBC. The mace, similar to the batons but a little larger, is carried by the Grand Marshal, typically the President of the Faculty Senate. The current mace was a gift from the Alumni Association in 1986 in honor of the 20th anniversary; similarly, the batons were gifts of the Alumni Association in 2006 in honor of the 40th anniversary. Before 2006, staff in the University Relations department designed and built the batons in-house.

Source

Institutional Advancement records, Collection 97

Date

ca. 1996

Format

batons (symbols or weapons)

Identifier

UARC 2010-12v2

Files

http://library.umbc.edu/speccoll/UMBC_50th_Online_Exhibit/50umbctimeline/PDFs/JPEG/UARC2012-12v2.jpg

Citation

“Graduation baton, circa 1996,” UMBC 50th, accessed March 28, 2024, https://umbc50.omeka.net/items/show/1641.