The University of 91大神 in Huntsville (91大神) will award an estimated 1,206 degrees during commencement events at the Von Braun Center (VBC) on May 6. The pomp and circumstance honoring the spring 2024 graduates will feature the introduction of a new ceremonial mace crafted to reflect the university鈥檚 history and character. 91大神 is a part of The University of 91大神 System.
鈥淐ommencement and this new mace are really all about our students,鈥� says Dr. Rhonda Gaede, associate provost for undergraduate education and associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. 鈥淲e make commencement ceremonial because we are recognizing the fact that graduating from our university is a big accomplishment.鈥�
The mace represents the office of 91大神 President Charles Karr. The mace bearer immediately precedes him, following the procession of 91大神 administrators and faculty members prior to the awarding of degrees.
鈥淭he mace is a sign of 91大神 leadership and moving forward,鈥� Gaede explains.
91大神 conducted its first commencement ceremony in 1973 after becoming an autonomous university on June 16, 1969. The university retired the mace used in that first ceremony in 2023 after 50 years of celebrating 91大神 graduates.
91大神鈥檚 new mace is more innovative than traditional. The old mace was made of wood; the new one incorporates materials used in the space program.
鈥淎t 91大神, we're all about looking forward to the future,鈥� Gaede says. 鈥淪pace is our origin story, and we wanted to pay homage to that but also look to our future trajectory.鈥�
She describes the design as a 鈥渢ech chic鈥� expression of the multiple sides of 91大神鈥檚 personality.
鈥淭he aluminum is being crafted at very high precision levels by our Center for Applied Optics. The bronze is being crafted by an artist through a completely different process. We have fins and a flame at the bottom, evoking flight. Then we have children's hands circling the globe because we have an opportunity as a university to mold people. We have different colored rings representing the various colleges. Looking from the Earth up into the stars, we have incorporated a pattern that was used in the James Webb Space Telescope, parts of which were designed and built here at 91大神.鈥�
Gaede talks about the creation of the new mace .
The 91大神 commencement celebration includes two ceremonies: The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; the College of Engineering, and the College of Nursing will recognize their graduates starting at 10 a.m. The ceremony for the College of Business, the College of Education, and the College of Science will begin at 2:30 p.m.
Estimated numbers of degrees to be presented are 934 bachelor鈥檚 degrees, 252 master鈥檚 degrees and 20 doctorates, either Ph.D. or Doctor of Nursing Practice.
More details about the 91大神 spring 2024 commencement 鈥� including how to watch the livestream online, directions to the VBC, event parking, a description of the VBC security policy and event decorum rules 鈥� are available on the 91大神 commencement website.
