The bi-annual Southeastern Ring ceremony was held on Dec. 2 at the Student Union Theater. Students graduating during December of 2010 were invited to receive their rings from President John L. Crain, who offered remarks of encouragement, pride and loyalty to Southeastern, and presented the official class rings. The ceremony was presided over by master of ceremonies and professor of communication Dr. Joseph Burns.
The rings awarded to students were designed in 2006 through the collaborative efforts of Southeastern’s Official Ring Committee and the Balfour Company. The rings’ design is full of Southeastern symbolism. The school’s colors, green and gold, are the primary focus of the design. Gold represents value, endurance and education, while green symbolizes new life through the earning of a degree.
Engraved on one side of the ring is the degree earned; Friendship Oak; the Southeastern mascot ‘Roomie the Lion;’ and three columns representing the university’s three historic names: Hammond Junior college, Southeastern Louisiana college and Southeastern Louisiana University. On the reverse side of the ring, the year of graduation is engraved along with oak branches, leaves and Southeastern’s seal. The seal features the Latin words ‘Integratis, Fortitudo and Fidelitas:’ integrity, fortitude and fidelity.
During the ceremony, students wore their ring with the schools name facing them, while at their graduation commencement, the ring will be turned with the institution’s name facing outward, symbolizing that the student is now ready to face the world.
In addition to the 83 recipients, their parents and closest family members were also invited to attend the ceremony. Dianna Hernandez, mother of senior mass communication major Monica Roca, commented on her daughter’s success.
“I’m very proud of my daughter accomplishing this goal,” said Hernandez. “She is now ready to face the world.”
Roca commented on her ring and the effort she put forth in order to receive it.
“I feel like it is a constant reminder of my achievement,” said Roca. “This ring symbolizes all of the hard work I put forth.”
Balfour surprised Crain with a ring of his own at the conclusion of the ring presentations. The ring depicted the last degree he had earned at Southeastern, and featured the same engravings as a student’s ring. Offstage, Crain remarked how “pretty” the ring was and stated he would wear it at the graduation commencement.
When asked if there was anything significant to him about the fall 2010 semester Crain expressed his pride in how students have awakened to the importance of higher education.
“I think, probably more than any year we started doing this, that people have a heightened sense about higher education because of the economy and budget cuts,” said Crain. “I think that gets people to focus on how important higher education is.”