Students Celebrate Upcoming Graduation with Ring Ceremony

The HSU Ring Celebration and Presentation Ceremony will be taking place on Nov. 10 at the Logsdon Chapel. This is a memorable event for all of the HSU graduates who are taking the next step in their lives towards their career paths.

The hour-long ceremony celebrates the upcoming graduation for December and August 2016 HSU seniors by receiving their Official HSU Class Ring. The first ceremony was introduced to students in 2004 and has taken place every year since then.

During the ceremony, students are told about the significance and symbolism behind each part of the ring.
The Official Ring is made of refined gold, a reminder to the wearer of the purifying fire of academics, family, friends and Jesus Christ.

The ring is crowned with the official university seal and the open book represents the Bible. It speaks of the pursuit of knowledge. The cross reminds us of the sacrifice Jesus made.

The flame represents the Holy Spirit and the quest for excellence that we follow with his guidance. The star on the sides of the founding date, 1981, represents all those that sacrifice to build our school.

The stars also reminds the wearer of those who help keep the HSU legacy alive. The ring shows our strong western heritage with the bezel encircled by a lariat. The legacy shoulder has a figure of the bucking horse and a rider.

The words “famous are thy halls” are taken from HSU’s Anthem. Above those words are six flags representing the flags of Texas. The HSU White Horse riders have proudly carried these flags since the 1930’s, symbolizing the school’s roots.

Degree letters are engraved at the top, showing the wearer’s accomplishments. The pecan branches represent the shading of the trees on campus, many of which were planted in 1910 by Mrs. J.D. Sandefer. The red bricks represent the architecture of the school and there is a display of the historic campus bell.

The class year is engraved on the Heritage shoulder and the bridge represents the unity among past, present, and future graduates.

The ring pictures the stained glass windows of the Logsdon Chapel, which forms the backdrop of a variety of events. The cross represents Jesus, the Dove the Holy Spirit, and the Bible. The concentric circles signify the spreading influence of HSU students as they go out into the world spreading God’s word.

Encircling the chapel window is the motto, “An Education Enlightened by Faith”, the school’s motto since the mid 1990’s. Tucked into the letters of HSU is one the school’s most beloved icons, the white bulldog, “Dam-It.”

The standard ring is offered at no cost to the graduating class. Each ring recipient will receive their ring personally handed to them by President Bruntmyer during the ceremony and they will then be counted as a member of the Alumni Association.

“The only thing different from last year will be that Mr. Bruntmyer, instead of Dr. Hall, will be personally presenting each recipient with his or her ring,” Director of Alumni Relations Britt Jones said in an email interview.

Ring sizing for May and August 2017 degree candidates will be scheduled for the week of January 23. To receive the official HSU ring, students must come by Moody Center to have their finger sized and to view options that will make each student’s ring unique. Students must also have their completed diploma card on file with the Registrar’s Office.