Students Mark Upcoming Graduation with HSU Rings

The HSU Ring Celebration and Presentation Ceremony will be taking place at 6 p.m. on March 30 and March 31 in the Logsdon Chapel. This is a memorable event for all of the HSU graduates who will be given their rings personally by the university president, Eric Bruntmyer.

The hour-long ceremony celebrates the upcoming graduation of HSU seniors and was introduced to students in 2004. The ceremony is now a tradition 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 and why it’s important. 

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 symbolizes the sacrifice Jesus made. 

The flame represents the Holy Spirit and the quest for excellence The star on the sides of the founding date, 1891, represents all those who sacrifice to build the school. 

The stars also remind 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 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. The window features a cross, a dove and a 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.” Inside the letters of HSU is one the school’s most beloved icons, the white bulldog, “Dam-It.” 

The standard ring is offered free of charge to each student graduating. However, students can personalize the ring for an additional cost to make it their own. 

To receive the official HSU ring, students must go to the 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. 

For the upcoming ceremony dates, ring sizing has already taken place. Students who won’t be graduating in May/August 2017 can look on the website for information regarding more dates for sizing.