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Reimagined event introduces new pageantry, welcomes alumni participants, and reinforces meaning behind the �㽶�� ring

�㽶�� celebrated its largest-ever class ring ceremony March 1, blending longstanding traditions with new elements designed to deepen the meaning and experience for students and alumni alike.

Held in Edmunds Hall, the 2026 ceremony featured 53 rings and 47 participants — the highest level of participation in the college’s history. For the first time, alumni joined current students in receiving rings, marking a significant expansion of the event and signaling a new direction for the tradition.

Organizers described the ceremony as a reimagined experience, one that intentionally connected the symbolism of the class ring to the broader story of �㽶��.

“We have 53 rings involved in this year’s ceremony,” said Spencer Wieters ’26, a member of the Class Ring Committee. “Our goal this year was to involve more people, stir more enthusiasm, and draw more attention to the �㽶�� class ring and the Class Ring Ceremony. I believe we have accomplished that goal.”

A tradition renewed

The weekend’s events began before the ceremony itself, as organizers introduced new traditions designed to add a sense of pageantry and historical connection.

In keeping with longstanding custom, the rings were placed overnight in the Founder’s Library, symbolically linking them to the college’s origins. This year, however, Army ROTC cadets transported the rings to the archives, ringing the campus bell as they passed — a new addition that organizers hope will become a lasting tradition.

On Friday, cadets carried the rings through the Cornelson Center, where they paused for a photograph with members of the �㽶�� Army ROTC Hall of Fame before returning the rings to the Smith Administration Building.

The ceremony itself opened with a bagpipe processional, as recipients entered Edmunds Hall accompanied by music that reflected the college’s Scottish heritage.

A symbol of the �㽶�� journey

Throughout the ceremony, speakers emphasized that the class ring represents far more than an achievement — it is a symbol of each student’s journey and their connection to the college community.

“I would like to take a few moments to reflect on what this ring truly represents,” said Jeff Smith ’92, the college’s alumni engagement coordinator. “From Opening Convocation in your first year to the day you cross the stage at graduation, this ring symbolizes your journey — your growth, your perseverance, and your place in the �㽶�� story.”

Smith guided attendees through a series of symbols present in the ceremony, each tied to the college’s history and identity.

He pointed to the Bible of founder William Plumer Jacobs as a representation of faith and vision, the college’s ceremonial mace as a symbol of academic tradition, and the campus bell as a marker of achievement. The tartan and bagpipes reflected �㽶��’s Scottish roots, while the college seal — prominently displayed on the ring — served as a reminder of its enduring motto: Dum Vivimus Servimus — “While We Live, We Serve.”

“The seal is the centerpiece of your class ring and a lasting declaration that you are forever part of the �㽶�� family,” Smith said.

Personal connections and shared legacy

In her remarks, college president Dr. Anita Gustafson highlighted the deeply personal significance that rings can carry, drawing a connection between the students’ experience and her own family history.

“One of the rings that I wear — almost every day — is my grandmother’s high school class ring,” Gustafson said. “She graduated in 1908. The ring is so very special to me because I carry a bit of her with me every day.”

Gustafson noted that the class ring serves a similar purpose for �㽶�� students, connecting them to generations of alumni who have come before them.

“You are in a long line of other Blue Hose who have come before you and who wear the �㽶�� ring,” she said. “When people see your ring, they will recognize that you have come from a place steeped in tradition with a history of graduating excellent scholars and servant-leaders.”

Her remarks also drew a parallel between her own tenure and that of the junior class, noting that both are in their third year — a moment that underscored the passage of time and the significance of the milestone being celebrated.

Each year at the commencement ceremony, �㽶��’s Lassiter Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life, the Rev. Dr. Buz Wilcoxon ’05, offers a prayer drawn from the diary of the college’s founder, Rev. William Plumer Jacobs. This year’s ring ceremony, for the first time, included an adapted version of that prayer, giving thanks for the ways �㽶�� has already shaped these students and looking ahead with anticipation to the joy of their future graduations. 

A tradition that looks forward

One of the most meaningful moments of the ceremony came as recipients were instructed on how to wear their rings — a tradition that links their present experience to their future as graduates.

“You will place them with the seal facing you, and wear it that way until graduation day,” Wieters told the group. “This reminds you of where you are and what is left to accomplish.”

At commencement, he explained, graduates will turn the ring outward, symbolizing their readiness to share their �㽶�� experience with the world.

The ceremony also marked the first time alumni participated alongside students — a change that organizers say will continue in future years.

“This year’s ceremony will include two alumni,” Wieters said, noting that one participant had not experienced a ring ceremony as a student and another was inspired to purchase a ring after attending last year’s event. “We hope many alumni will come back and participate in this special ceremony in the future.”

The event concluded with the singing of the alma mater, led by Kipper Ackerman ’97, director of choral activities and one of the alumni participants — a moment that brought together students, alumni, and families in a shared expression of pride and belonging.

As the ceremony ended and attendees gathered for a reception in the lobby, the significance of the moment lingered — not just as a celebration of achievement, but as a reaffirmation of identity.

For those who received their rings, the message was clear: they are now part of something larger than themselves, connected by tradition, shaped by experience, and called to carry that legacy forward.

And, as the college’s motto reminds them, to serve.