April 27, 2007
Academic regalia add color, tradition to this year’s Pellissippi State commencement
Pellissippi State Technical Community College’s 32nd annual commencement on May 4 begins a new tradition. For the first time in the college’s history, colorful academic banners and a mace and chain of office will be part of the ceremony.
The mace and chain will be presented to Allen Edwards, Pellissippi State president, just before the 7 p.m. graduation ceremony at the Knoxville Coliseum. Phyllis Driver, chair of the Pellissippi State Foundation Board of Trustees, will present the president with the chain, which is a gift from the Foundation.
Tom Walker, a community leader and artisan, and Charles Wright, an artisan and professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Pellissippi State, will present the mace to Edwards. Walker and Wright designed and crafted the mace.
“The college’s Foundation is proud to provide funding to create a timeless tradition for commencement ceremonies,” said Peggy Wilson, vice president of College Advancement and executive director of the Pellissippi State Foundation.
Wilson will preside over the presentation ceremony.
The banners will be carried in with the procession of faculty and graduates. Representatives from several areas of the college will carry their respective banners, then each representative will place the banner in its holder behind the podium.
The eight banners of Pellissippi State represent major areas and responsibilities of the institution, including the non-credit Business and Community Services, the college administrative functions, and the six academic departments: Mathematics, English, Liberal Arts, Business and Computer Technology, Engineering and Media Technologies and Natural and Behavioral Sciences.
Each banner includes the school colors, blue and gold. The academic department banners also carry the traditional colors of the various disciplines.
“We’ve been operating for nearly 33 years now, and we have the highest enrollment ever,” said Edwards. “We wanted to add color and tradition to our commencement ceremony.”
The banners were designed by Gary Grubb, a graphic artist at Pellissippi State. Grubb took the official colors and created a straightforward vertical and horizontal design. The banners were then commercially manufactured.
The mace brings to the commencement ceremony a tradition that began in the Middle Ages. The mace was originally a weapon of war, but over the centuries it has come to represent the academic authority of colleges.
At Pellissippi State, it will be carried at graduation by the person chosen by his or her peers to receive the annual Outstanding Full-time Faculty award.
The college’s mace is crafted of indigenous walnut and cherry woods. The cherry forms the fluted staff and the bezel, or rim, of the crown. The walnut was crafted to form the turned head and base pieces. The woods represent the state of Tennessee and its beauty.
Three rings are set along the top of the staff. The bottom ring of bronze represents the past of the college, which began as State Technical Institute at Knoxville in 1974. The middle ring of aluminum represents the present institution of Pellissippi State, and the upper ring of titanium represents the future of the college. The crown of the mace is set with Pellissippi State seals made of bronze, which represent the legal authority of the institution to grant degrees.
The Pellissippi State chain of office represents the authority of the president of the college. The chain is formed of bronze links that culminate in a jewel—the seal of the College—surrounded by a bezel of bronze fleurs de lis, which are representative of the iris, the state flower of Tennessee.
The chain links are separated by plates inscribed with the names of the four individuals who have served as president of Pellissippi State. Other plates in the chain are embossed with the flame of knowledge, while others are clasped hands that represent the college’s commitment to serving the community.
Pellissippi State currently serves more than 8,000 students at four locations in Knox and Blount counties.
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Contact Information:
Julia Wood
Marketing and Communications Director
Pellissippi State Technical Community College
10915 Hardin Valley Road
Knoxville, TN 37933-0990
Phone: (865) 694-6405
Fax: (865) 539-7088
E-mail: jwood@pstcc.edu
Pellissippi State Technical Community College
2000 - 2007©