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Celebrating Your Commencement at the Kennesaw State University Bentley Rare Book Room & Archives

Celebrating Your KSU Commencement at the Kennesaw State University Bentley Rare Book Room & Archives

Congratulations! You are soon to be a college graduate and what better way to honor that transition than by attending your college commencement.

Your college commencement is designed to honor your journey through higher education. It is a day set aside to honor the earning of your Bachelor’s Degree.

Celebrate your College Commencement with your family and friends. Dr. Joanie Leichter Dominick celebrating your commencement!

Kennesaw State University has a Commencement resource for all to enjoy! Be inspired by some previous Kennesaw State University Commencement Speakers.

Kennesaw State University has archived the past Kennesaw State University Commencement Ceremonies and the current KSU Commencements are streamed live fifteen minutes before each KSU Commencement Ceremony for viewing.

Enjoy putting on your academic regalia and reflect on the hours of studying, learning, and sacrificing that is took you to get to this important point. By dressing in your Commencement Regalia, you become part of the rich tradition of higher education that is traced back to the 12th Century. Although the basis for higher education can be traced back to the work of Isocrates, in ancient Greece, it is not until the 12th and 13th Century that we see the emergence of universities in Europe.

Your Commencement Regalia consists of the academic robe and mortarboard with tassel. Some institutions use a baccalaureate hood, which contains the university colors and the appointed colors of the discipline. Depending on the honors and awards you have earned, you will also wear honor cords with your academic robes. Also, your honor designations will be announced and acknowledged in the commencement program.

CUM LAUDE: Graduating with distinction – 3.5 grade point average or above out of a
possible 4.0 in bachelor’s degree program.

MAGNA CUM LAUDE: Graduating with great distinction – 3.7 grade point average or above out of a possible 4.0 bachelor’s degree program.

SUMMA CUM LAUDE: Graduating with highest distinction – 3.9 grade point average or above out of a possible 4.0 bachelor’s degree program.

For more information about the College Commencement Ceremony & Academic Regalia in the United States, consult the American Council of Education: Academic Costume Code and Ceremony Guide by Eugene Sullivan

For more information about the College Commencement Ceremony Worldwide & Academic Regalia Worldwide
consult the highlighted links.
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Celebrate Your Commencement: Create a Grad Hat Story
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Kennesaw State University: Celebrating Your Commencement at the KSU Bentley Rare Book Room

As part of my classes, both my KSU 4401: Senior Seminar and INTS 4498: Senior Seminar in Integrative Studies, the College Seniors visit the KSU Bentley Rare Book Room to Celebrate their Commencement.  Learn more about  the History of the KSU Bentley Rare Book Room.

Thanks to Julia Skinner, KSU Curator of Rare Books, Anne Graham, Archivist for University Archives, JoyEllen Freeman, KSU Outreach and Special Collections Archivist

The KSU Bentley Rare Book Room is the academic heart of learning at our university. It is the place that connects our students, faculty, staff, and community with their present day learning and linking them to the history of higher education through the centuries. It is also the was the academic home of the KSU Academic Mace, which is a pivotal part of the KSU Commencement and KSU Convocation Ceremonies. The KSU Academic Mace is now housed in the KSU Archives.

Kennesaw State University Academic Mace

Every Semester, my KSU 4401: Senior Seminar and INTS 4498: Senior Seminar in Integrative Studies classes Celebrate Commencement at KSU Rare Book Room, the academic home of KSU Mace.
My KSU 4401: Senior Seminar and INTS 4498: Senior Seminar in Integrative Studies classes learned about the History of Commencement at KSU. We saw the First KSU Commencement Ceremony Brochure from the KSU Archives:

Kennesaw Junior College First Commencement Brochure June 9, 1967 – from KSU Archives

We also reviewed some historic texts on the beginnings of higher education in England. Adam Doskey, former KSU Rare Book Room Curator, presented a text for the KSU Bentley Rare Book Collection entitled The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green by Cuthbert Bede, which is an 19th Century novel about life in college. Adam Doskey provided us with a link to an edition of this novel from Google Books. This Google Book edition was edited by Edward Bradley. Thanks to Heather Oswald, Archivist & Adam Doskey, Curator.

Every visit includes a viewing of the Antique Chippendale Desk in the KSU Rare Book Room. When the desk arrived at the KSU Rare Book Room, Mr. Robert Williams, then the Director of the KSU Library, gathered all the KSU Library Staff for the opening the two secret draws in the desk to see if any valuables were stored. First draw was empty and the second draw contained a dead bug. In 1996, while visiting the KSU Rare Book Room, my father, Joseph T. Leichter was listening to the Mr. Robert Williams share the “Chippendale Desk Bug Story”. My father said he had an entomology collection he could donate for the story. Mr. Robert Williams said send the “Bugs” and they were made a permanent part of the KSU Rare Book Room, further enhancing the story of the Antique Chippendale Desk in the KSU Rare Book Room.

Dr. Joanie holding the “Bugs” donated by my father, Joseph T. Leichter

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Rita Impey-Imes

Rita Impey-Imes created “Celebrating Your Commencement in the KSU Rare Book Room Seminar” and this webpage is maintained in her honor.

Every semester, Rita Impey-Imes, Curator, presented Celebrating Your Commencement in the KSU Rare Book Room.By creating this seminar, that celebrates the history of commencement and our students connection to it, Rita Impey-Imes, empowered the students to not only get excited about their graduation but you clearly connect them to their rich history in higher education.

Rita Impey-Imes taught the students about the KSU Academic Mace, the history of the academic regalia, the importance of the commencement ceremony, and all of its connection to the history of higher education. She filled our students and myself with academic dignity and a great connection to the history of higher education. By also presenting overview of the collection of the KSU Rare Book Room, Rita Impey-Imes shared the importance of the history of learning and encourages the students to make a life-long commitment to visit the KSU Rare Book Room with family and friends.

Rita Impey-Imes, always created a sense of excitement created both during and after this seminar is truly one of the best gift of academic learning that she has given to the students and myself. Rita Impey-Imes connected our KSU College Seniors to their rich academic history and prepared them to truly celebrate their commencement! Thank-you Rita Impey-Imes! We continue to Celebrate Your Commencement in the KSU Rare Book Room in your honor.

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Related Resources:

From GPS: Grad Portfolio Story to LPS: Life Portfolio Story – Archiving Your Complete Story Seminar with JoyEllen Freeman, Outreach/Special Collections Archivist KSU Department of Museums, Archives & Rare Books

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