Traditions

Every year, graduating students leave their legacy at Lynn by donating to the class gift. This year’s graduates join this proud tradition and honor those who have supported them by contributing to the Alumni Pay It Forward Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to deserving freshmen in need of financial assistance. The university is grateful for those who “pay it forward” and to the Student Philanthropy Team for fostering philanthropy among students and upholding the alumni class gift tradition.

The academic robes and hoods worn by the faculty and students lend color to the pageantry of commencement. This regalia dates back to the medieval ages, when it served a functional as well as an ornamental role, separating the learned men from other groups and offering warmth and protection.

In America in the late 19th century, representatives of colleges and universities held a conference to bring order and system to the custom of academic dress. Since then, there have been periodic conferences to revise or reconfirm existing practices.

Our bachelor's and master’s degree candidates wear hoods, which are lined with the colors of the university conferring the degree and trimmed with the color representing the subject in which the degree was earned. The doctoral robe is adorned with velvet and is also worn with the hood suitably ornamented.

Holders of degrees from foreign universities or religious orders wear the entire academic costume as decreed by the conferring institution.

Undergraduate honor medal ribbons represent:

Ribbon	Honor
White—cum laude	3.50 to 3.64 grade point average
Blue—magna cum laude	3.65 to 3.79 grade point average
Gold—summa cum laude	3.80 to 4.00 grade point average
Gold and green honor cord	Sigma Beta Delta business honor society
Red and white honor cord	Lambda Pi Eta national communication honor society
Blue and gold honor cord	Alpha Phi Sigma national criminal justice honor society
Violet and jade green honor cord	Kappa Delta Pi international education honor society
Gold honor cord	Eta Sigma Delta international hospitality honor society
Red, white and black honor cord	Pi Sigma Alpha national political science honor society
Blue and white honor cord	Psi Chi international psychology honor society
Gold and ivory honor cord	Order of Omega Greek academic honor society
Royal blue and gold honor cord	Golden Key academic, leadership and service honor society
Red, white and blue cord	U.S. military veterans
Aqua cord	Lynn 100

The colors on the hoods worn in the academic procession represent:

Degree program	Hood color
Arts, Letters, Humanities	White
Commerce, Business	Drab
Communication	Crimson
Economics	Copper
Education	Light blue
Engineering	Orange
Fine Arts	Brown
Foreign Affairs	Aquamarine
Journalism	Crimson
Law	Purple
Library Science	Lemon
Music	Pink
Nursing	Apricot
Philosophy	Dark blue
Physical Education	Sage green
Public Health	Salmon
Science	Golden yellow
Social Sciences	Citron
Speech	Silver gray
Theology	Scarlet

The gonfalons are processional banners representing each college. This tradition originated in the civic rituals of 12th century Italy. The vice president for academic affairs, in consultation with the academic deans, selects the faculty members honored to serve as gonfalon bearers.

The academic mace dates back to the 14th century, when royalty, magistrates, and church or university officials carried maces in official processions. The design of the ceremonial academic mace incorporates elements from royal scepters and battle maces, representing both leadership and strength.

During the commencement ceremony, the mace indicates the authority of the university president to award degrees. The chief marshal carries the mace.

The Lynn University mace consists of a three-foot-tall wood scepter with a bronze cast of the Lynn University seal on the top. It was designed in 2002 by Graphic Design Professor Emeritus Ernest Ranspach, who presented it to then-Lynn University President Donald E. Ross in honor of 30 years of leadership and service.