The Practice of Moving the Tassel Right to Left

Melissa W.
Commencement ceremonies hold a lot of tradition, and we’ve previously discussed a few of them, including the history of the attire right down to why graduates toss part of that attire in the air. But there’s one little, yet defining tradition that happens right before the caps fly in the air: the turning of the tassel.

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Alexander Hamilton: Columbia College Alumnus

Melissa W.
Hamilton: An American Musical took the country by storm in June 2016, chronicling the story of American Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton through the seamless use of hip hop, R&B, pop, soul, and traditional show tunes-style music with non-white actors cast as the Founding Fathers and other historical figures. What does Hamilton have to do with higher education? Read on to find out!

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Summer Hours and Office Vacation

Melissa W.
With the rush of graduation season coming to a close (for now!), we’ve implemented summer hours and a brief vacation for our staff. We are currently open Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday 9am-12pm EST.

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Happy 4th of July!

Melissa W.
Happy 4th of July! It’s the day the United States of America celebrates its independence from Great Britain in 1776 after adopting the Declaration of Independence. Celebrations look a bit different this year, but the sentiment remains the same. 

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Kermit the Frog, Ph.D? A Look at Honorary Degree Recipients

Melissa W.
We recently talked about the history of honorary degrees and the criticism that originally came with them. While they’re not always the most widely accepted by students, many colleges have had fun with them through the years. Here’s a look at some honorary degree recipients:

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Honorary Degrees -- Who Gets Them and Why?

Melissa W.1 comment
For traditional students, receiving a degree and accepting a diploma on graduation day is the culmination of years of hard work, studying, and countless sacrifices. But for others, namely celebrities and figureheads, a degree can be obtained without even stepping foot inside of a classroom. What?! How?!

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Why Do We Toss Graduation Caps in the Air?!

Melissa W.
Last week, we talked about how the mortarboard became a graduation attire staple, but we teased about a more fun tradition centered around the cap -- tossing them in the air!

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Dads & Grads

Melissa W.
The weekend of Father’s Day in June is traditionally a popular time for high school graduation ceremonies nationwide. It’s only fitting that the two be lumped together as a way to honor both the graduate and one of the role models who played a part in guiding him/her to the finish line.

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Why Do We Wear Square Hats on Graduation Day?

Melissa W.
It’s finally your shining moment: Graduation day! All of your years of hard work have led to this. You’ve dreamt about it for years -- the moment they call out your name and you walk across the stage to receive your diploma amid a crowd of cheers. You’ve picked an outfit for photos and start to get ready for commencement -- you look great! But, one thing stands out -- the square hat with a tassel hanging from it, and you wonder, “who came up with THIS idea?!”

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