This Tuesday, April 1, the fifth annual official ring ceremony for Sam Houston recipients will be held, despite any detrimental April Fool’s Day pranks and misgivings.
The Alumni Association, as well as the Office of the Vice President for Student Services and Balfour, will host the official ring ceremony on the Austin Hall Grounds.
The event will begin with registration at 4:30 p.m. for recipients, followed by the ceremony at 6:30 p.m.
“We will have over 320 students walking across the stage to receive the rings,” Charlie Vienne, director of alumni relations, said. “Essentially any student with 75 or more hours can purchase an official ring and we have the ceremony once a year, usually in early April.”
Speakers will present during the ceremony, including a welcome and special remarks by President Gaertner, another speech by Frank Parker, vice president for student services about the official university ring. The presentation of the rings will be by Charlie Vienne, director of the alumni association. Closing remarks will be made by Katie Hughes, the 2007 homecoming Queen and a member of Alpha Delta Pi. Sam Houston’s alma mater will be played by David Bracken to close out the ceremony.
Following the ceremony, a reception for the expected 1500 guests and recipients will occur in the Old Main Pit. Students will also have the opportunity to order photographs or videos of the ceremony.
The rings are provided through Balfour. Students interested in purchasing a ring can order them through Barnes and Nobles, the Alumni Association website, or call Balfour directly.
The official Sam Houston State University ring was chosen in 2003 by a specially created committee. According to Vienne, the ring has the word “honor” on the inside. The inscription on the rings allude to the inscription Elizabeth Houston made on a ring she gave Sam Houston when he joined the U.S. Army.
“It’s sort of a tradition in your junior year — getting ready for senior year — it’s like you’re preparing for graduation,” Vienne said. “It’s a progression in your life when you’re getting ready to get out on your own. [The ring is] something for students to cherish and have a memory of for the rest of their life.”