Hardin-Simmons Hosts Ring Ceremony for Upcoming December and August Graduates

Hardin-Simmons students are ringing in the final stretch of the semester with new bling. Friday, Nov. 1, seniors preparing to graduate in December stood in Logsdon Chapel with their friends and families as they received their long awaited class rings during the annual HSU Ring Ceremony.

Celebrating the receiving of her HSU ring, Grace Thompson rings the traditional bell.

Introduced in 2004, the Ring Ceremony is a ceremony held in the fall and spring every semester that celebrates the upcoming graduating class for December and August. During the ceremony, students learned the meaning behind each symbol located on the Official Ring. It is made of refined gold as a reminder of the purifying fire of academics, family, friends, and Jesus Christ. The open book is a representation of the Holy Bible, speaking of the pursuit of knowledge, and the cross is a reminder of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Lastly, the flame is a symbol for the Holy Spirit and the quest, with His guidance, for excellence.

Students pose with their friends and family after the ceremony.

“The ring ceremony is one of my favorite HSU traditions that I’ve experienced,” said senior Claire Schuler, ministry major. “I feel so accomplished having my ring, and I’m so excited now that I have something physical to remember my college experience with. It’s also been really neat to show my ring to some of the older HSU alumni that I know and hear their stories from when they were here. All in all, it was a really special time, and I’m thankful I was able to be a part of it!”

To learn more about the history behind the Hardin-Simmons Official Ring, go to the Alumni section on the Hardin-Simmons website.