The Academic Procession
Opening this ceremony is an academic procession whose roots reach back into the earliest days of the oldest colleges and universities. Representatives of each school and department within Cameron University march together, preceded by their respective organizational banners, and garbed in academic regalia that distinguishes them from their colleagues in other fields of learning. The procession manifests a collegiality of thought and action, while maintaining appropriate distinctions.
The Tradition of Academic Regalia
Like many of our other traditions, the wearing of distinctive regalia began in England. There, in the second half of the 14th Century, the statutes of certain colleges prescribed the wearing of a long gown by faculty and students. Over time, distinctive colors were adopted by each discipline to distinguish them from their colleagues.
In 1895, agreement among several American universities was reached for the establishment of a suitable code of academic dress for this nation. This code, with modifications made in 1959, remains in force. The costumes, colors, trimmings and patterns are all traditional, and interpret both the degree and field of learning.
The bachelor's gown, designed to be worn closed, has pointed sleeves. The master's gown, which may be worn open or closed, has an oblong, open sleeve that hangs down in traditional manner. The doctor's gown has bell-shaped sleeves. It may be worn open or closed.
Bachelor's and master's gowns are untrimmed. The facing and three bars across the sleeves of the doctor's gowns are generally velvet and are either black or coincide with the color of the edging of the hood. The colors you will see in the hoods and gowns represent the various fields in which the degrees were taken.
The hoods, which differ in length for the three degrees, are lined with the official colors of the university or college conferring the degree, usually with one color forming a chevron pattern over the other. Hoods are edged and bound with velvet of the color appropriate for the degree. Colors and corresponding fields of study are:
Brown: Fine Arts
Crimson: Journalism
Dark Blue: Philosophy
Golden Yellow: Science
Lemon Yellow: Library Science
Light Blue: Education
Pink: Music
Purple: Law
Sage Green: Physical Education
Scarlet: Theology
White: Arts, Letters, Humanities
Yellow/Brown: Commerce, Business, Accountancy
Mortarboards are the approved headgear. The tassel, worn on the left of the cap, may be gold if the holder has a doctor's degree.
Recognition of University Honor Societies
At the center of the life of the university are the combined efforts of students and faculty to achieve academic excellence as it is defined in their chosen fields of specialization. At Cameron, there are active chapters of sixteen national and international honor societies. Membership in these societies represents the achievement of a high standard of academic excellence. In acknowledging the accomplishments of members of these societies, we acknowledge the efforts of all our faculty and students that create the environment in which our students have discovered and achieved excellence. Cameron hosts chapters of the following honor societies:
Alpha Kappa Delta - Sociology
Alpha Phi Sigma - Criminal Justice
Beta Beta Beta - Biology
Delta Mu Delta - Business
Kappa Delta Pi - Education
Lambda Pi Eta - Communication
Multimedia Design Honor Society - Multimedia
Mu Phi Epsilon - Music
Phi Alpha Theta - History
Phi Eta Sigma - All Disciplines (Freshmen)
Phi Kappa Phi - All Disciplines (Juniors, Seniors, and Graduate Students)
Phi Sigma Iota - International Foreign Languages
Pi Kappa Delta - Forensics
Pi Kappa Lambda - Music
Pi Lambda Theta - Education
Pi Mu Epsilon - Mathematics
Pi Sigma Alpha - Political Science
Psi Chi - Psychology
Scabbard and Blade - ROTC
Sigma Pi Sigma - Physics
Sigma Tau Delta - English
We also acknowledge Cameron students who participate in other distinguished scholarship programs:
We also acknowledge Cameron students who participate in other distinguished scholarship programs:
Academic Excellence & Academic Merit Scholars
Cameron University provides these scholarships to students based on outstanding ACT or SAT scores and achievement of high school GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Academic Scholars Program was created and funded by the Oklahoma Legislature as an incentive for students of high academic ability to attend higher education institutions in Oklahoma. Cameron University may nominate up to five students each academic year. These awards are given to qualifying incoming freshman students who attended Great Plains Technology Center. These awards are given to qualifying incoming freshman students who attended Red River Technology Center. These are awarded to incoming transfer students from Western Oklahoma State College who have earned an associate degree with at least a 3.0 GPA. These are awarded to incoming students who have completed at least 30 hours of college credit from another university with at least a 3.0 GPA. Cameron University provides this scholarship for incoming freshmen who achieve a high score on the ACT or SAT. Excellence in high school academics is recognized through the Laura Fields Trust Scholarship. Each year, in partnership with the Laura Fields Trust, Cameron University recognizes the two top graduates from Comanche County high schools.
Academic Scholars
Jim Nisbett Tuition Waiver Scholars
Red River Technology Center Scholars
Randy Cumby Tuition Waiver Scholars
Transfer Scholars
Freshman Scholars
Laura Fields Trust Scholars
Louis Stokes Oklahoma Alliance Scholars
The Louis Stokes Oklahoma Alliance recognizes minority participation in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. This is an honor organization supported by the National Science Foundation. Students must meet academic standards and conduct a research project in their junior and senior years. The McMahon Foundation of Lawton generously endowed awards this year to Cameron students, and we are proud to recognize these students today. They are chosen from their respective departments for their outstanding scholarship and superior achievement. This group exemplifies the level of excellence all students are encouraged to achieve. Presidential Leaders and University Scholars (PLUS) students were chosen in their senior year of high school on the basis of their academic record, ACT scores, and leadership experiences. The PLUS program nurtures a lifelong commitment to volunteerism and public service. The young men and women assisting as ushers at Convocation today are PLUS Scholars. The President’s Partners of Cameron University offers scholarships to incoming freshman students who maintained at least a 3.0 GPA in high school. The President’s Partners of Cameron University offers scholarships to continuing sophomore students who have exhibited academic success during their freshman year at Cameron. This scholarship provides up to eight semesters of support for Oklahoma students who are pursing a baccalaureate degree at Cameron University. To qualify students must achieve an exceptional ACT composite score or receive National Merit Semifinalist or Commended recognition. Cameron University provides scholarships to any incoming student who achieved status as class valedictorian or salutatorian.
McMahon Scholars
PLUS Scholars
President’s Partners Scholars
President’s Partners Sophomore Scholars
Regional University Baccalaureate Scholars
Valedictorian & Salutatorian Scholars
Graduate Student Scholars
Cameron University provides scholarships to graduate students who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance in undergraduate and graduate studies.
Departmental Scholars
In addition to the scholars’ programs listed above, each Cameron department also presents awards based on excellence in a specific discipline. Among these programs are:
Allen L. Zisman Excellence in Chemistry Scholarship
Barbara Hughes Education Scholarship
B.H. and Flora Brewer Endowed Scholarship
Bernice Pittman Moss Endowed Scholarship
Beth Ann Smith Endowed Scholarship
Bhargava Family Endowed Scholarship
Bhattacharya Family Endowed Scholarship
Buck and Irene Clements Endowed Scholarships
Cameron Alumni Foundation Scholarship
Charles Shelley Graybill, M.D., Endowed Scholarship
Chemistry Alumni Scholarship
Chesapeake Scholars Scholarship
Cleo Brittain Watson Endowed Scholarship
Clothide Fulbright Crawford Endowed Scholarship
C.P. Mercadante Endowed Scholarship
Craig Foundation Endowed Scholarship
CU BancFirst Investment Portfolio Endowed Scholarship
David A. Himes Endowed Memorial Scholarship
Departmental Tuition Waiver Scholarship
Doris Aycock Endowed Scholarship
Edith Marie Barker Endowed Nursing Scholarship
Elizabeth Adcock Music Scholarship
Emma Tomlinson Endowed Scholarship
Ewell B. Lacy Scholarship
Fannie Elise Smith Charitable Foundation Endowed Scholarship
FAA/MTS Scholarship
Floyd J. Freeman Scholarship
Frank and Katherine Melka Endowed Scholarship
Fulbright-Helvey Scholarship
Gerald Ruschmeyer Endowed Scholarship
Goodyear Toyota Endowed Scholarship
Heinz Family Endowed Scholarship
Helen Carney Scholarship
Helen Holliday Foundation Scholarship
Herbert S. Orr, M.D. Endowed Scholarship
Ina Mae Stapp Endowed Scholarship
Jack L. and Joyce Cline Endowed Scholarship
Jamie Lynn Abbott Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Jane M. Morse Memorial Scholarship
Jessie Mae Hines Endowed Scholarship
JoAnn Quaid Memorial Scholarship
John Elmer Lillard Endowed Scholarship
Kaiser Pre-Medical Studies Scholarship
Kennedy-Agriculture Scholarship
Kevin Everett Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Kinder Agriculture Scholarship
Lawrence Memorial Endowment Trust Scholarship
Lawton Shakespeare Club English Scholarship
Lawton Transit Mix Endowed Scholarship
Lahoma E. Benke Spanish Endowed Scholarship
Leslie Powell Fine Arts Scholarship
Marguirete Wilkinson Music Scholarship
Nancy Edith Hale Endowed Scholarship
Philip S. and Aldine Cash Scholarship
Physical Science Gifts Scholarship
Reach Higher Scholarship
Reginal C. Brown Endowed Scholarship
Richard Allgood Endowed Scholarship
Shaman Marie Wilson Endowed Scholarship
Sheila O. Lee Endowed Scholarship
Sondra Bonnington Endowed Scholarship
Southwestern Medical Center Scholarship
Stanton Scholarship
T.A. Phillip and Adeline Hamra Scholarship
Thomas C. Brown Endowed Scholarship
Vinola D. Scott Education Trust Fund Scholarship
William K. "Bill" Burch Endowed Scholarship
Willy Flores Jr. Endowed Scholarship
We salute the recipients of each of these awards of merit.
The Mace
Leading the academic procession is the Chair of the Faculty Senate, the person elected annually by Cameron's faculty to preside over that deliberative body and represent them at ceremonial functions. The Chair carries the mace to symbolize the authority of the faculty in academic matters and the practice of shared governance within the university.
During the Middle Ages, the wood mace clad in metal was an effective weapon in battle. As newer and more powerful arms were developed, its military significance diminished and it was transformed into a symbol of authority.
The earliest ceremonial maces were borne by bodyguards of the 12th Century English and French kings. By the end of the 16th Century, officials of English cities and towns used them widely. Today, the use of the ceremonial mace is found in the British Houses of Parliament, carried before ecclesiastical dignitaries and in university ceremonies such as this.
Cameron's mace was designed and created in 1981 by Benson Warren, a member of the Art Department faculty. It is cast in bronze and displays in bas-relief the three peaks of the Wichita Mountains from the university's official seal. The Faculty Senate Chair has carried it in the academic procession at each university function since its adoption.
Academic Banners
Honor students carrying academic banners, which graphically symbolize each academic program, will lead the faculty during the processional.
Cameron's academic banners were first constructed in 1974 as a project in Professor Wanda Shaw's Art Design class. Several new banners were added in 1980. The new banners now seen at the ceremony were designed and constructed in the Summer of 2000.
Below is a list of this year's banner carriers:
Accounting - Lacey Morgan
Agriculture - Antoine Ehouman
Art - Katrina Thompson
Biology - Kristen May
Business Administration - Emily Henson
Chemistry - Ornella Nelson
Communication - Brenna Welch
Computer Science - Ram Ghale
Criminal Justice - Patrick Zickefoose
Elementary Education - Victoria Reed
English - Rose Calloway
Health and Physical Education - Tyler Cox
History - Rebecca Gorski
Information Technology - Seth Martin
Interdisciplinary Studies - Jennifer Hiebler
International Languages - Vivian Arroyo
Mathematics - Colton Kennedy
Medical Technology - Jerry Payne
Military Science - Natalie Vogt
Multimedia Design - Son-Myong Park
Music - Jarod Grice
Organizational Leadership - Wendy Delorio
Physics - Erin France
Political Science - Kristell Havens
Psychology - John P. Williams
Sociology - William Shane
Technology - Kareem Grant
Theatre Arts - Hannah Brock
