President announces change to Commencement stole policy

April 10, 2018 (Notre Dame, IN) — Today, President Jan Cervelli announced that she will revise the College’s stole policy, beginning with the 2018 Commencement. Previously, only honor cords and medals presented by Saint Mary’s were permitted to be worn during the graduation ceremony, but approved stoles now will be allowed.

A decorative graduation stole recognizes membership and achievement in College organizations. For a stole to be worn at Saint Mary’s May 19 commencement ceremony, it must first be approved by the Office of Student Affairs. A list of College approved stoles may be found here.

“I was moved by thoughtful letters from members of the class of 2018 saying that stoles represent the community they’ve found during their years at Saint Mary’s,” President Jan Cervelli said. “They have shown themselves to be Women of Action in this effort, as well as in their involvement with the groups that have meant so much to them as students. Symbols of those experiences deserve to be worn during Commencement.”

If a student organization’s stole has not been approved, graduates are asked to please fill out the form here. The deadline for such requests is May 1. Organizations will receive notification whether their requests were approved or declined within seven days.

About Saint Mary's College: Celebrating over 175 years of empowering women to make a difference in the world, Saint Mary’s College is recognized as a pioneer and continued force in the education of women. A Catholic, liberal arts institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, the College offers more than 50 undergraduate academic programs and also offers co-educational master’s degrees.