Convocation ceremony marks transition to new school year

Mike Alberti Assistant Life Editor

Next Wednesday, seniors and professors will sport their robes, members of the Daisy chain will don their gowns, and the bell atop Main Building will ring all aftenoon. With Spring Convocation approaching, the year is drawing to a close.

This year’s ceremony will be held May 2 in the Chapel. Though classes continue for another week afterwards, followed by study week and then Finals, Spring Convocation is a long-upheld Vassar tradition meant to mark the end of the academic year.

“What [Convocation] means to me is that we are nearing the end. Though it isn’t as big a deal as Commencement, it’s still a signal of the final stretch,” said Senior Class President Ian Patrick.

The tradition of Convocation dates back to 1914, when the first official Fall Convocation was held. The first Spring Convocation was held in 1980. The ceremony includes several symbolic traditions: The gavel is passed from the old Vassar Student Association President to the new one, the bell on top of Main Building is rung by juniors to represent their transition into seniors, and graduating seniors are inducted into the Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College. Members of Daisy Chain wearing white gowns lead members of the senior class into the Chapel, who don their caps and gowns, as well as faculty members, who dress in their academic robes.

Historically, Spring Convocation includes a speech by the College president and a speech by a prominent member of the faculty or administration. This year’s ceremony will feature a speech by Professor of Classics Robert Pounder.

Pounder believes that Convocation is important because “it is the last time before Commencement when all the seniors will be together in one place,” he said. “It’s a chance for them to reflect on their four years here, and it always seems to me that it’s nice to be able to do so before your parents come. It’s kind of an in-house occasion. It really affirms the sense of community we have here.”

Pounder came to Vassar in 1972 on a one-year substitute contract. At the time, he had not even finished his Ph.D., which he was in the process of earning from Brown University. “I was supposed to be the most temporary of visitors,” he said, “but that was 35 years ago. I’ve been very happy and fortunate to be here.” Pounder will retire at the end of this year.

His speech is entitled “How Epigraphy Can Change Your Life.” Epigraphy, the study of Greek inscriptions, is Pounder’s academic passion. “I’m going to talk about why I became interested in the study of Greek inscriptions, and then use those reflections as a jumping-off point to give some advice to the senior class,” said Pounder.

The title of the speech is metaphorical, according to Pounder. He said he does not expect every student to be interested in Greek inscriptions, but “for every graduate, there will be some ‘epigraphy’ that will be the passionate interest of their lives,” he said.