Day 4 - 337 -- Rings and Things

Today is the feast day of St. Francis Xavier, so on campus it is celebrated with the annual receiving of school rings (X rings) by students in their final year of study. Countdowns to this day have been going all term in apartment windows in town and with a countdown app on phones. The ceremony contained student composed music just for the event today, greetings from the University President, a past graduate guest speaker, and the handing out of almost 1000 rings. During his remarks, the President mentioned hearing a song when driving back to town. He introduced a video of student events over the past four years edited to the song.  An honourary ring is awarded to a person from the campus community who has not graduated from the school but who has supported students during their time on campus. This year's recipient was a professor who is just short of 50 years on campus -- a perfect choice.

The vast majority of rings are brand new, though a few students choose to wear a ring from a family member who graduated earlier -- parents and grandparents usually. I find this touching. The energy in the room was amazing. A colleague noted the desire to bottle it somehow to use in small aliquots as needed <smile>. The smiles as they marched out of the room were luminous. Everybody glowed and the new rings are so so shiny they added much to that glow. I'll admit to an outsider -- as in not a graduate of this campus -- it seems a bit odd that a school ring can have such an impact. Yet, it is the most recognized ring in the world. Even the ring logo on my briefcase has gotten comments when I'm travelling from people with rings or whose family has rings or someone they know works on campus. For a small school in a tiny town it is extremely well known. The latest national survey by MacLeans magazine ranks us #1 in teaching critical thinking and #1 in 'professor knows my name' among other attributes. It seems the students feel very positive about their experience.

I chose two songs to share today. The first is the one highlighted by the President in his address today. The lyrics emphasize the need to live life to the fullest. The second song is one that the shininess of the rings brought to mind this afternoon. The singer is from a time past but the song lives on in an animated Christmas story. Enjoy!

I lived -- Onerepublic

Silver and Gold -- Burl Ives (from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)