Graduation Cords/Stoles

Parent Cafe
1

So, what’s up with the proliferation of cords and stoles? For both my undergrad and grad years ago, we never had these and I don’t remember seeing them until the past few years when friend’s and relative’s children have been graduating and I’ve seen pictures on social media. Is this new or did it start as a regional thing and I just didn’t see it living in the Northeast? Is it part and parcel of the trend towards public display? Back in the day, I just remember commencement programs printing honors or cumma sum laude, etc. One of my kids’ schools, a top LAC, still does not do the stole/cord thing.

I understand they denote honors or membership in different organizations, right?

2

I remember gold cords denoting honor status but never these stoles that are draped over the student’s shoulders.

3

When I graduated FSU several decades ago they had cords for honors. At my kid’s high school they have a cord for National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and one for x number of hours of volunteer service.

4

Yep, not just one gold cord for honors, but often many as well as stoles.

For PHD work, stoles have a long tradition, and that I get.

I know some use stoles to denote their ethnic background or nationality and that’s kind of cool.

5

At my undergrad, I got cords for honors, pbk, and something else. Only wore the honors.

For grad, I got a cord for my work with social justice causes on campus. Wore that one with pride.

The only people I’ve seen with stoles are friends from ivies, honors colleges, or international students wearing stoles representing their home countries.

Personally I love seeing the diversity.

6

S2’s university had medals for kids meeting latin honors requirements + medal/double cord if honors and 3.9 and cords for those graduating with distinction.

I saw many twisted cords and stoles from various frats/sororities/clubs, but all in school colors. There were many who were wearing brightly colored stoles (primary colors) which best guess represent their home country??? And it appears as though the bookstore had a big sale on stoles with the the school name on one side and the grad year on the other.

7

I don’t care for the stoles personally. I think it detracts from the symbolic equality of all graduates in their plain black.

8

The number of stoles/honor cords/medals available for the graduates to wear has gotten out of hand. I have seen a proliferation of them in college graduations. In fact, there were so many at my daughter’s graduation that no one really knew what they were for. My daughter could have worn several (she received several medals and honor cords for the various honor scoieties that she was a member of). She could have also purchased a stole to represent her study abroad. All the frats and sororities had stoles. So many of the graduates were wearing so many stoles/cords/medals that as an observer, they completely lost all meaning since no one stood out by wearing them.

Personally, I think they are a nice money maker for the companies who sell them. My son could wear an honor cord at his graduation next month (high school) but I simply don’t want to buy it. I see it as a waste of $15 since it’s not going to be some treasured item. Rather it will be worn for an evening and then - what do we do with it?!

Nope, not a fan.

9

I didn’t realize students/families bought them. I’ve only heard of them being given to students, never bought by students.

10

I’ve seen some kids so decked out they look like they are at a mardi gras parade.

Just by observation, the southern schools look like the worst offenders in terms of going to excess.

11

They also seem to be favored in the African-American community. Mike Brown, for example, had a stole in his HS graduation photo.

12

The ones I’m referring to aren’t of the kente cloth variety, but others symbolizing membership in some group or society, or some kind of honors.

13

Sounds a lot like my high school graduation, where some had 7-10 honor cords (at about $15 a pop), plus a pendant stole (closer to a neck wrap than the sash-like stoles. If you know what NHS pendant stoles look like, it’s similar) with the school’s logo, plus the gown in the contrasting color. The teachers wear black gowns with academic hoods. It’s definitely a lot of regalia…

14

If you are going to wear a stole, be sure to iron or steam it first. It looks tacky when the gown and stole have folds or wrinkles.

15

S wore a cord for his involvement with the campus Unity group. A statement on a Catholic campus. He also had an honor society stole. Some people had 5-6 cords of various colors.

16

“One of my kids’ schools, a top LAC, still does not do the stole/cord thing.”

I just did a look-see at commencement pics from last year at son’s school. Not a cord or stole to be had.

17

Kente cloth stoles are popular within the African-American community. They’re adorable. I like seeing graduation photos with all the graduates in their cloths, even ones of their fraternity’s or sorority’s colors.

I don’t mind seeing people decked out in their stoles and cords. While I do believe multiple stoles look silly, cords are fine to me.

18

Can someone explain what a kente cloth stole has to do with a student’s college degree? I don’t understand the purpose or what it represents.

For example: A stole with Greek letters is clearly represents frat/sorority involvement during the college years.
My daughter’s school had stoles for the students that represented their study abroad experience at a specific university.

19

http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/wearing-kente-cloth-stoles-during.html?m=1

Google is your friend

20

^^ Ok, so it’s not tied to their educational experience but rather to pride in one’s family roots. Do other nationalities express their pride in their background in a similar way at graduation? And if one had family roots from two different nationalities, how does one pick?