University Park, Pa. -- The Penn State Alumni Association has announced a special reception on Wednesday, April 28, for seniors who have ordered the official Penn State ring. The event, beginning at 6 p.m. on the lawn of the Hintz Family Alumni Center, is the first of what is to become a semiannual tradition.
The event will feature light refreshments and a brief ring ceremony. During this ceremony, students will be instructed to turn the rings so the words "Penn State" face outward. This symbolizes alumni status. While a student, the words "Penn State" are to face toward the wearer.
The Penn State Ring represents dedication, achievement, perseverance, and Penn State pride, while reflecting the heritage and tradition of Penn State.
Co-sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association and Jostens, the Wednesday ceremony will also feature remarks by Alumni Association Executive Director Roger L. Williams and Bridgette Morris, a student member of the ring committee.
Invitations were mailed to ring recipients. However, the event is open to friends, family members, and anyone who wants to experience the newest Penn State tradition.
Unveiled during Homecoming festivities last fall, the Penn State ring serves as a unifying symbol for all Penn Staters. Alumna Amy Wynn Pastor of The Learning Channel's "Trading Spaces" was on hand for the fall ceremony.
The ring ceremony is just one of the many student-centered events being held at the Alumni Center on Wednesday. The Lion Ambassadors and the Alumni Association will be holding Penn State Senior Sendoff on the Alumni Center lawn from 2-5 p.m. All graduating seniors are invited to attend that event.
For more information about the ring ceremony, contact Lucille Guinta-Bates at 814-863-8932 or lxg33@psu.edu, or visit the Alumni Association's Web site at http://www.alumni.psu.edu