The Insider: Grads give a ‘tip of the hat’ to Tulane
We received dozens of fantastic mortarboards from the class of 2016. There were simple ones, some too risqué to share and a couple that had been commissioned by professional artists. Here are a few of our favorites, in no particular order. Infographic by Tracey Bellina-Milazzo.
#1
“For the past four years I've been studying neuroscience at Tulane. I wanted to incorporate that with the person who I owe everything to, my mom.” — Mollie Lerner from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
#2
“I used the line "where the trees are ever greenest" from the Alma Mater because this phrase really represents my experience at Tulane. As a member of the Tulane University Marching Band, I also wanted to use a line from a school song to show my school spirit The Mardi Gras bead tree, an iconic location on campus, compliments this phrase, and the river in the background shows my love for New Orleans. — Emily Lubin from Winter Haven, Florida
#3
“This is one of my favorite David Bowie quotes, in honor of his passing this year. He meant an awful lot to my father growing up, so I felt this was a fitting tribute to both the legend Ziggy Stardust and to my parents who helped make this experience possible.” — Jillian Serena Waller from Merrick, New York
#4
“I decided to put the bead tree on it because it is such a symbol of our campus. So many students come together to make the tree, so it represents a bit of each of us. — Savanna Bailey from Boulder, Colorado
#5
“The New Orleans–style tiles say, “Let the good times roll” and represent the city. I represented my four years in the Tulane Jazz Band with a music note in the corner. And, of course, the two green waves represent Tulane.” — Rachel Hill from Barrington, Rhode Island
#6
“I was hired by Amazon as a safety specialist at their Chattanooga, Tennessee, location so I combined the classic Amazon logo with Tulane's name and colors. And, of course, you can never have too much glitter!” — Cynthia Holderer from Levittown, Pennsylvania
#7
“During my time at Tulane, I was heavily involved in Newcomb College Institute activities, so I decided to feature an acorn, Newcomb's symbol, on my cap. The quote is one that I think speaks to growth and potential, two things I hope to take with me in postgrad life.” — Simone Akgulian from Oak Park, Illinois
#8
“My mortarboard is made of vintage jewelry. I saw the artist's other work at a high school Christmas bazaar and commissioned her first-ever graduation cap. We worked together on the design for about a month. Now she's promoting the idea on her website and Facebook page to make more of these. The artist is Marianne Kalinoski. — Crystal Miceli from Slidell, Louisiana
#9
“I'm a political science major and a studio art minor. I just wanted to put something on my cap that was representative of New Orleans, and I feel like the streetcar does that. I chose the uptown streetcar colors to give it more of a Tulane feel.” — Samantha Cooper from New York City, New York
The 2016 Commencement ceremony will be streamed live online. Follow us on social media at #tulane16.
