Mad about mortarboards
Members of the Class of 2018 use their mortarboards to capture the spirit of their Tulane experience through a variety of creative methods, like embellishing the surface with glass Mardi Gras beads or with song lyrics. Check out the infographic below showcasing a few of our favorites and be on the lookout for other unique designs during the Unified Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 19, in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. (Infographic by Kim Rainey)
#1 SABRINA LEEDS, SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS
“The phrase ‘only at Tulane, only in New Orleans’ felt fitting because I truly believe that I could not have had a college experience as wonderful or as fulfilling at any other university, in any other city. And what better way to depict that than in a Mardi Gras bead design made entirely out of individual glass beads?”
#2 LEAH KAPLAN, SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS
“Growing up a proud Louisianian, I always loved drawing and painting Blue Dogs in the style of George Rodrigue. I wanted to incorporate many of my passions into the design. The piano keys in the background are symbolic of my passion for music. The stethoscope and lab coat represent my future in medicine, since I will begin medical school in the fall.”
#3 REBECCA LEVY, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
“The quote ‘insist on the impossible’ is from a song by Frank Turner, whose music inspired me and got me through college. The spine with flowers represents my future, as I am pursuing my PhD in biomedical engineering, doing research in implantable medical devices for spinal surgery applications.”
#4 ALLEE DEFELICE, SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS
“I decorated my mortarboard with 225 admission buttons from the National World War II Museum in downtown New Orleans. I have volunteered at the museum each week since the start of my junior year at Tulane. The symbol formed by the blue buttons is the Chi Rho, one of the earliest symbols for Christianity. My mortarboard ties together my passion for service, my experience at Tulane via the color scheme, my beloved major (classical studies) and my Christian faith.”
#5 PHOEBE JAMES, SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT
“I created this board in reference to another degree that I obtained from Tulane.”
#6 ALIYAH DANIELS, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
“I wanted my design to be vibrant and celebratory just like New Orleans. Butterflies symbolize endurance, transformation and freedom, making them a perfect representation of my time here at Tulane.”
#7 CASEY KOTOWSKI, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
“I’ve been in the Tulane marching band for four years and have been the color guard section leader for the last two years. Your ‘dot’ refers to where you are on the field during a halftime show. It says ‘The world is my dot,’ because thanks to Tulane, I can go anywhere and it will be my correct place to be.”
#8 KATIE TRETTIN, SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
“This mortarboard was done by my sister, Charlotte, who is an interior design major at LSU. Her work features the French Quarter with the classic Green Wave logo.”
