Kristen Waldron
Staff writer
The Southeastern Barnes & Noble Bookstore hosted the graduation fair on April 4. According to Jackie Codner, the SE bookstore manager, this year the record number of ring orders helped make the grad fair a success.
Graduating seniors who missed the fair do not need to worry, though; caps and gowns will be available at the bookstore until the day of graduation.
Codner said, “I strongly encourage students not to wait to the last minute to purchase their graduation necessities. The closer we get to the graduation date, we could start running out of gown sizes.”
For those having to wait Codner said, “That being said, special orders are available up until the week before graduation.”
To participate in commencement, students must have a black cap, gown and SE tassel. The cost for the students is about $33 plus tax.
Students graduating with a master’s degree will need the black cap, gown, master’s hood and master’s tassel. The cost for the master’s package is about $68 plus tax.
Both undergraduates and Master’s students have the option to either have the school seal or the year of graduation to hang from the tassel.
Also available for all graduating students is the stole of gratitude, which is given to a special person who has helped them during their time in college. The cost for the stole is $22 plus tax.
Butch Taron, from Herff Jones, helped students ordering class rings, and Chris Hull, from CB Announcements, helped students order announcements to send to friends and families for graduation.
Codner said, “The grad fair was definitely a success this year. We had record numbers of Southeastern class rings orders with eight orders and official SE invitation orders. We saw more students at the grad fair preparing for their upcoming graduation.”
According to Codner the bookstore had a few more than 100 people come in, most who were non-graduates wanting to get information about class rings.
This was about the same as previous grad fairs on campus, she said.
Brian Hicks, a senior history major said, “My overall experience was great. Being that I am clueless about what all needs to be done for graduation, the grad fair was a big help. Before the fair, I have never heard of the stole of gratitude.”