Above: SAU’s cultural stoles that have previously been given to graduates of diverse cultural backgrounds. Photo courtesy of the former SAU D.E.I. office.
In addition to SAU’s D.E.I. Office shutdown, another SAU graduation tradition is being cancelled.
The Cultural Stole Donning Ceremony, a tradition honoring graduates of Asian American / Pacific Islander, Black / African, Hispanic / Latinx, and Native American / Indigenous ethnic backgrounds has been changed, according to Fritz Dieudonné, the former Office of Student D.E.I Coordinator, now the Coordinator of Student Opportunity and Engagement.
Cultural stoles, a sash worn around the neck during graduation, are a way to honor upcoming graduates with diverse backgrounds. The traditional Donning Ceremony consisted of a keynote address and the graduates being recognized individually for their accolades, having the opportunity to express gratitude to their families and sharing words of encouragement to other grads. The highlight of the afternoon students say is when the graduates are donned with their stoles by parents, grandparents, and loved ones.
St. Ambrose officials say there is now a planned afternoon reception for graduates to receive stoles in place of the traditional ceremony. Officials say the reception will only consist of both international and the four cultural student groups picking up their stoles in a come-and-go manner. Officials say the agenda no longer includes individual recognition, a speaker, or the actual donning of graduates.
The complexity of the new anti-D.E.I legislation poses challenges for the university in determining what is or is not permissible.
“With all of the uncertainty of these changing directives on what is allowed and not allowed, we felt this [the reception] was the safest thing to do in compliance with the directives as they are today and give our international students and students of color the chance to have their stoles— we landed on having this reception,” explains Dieudonné.
Many students share words of displeasure with the changes to the traditional ceremony.
“I had the opportunity to serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies for the donning of the Winter ‘24 graduates, and I was so excited to finish out the spring semester to have my grandmother don me,” describes a former D.E.I student employee. “It may seem insignificant to some, but I’ve seen families gather from out of the country to just don their graduates. The whole ceremony is full of smiles, laughter, and happy crying.”
“I’m from Florida, so there are not many chances to see or celebrate things with my family. I was really looking forward to having my parents put the stole around my neck. This is a big accomplishment for me, and I hate that we don’t get to experience it in the same way,” says Marketing Major Will Spriggs.
“At a PWI [predominately white institution], where it can sometimes feel like you’re alone or overlooked, celebrating your cultural differences is powerful. It’s a reminder that we belong here too,” adds Social Work Major Arayah Westmoreland. “Removing that moment takes away something powerful and uplifting, something that makes a bold statement about resilience and identity.”
“It won’t be the same, but in this way, we can allow our students to still have that moment without risking violating these orders,” Dieudonné states.
Information on the stole reception is set to be released to students in the coming days.
Brandi Crawley is a staff writer for The Buzz.
