The ETSU Alumni Association will host its annual ring ceremony at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at the ETSU Foundation Carillon and Alumni Plaza with President Paul Stanton.
Other university and alumni officials will be on hand to present the University’s rings to students participating in the campus tradition.
The Official ETSU Ring design is constant – it is the one common bond between those who have graduated in the past and those who will graduate this year and in years to come.
“Our official ring at ETSU is a link with graduates and friends,” Bob Plummer, executive director of the ETSU Alumni Association said.
“Times will change, but the ring will stay the same. This symbol serves as a reminder of the tradition of excellence this school and our graduates represent,” said Plummer.
Plummer notes this tradition is a significant event in the lives of the students, who have earned the right to wear the rings.
“It allows the university to recognize and celebrate the students’ accomplishments while welcoming them to be a part of the great unbroken band of scholars,” he said.
The event is for students who have attained junior or senior standing and completed at least 60 credit hours.
Balfour Jeweler representative, Mike Merritt, reflects on the achievement of receiving a ring.
“Students have really grown to appreciate the tradition behind the ring, making it more than a piece of jewelry. They wear their rings with pride not just for the academic achievement it represents, but for the lifelong connection they have with ETSU.”
ETSU’s official ring design makes it one of the most unique rings in the country. Prominently featured on the top of the ring is the ETSU seal with a diamond, blue sapphire set in the center.
The right ring side features Gillbreath Hall, the first building built on campus, named after the first ETSU president, Sidney G. Gillbreath.
The left ring side features the Charles C. Sherrod Library, symbolizing the newest building on campus.
The unique feature is the words of the Alma Mater, “In the Shadow of the Mountains,” inscribed on a banner above Gillbreath Hall.
This represents ETSU’s debt to the regional setting, traditions and heritage of the Appalachians.
For more information about the ceremony, or the official ring tradition, contact the ETSU Alumni Association at 439-4218.

Author