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Ceremonial mace to make its debut Thursday night
News Release:
The aluminum and bass top of Beaufort County Community College's new ceremonial mace reflects light in the college machine shop. Built by BCCC's students, faculty and staff, it will be used for the first time at graduation on Thursday.
The newest symbol of Beaufort County Community College, a ceremonial mace that will be used for the first time in BCCC's graduation exercises on Thursday, May 15, was the culmination of many hours of work involving students, faculty and staff.
The top of the mace, constructed of aerospace aluminum and brass, was machined by students and faculty in the college's Mechanical Engineering Technology Program.
Its maple and walnut handle was designed and turned on a wood lathe by Vice President of Research and Institutional Effectiveness Jay Sullivan who has enjoyed wood turning for six years.
"It was an exciting project and I was proud to be a part of it," Sullivan said.
In the United States, most colleges and universities have a mace, an ornamental staff of metal or wood, used almost exclusively at commencement exercises and carried by the university or college president, chancellor, rector, provost, faculty representative or some other high official.
BCCC's new, and first, mace will be carried into the auditorium during BCCC's graduation exercises by Faculty Senate President Jeanne Martin and handed to 2014-2015 Faculty Member of the Year Lynn Modlin who will be its guardian for the year.
The mace's design is the result of suggestions from members of the college community, according to Matthew Lincoln, lead Mechanical Engineering Technology instructor. But those involved in its design were otherwise given "free rein" to manufacture the mace using skills they learned in class, he said.
"That meant we had to come up with the specifications and design the mace from scratch," he said.
"It can be extremely challenging and involved everyone from our advanced students to our beginning students," he said. "Every little bit helped."
The machining students worked on three tops for the mace simultaneously so that if a mistake was made on one, the class could continue work on another one in order to finish the project on time, Lincoln said.
The aluminum top features the college seal on two sides, the college logo on a third side and a map of the college's four-county service area on the fourth side.
The walnut handle includes two-groups of four maple inlays, one in the center that represent the four counties of the BCCC service area and the other in the base of the handle. Walnut and maple were chosen "for their durability and the aesthetic appeal of their striking contrast," according to Sullivan.
Jonathan Stotesbury, a second semester mechanical engineering student from Roper, was one of those involved in the project.
He said the design required advanced mathematics skills and a steady hand.
"As big as it is, it was easy to make a mistake," Stotesbury said.
When not in use, the BCCC mace will be on display in President Barbara Tansey's office.
Lead Machinist Instructor Matthew Lincoln discusses plans for designing the top portion of the new Beaufort County Community College mace with student Jonathan Stotesbury of Roper.
Machining student Jonathan Stotesbury uses a computer-controlled lathe to engrave designs on the aluminum top of the mace.
Vice President of Research and Institutional Effectiveness Jay Sullivan, working at home, uses a wood lathe to turn the mace handle.
A close-up photograph of the mace handle being turned by Jay Sullivan.
Beaufort County Community College is a public comprehensive community college committed to accessible and affordable quality education, effective teaching, relevant training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the people served by the College.
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The newest symbol of Beaufort County Community College, a ceremonial mace that will be used for the first time in BCCC's graduation exercises on Thursday, May 15, was the culmination of many hours of work involving students, faculty and staff.
The top of the mace, constructed of aerospace aluminum and brass, was machined by students and faculty in the college's Mechanical Engineering Technology Program.
Its maple and walnut handle was designed and turned on a wood lathe by Vice President of Research and Institutional Effectiveness Jay Sullivan who has enjoyed wood turning for six years.
"It was an exciting project and I was proud to be a part of it," Sullivan said.
In the United States, most colleges and universities have a mace, an ornamental staff of metal or wood, used almost exclusively at commencement exercises and carried by the university or college president, chancellor, rector, provost, faculty representative or some other high official.
BCCC's new, and first, mace will be carried into the auditorium during BCCC's graduation exercises by Faculty Senate President Jeanne Martin and handed to 2014-2015 Faculty Member of the Year Lynn Modlin who will be its guardian for the year.
The mace's design is the result of suggestions from members of the college community, according to Matthew Lincoln, lead Mechanical Engineering Technology instructor. But those involved in its design were otherwise given "free rein" to manufacture the mace using skills they learned in class, he said.
"That meant we had to come up with the specifications and design the mace from scratch," he said.
"It can be extremely challenging and involved everyone from our advanced students to our beginning students," he said. "Every little bit helped."
The machining students worked on three tops for the mace simultaneously so that if a mistake was made on one, the class could continue work on another one in order to finish the project on time, Lincoln said.
The aluminum top features the college seal on two sides, the college logo on a third side and a map of the college's four-county service area on the fourth side.
The walnut handle includes two-groups of four maple inlays, one in the center that represent the four counties of the BCCC service area and the other in the base of the handle. Walnut and maple were chosen "for their durability and the aesthetic appeal of their striking contrast," according to Sullivan.
Jonathan Stotesbury, a second semester mechanical engineering student from Roper, was one of those involved in the project.
He said the design required advanced mathematics skills and a steady hand.
"As big as it is, it was easy to make a mistake," Stotesbury said.
When not in use, the BCCC mace will be on display in President Barbara Tansey's office.
Beaufort County Community College is a public comprehensive community college committed to accessible and affordable quality education, effective teaching, relevant training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the people served by the College.
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