Inside Furman is published quarterly by the Furman University Department of Marketing and Public Relations. For story ideas, e-mail John Roberts, editor.
A different kind of senior
By Katie Levans
On graduation day Cathy Hightower sat on a bus with her other cap and gown-clad friends. Waiting for the ceremony to begin they sang “Brown Eyes,” recited old football cheers, and reminisced about their four years at Furman. She has a résumé typical of most Furman seniors: class officer for four years, a member of the social standards board and student council, and KA sweetheart.
But Hightower is a different kind of “senior”. She graduated from Furman 50 years ago.
Hightower and 22 other members of the Class of 1955 returned to their alma mater this year to lead the Class of 2005 in the graduation procession as a symbolic union of Furman students past and present and to kick off their 50 th reunion celebration.
“We want the seniors to appreciate and have a little bit of a sense of history of who's gone before them,” said Director of Alumni Relations and 1976 Furman graduate Tom Triplitt.
Triplitt borrowed the alumni-led procession line idea from Ivy League universities that have made the tradition part of their commencement. While the 50 th reunion class is traditionally honored at Homecoming the graduation ceremony will hopefully kick-off a year-long reunion.
“My thought was if we could spread it out a little bit and actually start it 50 years from when they graduated, it would give them a longer time to enjoy their special year,” he said.
Hightower, whose late husband, Loyal, was also a member of the class of 1955, called and invited every member of her class to the event.
“I thought it was excellent and I don't think they could have done anything more,” said Hightower who lives in Ridgeland , S.C. . “We were treated like royalty.”
The 1955 grads received caps and gowns along with engraved medallions to wear to the ceremony on Sunday. Saturday night they were honored by President David Shi and Vice President for Academic Affairs Tom Kazee during a reception dinner.
“It really made it special for the 50 th class. Dr. Shi was able to speak to them and thank them for coming,” said Triplitt.
They were also recognized at graduation but had little time to interact with the graduating seniors. “We led the graduating class in and at the end we caught the bus and went back,” Hightower said.
Some of the seniors were unsure of why the '55 grads were present. Others didn't know they were there at all. “I think it was a little weird at first, but I imagine it was nice for the alumni,” said graduating senior and commencement speaker Jodi Tovay. “I know I wouldn't mind coming back for graduation 50 years from now.”
Triplitt hopes the tradition will catch on. His office is already making plans to get the Class of 1959 involved with the incoming Class of 2009 starting freshman year. “It's bigger than just the senior class,” he says. “Furman wouldn't be here if it weren't for the people that came before you.”