ASU Polytechnic students gather to decorate graduation caps

With the ASU Spring 2019 Commencement just around the corner, soon-to-be graduates gathered on April 16 and 17 to participate in a commencement tradition at ASU’s Polytechnic campus. The TRIO Devils,  a student organization which advances leadership and student involvement at ASU, offered decorating supplies and encouraged students to decorate their mortar boards together for spring 2019 graduation.

The festive tradition was presented as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month: a graduation cap decorating party hosted by the Programming and Activities Board, Undergraduate Student Government and TRIO Devils.

Graduating students enjoyed food, a photo booth and music outside the Student Union between classes.

Senior Hilda Olsen, who will be graduating in August with a degree in business and communications, decorated her cap at the event. Olsen said personalizing her cap was a chance to demonstrate her accomplishments.

She chose to decorate her cap with the phrase, “Nevertheless, she persisted.”

“Really, I’ve been doing this as a single mom. It’s taken me five years to get to this point with juggling work and being a single mom with three kids,” she said.

Olsen said the opportunity to participate in the cap-decorating event with her peers was an experience not to be missed.

“I wanted to make sure that I’m taking advantage of those student experiences while I’m here,” she said.

Allison Barton, a senior studying journalism and mass communication, helped plan the event. She works as a graphic design and social media specialist for TRIO at ASU. TRIO is a set of federally funded programs designed to support first-generation and low-income students, veterans and students with disabilities.

This is the event’s second year. Barton said it’s important to allow seniors to celebrate their accomplishments through a fun experience like this one.

“I think it’s just fun to see at graduation when everyone has a personalized cap,” Barton said.