Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

RS 7/9/4
Iowa State University

Office of the Registrar

Commencement Records, 1871-[ongoing]


Descriptive summary

creator:

Iowa State University. Office of the Registrar

title:

Commencement Records

dates:

1871-[ongoing]

extent:

2.1 linear feet (5 document boxes)

collection number:

RS 7/9/4

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Iowa State University, Office of the Registrar, Commencement Records, RS 7/9/4, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Historical note

The first graduating class of Iowa State College (University) received their degrees during a commencement ceremony held on November 13, 1872, in the College Chapel.  During the first years of the ceremony, it was customary for each of the graduating students to present a speech.  Of the 26 graduates of the first class, only six were excused from speaking during the ceremony.  This practice would soon be dropped as class sizes grew.

As of 2005, commencement ceremonies occur at the end of each session of classes: fall, spring, and summer.  Undergraduate ceremonies are held in Hilton Colliseum while graduate ceremonies are held in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium. In 2010, the summer commencement ceremony was eliminated and graduating students could elect to participate in either the spring or fall ceremony. A summer list of candidates is included in the spring commencement program.

 

Collection description

This collection (1872-[ongoing]) contains records documenting the commencement ceremony at Iowa State University.  The files include commencement addresses, correspondence, invitations, newspaper clippings, photographs, and programs.  A complete set of commencement programs (LD2547 I68x) has been cataloged and is also available at the University Archives. Additional photographs of commencement can be found in the University Archives Photograph Collection.

 

Organization

The collection is arranged alphabetically.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

News clippings

1916-2004

1

2-8

Addresses

1916-2004

2

13

Addresses

2006-2012

5

5

Addresses: graduate commencement

2010

1

9

Alumni-Faculty-Senior Banquet

1919-1937

5

7

Class Day programs

1879-1892

5

8

Closing Exercises program

1871

5

10

Commencement ceremony script

2006

1

10

Commencement week calendars

1885-1955

1

12

Comments on 1922 commencement

1922

1

13

Correspondence

1904-1926, undated

3

2

Flyers and programs

1886-1937

2

1

Graduation check list

2003

2

2

History: Caps and gowns

1961

2

3

History: First annual commencement

1872

2

4

Instructions for the senior class

1922-1923

2

5

Invitations

1888-1907

1

11

Invitations

1908-1915

2

6-10

Invitations

1910-1956

2

11

Invitations

2000

2

12

Lists of commencement speakers, 1872-2005

1973-2005

5

9

Junior Exhibition programs

1874-1890

5

2

Photo book: Graduate commencement ceremony (10- 5x7 color photographs)

2005

5

3

Photo book: Undergraduate commencement ceremony (52- 5x7 color photographs)

2005

5

4

Photo book: Graduate commencement ceremony (20- 5x7 color photographs)

2006

3

4

Photo book: Graduate commencement ceremony

2007

3

5

Photo book: Undergraduate commencement ceremony

2007

3

6

Photo book: Graduate commencement ceremony, fall

2007

3

7

Photo book: Undergraduate commencement ceremony, fall

2007

3

8

Photo book: Commencement ceremony, summer

2007

3

9

Photo book: Graduate commencement ceremony

2008

3

10

Photo book: Undergraduate commencement ceremony

2008

4

1

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony (23- 5x7 color photographs)

1999

4

2

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony (32- 5x7 color photographs)

2000

4

3

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony (31- 5x7 color photographs)

2000

4

4

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony (8- 5x7 color photographs)

2000

4

5

Photographs: Graduate commencement ceremony, fall (13- 5x7 color photographs)

2001

3

3

Photographs: Commencement ceremony (60- 5x7 color)

2001

4

6

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony (36- 5x7 color photographs)

2002

4

7

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony (30- 5x7 color photographs)

2002

4

8

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony, summer (18- 5x7 color photographs)

2002

4

9

Photographs: Graduate commencement ceremony (24- 5x7 color photographs)

2002

4

10

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony, spring (23- 5x7 color photographs)

2003

5

1

Photographs: Graduate commencement ceremony, spring (15- 5x7 color photographs)

2003

3

1

Photographs: Graduate commencement ceremony (20- 5x7 color photographs)

2006

5

6

Photographs: Undergraduate commencement ceremony (30- 5x7 color photographs)

2006