By CSC College Relations
A new ceremonial mace was introduced during Chadron State College’s Winter Commencement. According to Professor Dr. Kurt Kinbacher, the mace celebrates the institution’s authority to confer degrees and symbolizes its academic independence. Since the ceremonial mace also represents the status of the college’s president, it is only present at commencements and other events organized and attended by the president.
Professor Mary Donahue, who drew the mace based on an idea by President Ron K. Patterson, said some of her favorite details are the eagle top and eagle feathers on the handle, which represent the college mascot. Additionally, the eagle is an important symbol in many cultures and admired for its noble spirit. In Native American culture, the eagle represents strength and bravery; its feathers are a sign of sacredness.
Lisa Cook and Brian Swallow, who served on the mace design committee with Kinbacher, Donahue, and Julie Hasz, assisted with elements that represent the Lakota people and culture. The design blends Eurasian and Native American traditions. The mace head and three-foot shaft are an ornamental version of an ancient Eurasian weapon. In a practice that dates back at least to the Copper Age, the mace bearer holds a position of influence and respect, according to Kinbacher.
Donahue said the committee was open to sharing ideas with an eye toward making the mace special to CSC as an institution and its location. The use of maces in academic proceedings in Europe began in the 15th century, and many American institutions have adopted the tradition to acknowledge the continuity of educational structures. Two Chadron State College official seals on the mace head represent these enduring values.
Since Chadron State College is situated on Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho homelands, the mace also honors their traditions. The engraved feathers on the handle pay homage to the ceremonial eagle staff, a revered symbol of authority representing strength, honor, unity, and heritage. The Medicine Wheel medallions on the mace head are part of a 5,000 year-old tradition shared by many Indigenous nations.
In the modern academy, the Medicine Wheel encourages teaching about biological and human interconnections, according to Kinbacher. The engraved words beneath the mace head, “We are all related” in English and “Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ” in Lakota remind audience members of these values.
Donahue said the collaboration between the committee and the artists and craftspeople was enlightening and enjoyable.
The mace and staff, constructed by master builder Tom Boley of Wamego, Kansas, are walnut, the tail piece and rand under the mace head are cherry, and the stand, built locally by Jerry Moss and Steve Hutchens, is maple. Boley drove from Manhattan, Kansas, to deliver the mace to campus.