# @rhodeislandcollege on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/BxICyGSHzKt
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/74942895-rhodeislandcollege-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/4bcc776cbe.jpg
- **Posted:** 2019-05-06T15:12:48.000+00:00

## Caption

It’s officially #RICcommencement Week! Let’s start it with a closer look at one of the most important symbols of our #commencement exercises, the Del Sesto Mace.
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The mace is a symbol of tradition and authority that has been carried in every commencement procession since 1962. It was designed by noted #RhodeIsland sculptor Aristide Cianfarani and crafted by the Gorham Company. It represents our commitment to the search for #truth, #knowledge, #beauty, #values and #learning.
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From 1898 to 1959, RIC (then known as the Rhode Island College of Education) had been located near the State House, within view of the iconic Independent Man statue that stands atop its dome. When the college moved to our current Mt. Pleasant campus in 1959, Gov. Christopher Del Sesto presented the college with a bronze replica of the statue, so that it might continue its tradition of holding commencement in the presence of the Independent Man.
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#RICnews #experienceRIC #RICspirit #rhodeislandcollege #graduation #commencement2019 #localhistory #symbolism #statue #rihistory #storybehind

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 82
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 0

## Credits

No public credits are recorded here. This does not identify who made the post.

## Tags

ricnews, rhodeislandcollege, values, storybehind, commencement, localhistory, statue, knowledge, beauty, ricspirit, experienceric, commencement2019, learning, truth, riccommencement, rhodeisland, graduation, rihistory, symbolism

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