April 13, 2018

From thankful to silly to political, the mortarboards of Stanford students express how they feel

Commencement is just around the corner. So, Stanford Report dug into its photography archives to bring readers examples of mortarboard artwork from graduations past. From thankful to silly to political, the mortarboards of Stanford students reflect how our graduates feel as they leave the Farm.

By Stanford News Service

Hoover tower mortar boards — Human biology majors Tiffany and Corrine Taraska, Carina Uraiqat and Jessica Pitluk decorated their mortarboards with Hoover Towers for the Wacky Walk in 2001.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Thanks Mom and Dad — Many Stanford graduates use their mortarboards to say thanks to the family members who supported them through their studies.
Image credit: Kate Chesley

Erin Lashnits in his Stanford Tree mascot costume. — Erin Lashnits (2005-06 Tree) added a giant mortarboard to the costume for graduation, making a towering Tree even taller.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Stanford 125th Commencement — Jennifer Allison and Michael Jokl met as sophomores and documented their engagement on their mortarboards as they celebrated completing their master’s degrees in 2016.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

126th commencement — Students express pride in their heritage during the 2017 Commencement.
Image credit: Aaron Kehoe

2014 mortar board message — This heartwarming mortarboard message was conveyed to a Stanford mom during the 2014 Commencement.
Image credit: Aaron Kehoe

125th commencement — A student’s mortarboard with thanks to Mom and Dad read, “Cuando me vean volar, recuerden que uds me pintaron las alas,” or “When you see me fly, remember that you painted my wings.”
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

2012 mortar board — This 2012 graduate settled for a simple message of thanks, which presumably was seen by family members in the audience.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Student with the words Nasty Woman written in sparkles on her mortarboard — This mortarboard from 2017 likely reflected this graduate’s feelings about the 2016 presidential election.
Image credit: Kate Chesley

Advice for fellow graduates — Anna Boyle celebrated her 2015 graduation with this piece of advice for her fellow graduates.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

2016 commencement — A student walks with her family after the 2016 Baccalaureate celebration with a mortarboard that is likely a nod to the 2015 movie Straight Outta Compton.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

2006 commencement — Lauren Midthun and her punctuated mortarboard waited for friends before participating in the 2006 ceremony.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

1998 mortar boards — Melissa Moore and Holly Crafts celebrated their 1998 graduation with mortarboards decorated with an ocean theme.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

2004 mortar board — Jim DeLaHunt, who graduated with a master’s degree in computer science in 2004, couldn’t have found balancing his mortarboard decoration easy.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Grads with flamingoes — Flamingos were the mortarboard theme for 2002 graduates Heidi Boas, Michael Gottfried, Marisa Rolland and Rebecca Jovin.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Panda mascot — A stuffed panda was this graduating senior’s mascot on his mortarboard.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Josh Nunes and Jemari Roberts — Former Stanford quarterback Josh Nunes wore his helmet, topped by a mortarboard, to the 2013 Commencement, where he celebrated with Jemari Roberts.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

2003 commencement — Hard to imagine how this 2003 graduate kept his mortarboard from falling off with this decoration.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Three aero-astro graduates — Three aero-astro graduates — Mischa Pollack, Devjit Chakravarti and Justin Figueroa — decided to wing it during the 2005 Wacky Walk prior to the Commencement ceremony.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

lego mortar board — A graduating senior in 2016 created a Lego brick mortarboard for Commencement.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Hamilton mortar board — Connor Jordan, a 2017 graduate in product design, used his mortarboard to share his appreciation for the musical Hamilton.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

2015 mortar board hero — This 2015 graduate proved that Wacky Walk decorations don’t always appear on the mortarboard itself.
Image credit: Tamer Shabani

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