alumni news

Ringing in 2011: Students Receive Class Rings During Ceremony

 

ring

More than 380 Texas Tech students participated in the Official Texas Tech Class Ring Ceremony during the two nights the events were held in April at Merket Alumni Center.

Students from all 13 colleges attended the event and were treated to a night for them to enjoy with friends and relatives. Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance spoke both nights, preaching to students to not let anything get in their way once their days at Texas Tech end and to keep up the tradition of Red Raiders making a big impact on our world today.

The Spring 2011 ring recipients also were treated with having their very own Saddle Tramp for the evening. The Saddle Tramp took off just before the end of the program to head over to the bell tower and ring the victory bells one more time for the ring recipients.

The Texas Tech Alumni Association also made the ring ceremony available online for the first time to friends and relatives that could not be at the event, producing a live webcast that could be seen on the front page of the Association’s website (www.TexasTechAlumni.org) and on its Ustream page. Balfour Ring Representative and Texas Tech alumnus Curt Langford said Texas Tech was the first Balfour school to webcast their official ring ceremony.

In 1998, the Student Alumni Association Board of Directors and the then Ex-Students Association formed a committee to explore bringing back the tradition of a single class ring to Texas Tech. After Student Alumni Association Board of Directors members had completed the design of the ring, they shared their vision with alumni, faculty and administrators. The official ring was well accepted by all and unveiled in March 1999.

Since then, the Official TTAA Class Ring has been the universal symbol of academic achievement at Texas Tech. The single ring is a tradition that was brought back from the 1950s that encompasses the Double T, Masked Rider, Administration Bell Tower, and the Texas Tech seal. Cast inside each ring is "Strive For Honor," taken from "The Matador Song."

Every semester, the Student Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Alumni Association host the Official Ring Ceremony at the Merket Alumni Center. The history of the class ring and it's rebirth at Texas Tech are discussed. The university president then presents each ring recipient with his/her ring during the ceremony. The ceremony concludes with members of the Student Alumni Association Board of Directors leading the group in the singing of "The Matador Song."

 

Jan 15, 2020