The soon-to-be graduates sign the tops of their lanterns prior to the passage of the lanterns.
On April 27, one of the longest traditions at Tusculum College continued as students soon-to-be graduates passed their legacy of leadership to underclassmen as part of the Lantern Festival.
The Lantern Festival began in the 1950s and continued until the late 1970s. The custom involved seniors, garbed in academic regalia and carrying lanterns, walking in procession to an outdoor stage on the evening before commencement. The seniors shared what Tusculum had meant to each of them. The event closed with the seniors passing their robes on to members of the junior class.
The rebirth of the tradition came in Tusculum’s Bicentennial year of 1994. Since then, the Lantern Festival has been celebrated a week or two prior to graduation and has become a celebration of the close relationships nurtured at the College.
The Lantern Festival continues to include a procession with lanterns and the passing of robes to underclassmen. The lanterns are not only symbolic of the light of leadership of the soon-to-be graduates, but also the the difference they have made in the lives others while also being positively impacted by others themselves. Many of the lantern bearers carry the lantern “willed” to them by a previously graduating senior and inscribed with both of their names.
This year, 12 graduating seniors passed their lanterns to underclassmen. Stories about how bonds were formed between the students in the classroom, in the residence halls and in student activities were shared as the students passed lanterns and robes.
In recent years, the Lantern Festival has evolved to also allow students to recognize faculty and staff members who have made a positive impact in their lives at Tusculum. More than 20 students presented Golden Lantern Pins to faculty and staff members with some students choosing to recognize more than one faculty and staff member.
The lantern has been a central icon in the traditions of Tusculum. The terms “Sit Lux” and depiction of a lamp or lantern appears on the Tusculum College seal. “Sit Lux” is the motto of the College, and the Latin words translate as “Let There Be Light.” The phrase is consistent with Tusculum’s tradition of sending students forth to be a light in the world through their character and good works. By the close of the Lantern Festival, it was apparent to those in attendance that that tradition remains strong as well.
The students participating in the Lantern Festival gather for a group following on the terrace of the Chalmers Conference Center.