RS 7/9/4
Iowa State University. 
Vice President for Student Affairs 

Office of the Registrar

Commencement Records, 1872-[ongoing]

Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140


 

Descriptive summary  

creator:

Iowa State University. Office of the Registrar

title:

Commencement Records

dates:

1872-[ongoing]

extent:

0.84 linear ft.  (2 document boxes)

collection number:

RS 7/9/4

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Iowa State University, Office of the Registrar, Commencement Records, RS 7/2/4, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Historical note

The first graduating class of Iowa State College (University) received their degrees during a commencement ceremony held on November 13, 1872, in the College Chapel.  During the first years of the ceremony, it was customary for each of the graduating students to present a speech.  Of the 26 graduates of the first class, only six were excused from speaking during the ceremony.  This practice would soon be dropped as class sizes grew.

As of 2005, commencement ceremonies occur at the end of each session of classes: fall, spring, and summer.  Undergraduate ceremonies are held in Hilton Colliseum while graduate ceremonies are held in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium. 

 

 

Collection description

This collection (1872-[ongoing]) contains records documenting the commencement ceremony at Iowa State University.  The files include commencement addresses, correspondence, invitations, newspaper clippings, and programs.  A complete set of commencement programs (LD2547 I68x) has been cataloged and is also available at the University Archives. 

Organization

The collection is arranged in alphabetical order.

 

Container List

 

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

News clippings

1916-2004

1

2

Addresses

1916-1926

1

3

Addresses

1941-1942

1

4

Addresses

1971-1979

1

5

Addresses

1980-1985

1

6

Addresses

1986-1992

1

7

Addresses

1993-1998

1

8

Addresses

1999-2004

2

11

Addresses

2006

1

9

Alumni-Faculty-Senior Banquet

1919-1937

1

10

Commencement week calendars

1885-1955

1

11

Commencement week programs

1908-1915

1

12

Comments on 1922 commencement

1922

1

13

Correspondence

1904-1926, n.d.

3

2

Flyers and programs

1886-1937

2

1

Graduation check list

2003

2

2

History – Caps and gowns

1961

2

3

History – First annual commencement

1872

2

4

Instructions for the senior class

1922-1923

2

5

Invitations

1888-1907

2

6

Invitations

1910-1913

2

7

Invitations

1914-1922

2

8

Invitations

1924-1943

2

9

Invitations

2000

2

10

Lists of commencement speakers, 1872-2005

1973-2005

2

12

Photographs – Undergraduate commencement ceremony (30- 5x7 color photographs)

2006

3

1

Photographs – Graduate commencement ceremony (20- 5x7 color photographs)

2006


Comments: tzanish@iastate.edu
Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA 50011
URL: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/arch/rgrp/7-9-4.html
Revised: 07 July 2008.