PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

Dr. Darrin L. Hartness, President

Dr. Susan Burleson, Executive Vice President, Academic & Student Affairs

Jenny Varner, Vice President, External Affairs & Executive Director, Foundation

Laura Yarbrough, Vice President, Financial & Administrative Services

Board Of Trustees

Carol Boice, SGA President

Melanie Crowder

Kevin Firquin, Chair

Neal Foster, Executive Committee

Kelly L. Gallimore

Dr. Rita C. Haire

Donnie Holt, Executive Committee

June Johnson

Tonya Lanier

Julie Loflin, Secretary

Tina Royal

Cathi Smith

Dr. Kevin Speight

Dr. William P. Steed, Vice Chair

Kennon A. White

Foundation Board Of Directors

Brian Barnett

Atalia Cardenas

Justin Finch

Kevin Firquin, Ex Officio

Chad Fuller

M. Elizabeth Gee, Executive Committee

Dr. Darrin L. Hartness, Ex Officio

Jeremy Hiatt, Treasurer

Tammy Joyce

Teresa Kines

Brandy Koontz

Chuck McConkey

Jeff McIntyre, Executive Committee

Carolyn McManamy

Thompson Miller

Dr. Karl Milliren

Jed Orman

Beth Parrott

Phyllis Penry, President

Terry Renegar, Vice President

Cathi Smith

Jerry F. Smith

Danny Squires

Kim Stanbery

Rebecca Sullivan, Executive Committee

Parker Tilley, Alumni Committee

Wayne Underwood

Cammie Webb, Secretary

Sterling Wall

Matt Welborn

Kevin White

Directors Emeritus

Terry Bralley

Gayle W. Burke

Sara B. DeLapp

Phillip Griffin

Dr. Barbara Leonard

J. Larry Link

Milton Riley

Tom Smith

The Academic Mace

The ceremonial academic mace is an ornamental staff, which first appeared in European universities during the fourteenth century and represented the fusion of two much older staff-like devices of similar length and shape — the regal scepter and the medieval battle mace. Today, the mace serves its vital role as the object vested with the power of the institution. In academia, the mace is one of the treasured symbols of the graduation ceremony. Davidson-Davie first introduced its mace in 2010.

Academic Excellence Award

The Academic Excellence Award is a state-level award celebrating the academic achievements of students in North Carolina Community Colleges. Currently enrolled students completing at least 12 semester hours in an associate degree program and maintaining a cumulative grade point average of not less than 3.25 are eligible.

Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa is an international scholastic society holding the same status in the community college that Phi Beta Kappa carries in four-year colleges and universities. To be eligible for membership, a student must be enrolled in an associate degree program, have successfully completed at least twelve semester hours by the end of the fall semester, have attained a cumulative grade point average of 3.6 or higher, and possess outstanding traits of character and citizenship. The Tau Beta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa was chartered at Davidson County Community College in 1969. Phi Theta Kappa graduates wear royal blue and gold cords and gold stoles.

Graduation with Honors

The College recognizes students who have done outstanding scholastic work as honor graduates. Graduation with honors is granted to students in degree, diploma, and certificate programs who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 and less than 3.8. Graduation with high honors is granted to students in degree, diploma, and certificate programs who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 or higher. Grade point average is based on scholastic work completed at the end of the previous completed semester. All honor graduates wear gold tassels.

Student Support Services, TRIO

The Student Support Services is a federally funded TRIO program. The program provides opportunities that are aimed at enhancing students’ academic development, assists students with their academic progress, and motivates students toward successful completion of their post-secondary education. Graduates wear black and red cords.

Professional Designations

Graduates may wear pins representing professional preparation in their chosen fields.

Military Commencement Honor

Davidson-Davie appreciates and acknowledges the great sacrifices made by those who are serving or have served in a branch of the United States Armed Forces. Active duty, guard/ reserve and veterans wear red, white, and blue cords in honor of their service to the nation.

Scholars of Global Distinction

The Scholars of Global Distinction program seeks to develop engaged global citizens prepared to live and work successfully in our increasingly interdependent world. Global Scholars take 15 hours of globalized courses, attend eight “passport events” on campus, participate in a global experience (study abroad or a local project), and complete a capstone presentation. Global Scholars wear white stoles with globes superimposed on books.

National Society of Leadership and Success

The National Society of Leadership and Success, or Sigma Alpha Pi, is an honorary leadership society with more than 500 college chapters nationwide. Its mission is to build leaders who make a better world and support people in achieving their dreams. Students experience an intensive leadership development program including peer-topeer networking, leadership education, training, and development. Students must be enrolled in a degree program with a 3.0 or higher grade point average. National Society of Leadership and Success graduates wear black and platinum cords and platinum stoles.

Undergraduate Research Scholars

The Undergraduate Research Scholars program is designed to give students an immersive and engaged research experience and enhance their applications to transfer colleges. Scholars participate in research-intensive projects a minimum of 30 hours per 16-week semester. They also present the results of research projects at professional scientific society meetings or symposia, or submit the results of research projects to peer-reviewed journals. Undergraduate Research Scholars wear green cords.

Student Ambassadors

The Student Ambassadors program develops leadership, communication skills, and provides students with the opportunity to give back to Davidson-Davie through volunteering with campus events. Graduates wear double royal blue cords.

Student Government Association

The Student Government Association serves as the voice of the student body by promoting campus involvement, fostering leadership development, supporting student clubs and organizations, and acting as a liaison between student organizations and the campus administration. Graduating officers wear royal blue and white cords.

Graduation Scholarships

The Davidson-Davie Community College Foundation is pleased to award today the Robert Bruce Smith, Jr. Student Success Scholarship, the Paula Mathews Turlington Student Success Scholarship, the Mary E. Rittling Student Success Scholarship, the Mountcastle Insurance Student Success Scholarship, the Betty G. Bunce Memorial Achievement Scholarship, the Eloise S. Bates Memorial Achievement Scholarship, and two Applied Sciences/Skilled Trades Student Achievement Scholarships. These awards are designed to benefit students upon completion of their degrees, in preparation for the next stages of their lives. All of today’s scholarship recipients have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership in their fields of study.

Academic Dress

The College’s associate degree graduates may choose to wear navy and white hoods with their caps and gowns. Students are awarded regalia for academic achievement, participation in leadership activities, or as a symbol of the student’s chosen profession. Faculty and staff are wearing regalia representing colleges, universities, and fields in which their highest degrees were earned.

The history of academic dress reaches far back to the European Middle Ages and the earliest days of the oldest universities when scholars were clerics. Capes with attached hoods and warm caps were needed to combat the cold of drafty buildings. The desire for a uniform appearance (“well born, well turned-out, and somewhat learned,” read one medieval formula) and for marks to distinguish bachelors, masters, and doctors led to the development of the costume that we know today.

When in 1895 American colleges and universities decided to standardize academic dress in this country, a conference was held at Columbia University. There, representatives from various institutions drew up a common code that, with modifications made in 1959, is still in force. The costumes, colors, trimmings, and patterns that you see are traditional and refer to both the specific degree and the field of study.

The bachelor’s gown, designed to be worn closed, has pointed sleeves. The master’s gown, which may be worn open or closed, has an oblong sleeve, open at the wrist, that hangs down nearly to the ground; the back part of its oblong shape is square cut and the front part has the arc cut away. The doctor’s gown may be worn open or closed and has bell-shaped sleeves. Bachelor’s and master’s gowns are untrimmed. Doctor’s gowns are usually faced with black velvet with three bars across the sleeves, although the color of the velvet may vary according to the field of study. The hoods, which differ in length for the three degrees, are lined with the official colors of the university or college that conferred the degree, usually with one color forming a chevron pattern over the other.

Hoods are also edged and bound with velvet in the color appropriate to the field of study. The colors in the hoods and gowns you may see represent the following fields in which degrees were taken: