Owens Community College recently unveiled its first-ever College Mace and Presidential Medallion.

Created by School of Technology faculty and staff, the mace and medallion were presented to the Board of Trustees during their regular April meeting, in conjunction with National Community College Month. They were used for the first time during Owens’ Spring Commencement May 6.

The College Mace, fabricated of glass, steel and aluminum in the colors of the academic schools and the college, serves as a permanent symbol of the authority of the institution. Traditionally, it is carried by a distinguished member of the institution who precedes the college’s president, board of trustees and dignitaries during commencement and other ceremonial processions. Additionally, the mace will have a designated place of honor signifying the opening and closing of ceremonial sessions.

Both the College Mace and Presidential Medallion were created by the College's School of Technology faculty and staff and were used for the first time during Owens' Spring Commencement ceremony May 6.

Inspired by the college’s namesake Michael J. Owens, a Toledo inventor who changed the glass industry forever by mechanizing bottle blowing in 1903, the mace prominently features a black gear from an Owens-Illinois glass blowing machine to represent Toledo’s significance and rich history to the glass industry.

In higher education, the Presidential Medallion, which is silver in color with the college’s seal in red, symbolizes the President’s responsibility and leadership of the academic institution.

Both the one-of-kind College Mace and Presidential Medallion were handcrafted by Owens faculty and staff through a process that included rough sketches and drawings, computer-aided design technology drawings, prototype creation and parts fabrication using computer numerical controlled machining and assembly.

School of Technology representatives instrumental in the design and creation of the mace and medallion include Professor of Design Technologies Reed Knowles of Toledo, Manufacturing Technologies Lab Technician Peter Johns of Oregon, Instructor of Design Technologies Alan Bethea of Toledo and Chair of Design Technologies and Co-Interim Dean of the School of Technology Randy Wharton of Perrysburg.

Additionally, local artist and owner of Village Glass in Sylvania Mike Wallace contributed his artistic glass blowing talents to College Mace project.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed