Today, the Mills Baccalaureate Ceremony was held in the Chapel.
According to the Mills website, the ceremony is “intended as a ‘spiritual sendoff’ marking the transition from student to alumnae and offers a time to honor all graduating students. Baccalaureate features such elements as music, dance, and words of wisdom.”
Performances included graduating students Brianna Marron playing cello and Dorothy Berry singing “This Will Be Our Year” by The Zombies. Ciera Cummings and Lauren Benjamin respectively delivered the Undergraduate and Graduate Reflections whereas Dr. Dan Ryan, the associate professor of sociology, gave the Baccalaureate Address.
Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, The Campanil was unable to record the ceremony. But we thank the Division of Student Life, Department of Spiritual and Religious Life and the College Events, Facilities and Grounds crew for hosting and co-creating the lovely event.
Below is our College anthem, Fires of Wisdom. It was an original poem composed by Fanny Rouse Carpenter from the Class of 1873 and rewritten with a final stanza by Kathy Bennion Barrett from the Class of 1964. Music was later composed by Edward Faber Schneider, the former Dean of the Department of Music, in 1913.
The song will be also be sung during the Commencement tomorrow morning.
O, fires of wisdom burning
Among the sunset hills
We hail they faithful keeper
Our Alma Mater, Mills.
Sweet altar fires of knowledge,
Within thy light we kneel;
On thy blue smoke ascending
Our yearning spirits steal.
Repeat:
On thy blue smoke ascending
Our yearning spirits steal.
O, may our high endeavor
Live sparks from thy flame win,
To light on our own altars
fair wisdom’s fire within.
Our cherished fost’ring mother,
These Golden Gated Hills
Shall guard thy fires forever;
Thy daughters hail thee Mills.
Repeat:
Shall guard thy fires forever;
Thy daughters hail thee, Mills.
We gather now, Mills sisters
To raise our torches high
Rekindle wisdom’s fires
Renew and sanctify.
Although the earth may tremble
These halls will ring and fill
With voices of our sisters
For generations still.
Repeat:
With voices of our sisters
For generations still.
For more related posts, check out our Commencement page.
