Lasell is Gifted Official Mace and Medallion

One highlight of the Lasell College investiture ceremony for President Michael B. Alexander will be the introduction of two important new College symbols — the mace and the medallion.  Both are a gift to Lasell from Co-Chair of the Inauguration Committee Adelaide Shaffer Van Winkle ’36, H’96.

The Mace

The mace in medieval times was a weapon, a heavy staff or club made wholly or partially from metal, and was used to break armor.  From the 13th Century, the king’s bodyguards carried the mace as a symbol of secular authority.  At colleges and universities around the country, the mace is carried by the marshal as a symbol of the power and authority of education.  The new Lasell mace, adorned with the College seal, will be carried at the head of academic processions including commencements and convocations.  The Lasell mace was designed with brass accents and the staff was made with beautifully turned mahogany wood.

The Medallion and the Chain of Office

Resembling an impressive necklace, the Medallion and chain of office is a traditional symbol used to recognize the authority and responsibilities of a college president. The links of the Lasell chain of office are engraved with the names of the current president and his predecessors including their years of service, with Michael Alexander’s name on the link directly above a medallion in the form of the College’s seal. The Medallion and chain of office worn around the neck and shoulders, will be used at commencements and other occasions when academic regalia are appropriate.

The Lasell seal displays the Latin motto from one of Horace’s odes, repulsae nescia (ignorant of defeat).  The crossed ladders, lamp and two open books all suggest learning, enlightenment, and achievement, and the date of 1851 is that of the founding of the school.  The sorrounding belt with the clasp at the bottom originally contained the phrase “Lasell Seminary for Young Women.”  The only modification of the seal in later times was the change of name to Lasell Junior College and subsequently to Lasell College.

The Mace	The Medallion and the Chain of Office