Senior E-News

Say thank you to those who have helped you along the way!

Every graduate has had a special person who, through moral or financial support, made a big difference in his or her life. The Stole of Gratitude offers an opportunity to say, “Thanks for helping me make it through, thanks for making it possible for me to succeed! I didn’t do this alone.” The Stole is a lasting symbol of appreciation, and a fitting way for graduates to pay special tribute to those people who have shaped their life. Recipients will never forget the kindness and sentimental feelings connected with being presented with the Stole.

Presenters often write a few words of love and appreciation on the back of the Stole using a permanent marker. Friends and family of the graduate autograph the front or back.

The legend of the Stole of Gratitude

In medieval Europe, a monk traveling the countryside found a starving young boy wandering through his burned-out village, orphaned after the village had been destroyed by bandits. The only thing he carried was a piece of fabric from his mother’s clothes that had torn off in his hand as she was taken away. Delivering him to his monastery, the monk set about teaching him to read and write. He schooled the boy in literature, history, and scientific thought, and trained him in the skills of debate and negotiation. When the boy left the monastery he traveled to the royal city and became a squire to a knight, who trained him in horsemanship, swordsmanship, and the subtleties of court society. After several years the King made him an advisor to the royal court. Contemplating his life’s journey one day, he felt that he must acknowledge the support of his mentors. He took some of the fabric from his mother’s dress he had always carried with him, some wool from his monastic robes, and some of the silk tunic he now wore and fashioned two cloth stoles, embroidered with the runic symbol of his village, the crest of the knight he had served, and the emblem of the royal court. He then presented these stoles to the monk and the knight, along with letters proclaiming his gratitude.

Today, the Stole of Gratitude is worn by a graduating student during the commencement ceremony as a symbol of their academic achievements and presented with honor to those who provided aid and support in reaching their goal.

The Stole of Gratitude is available at the UConn Co-op for $21.99.