President Inauguration 2023 Ceremony Program

UNIVERSITY SYMBOLS

THE UNIVERSITY SEAL The chain of office medallion, presented to the incoming president during the investiture, includes the university seal. The seal includes the coat of arms of St. Thomas, incorporating several symbols:

- A shield in the school colors of purple and gray, divided into quarters by a silver cross. - A rayonnant of the sun standing for the school’s patron, St. Thomas Aquinas. - Blue and silvery waves representing Minnesota (‘sky-tinted water’ in the Dakota language), a sword representing the Archdiocese’s namesake, Saint Paul, and two crosses representing the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. - An open book (the symbol of wisdom) with the words “Non Aliam Nisi Te” written on its pages. The phrase refers to a story about a vision seen by St. Thomas Aquinas. Standing at the foot of the cross, Jesus says to him, “You have written well of me. What would you like as your reward?” St. Thomas answers him with the phrase, “Non Aliam Nisi Te” or “None other than you, Lord.” PRESIDENTIAL MACE The mace will be held by Executive Vice President and Provost Eddy Rojas, leading the procession, and will be presented to the president during the investiture. It is sculpted in bronze and decorated with recurring depictions of the seal of the university and the Latin cross. The stem is engraved with the names of all the presidents of the institution.

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