May 20, 2015

TRADITIONS: One ring to bind them all

Whether it’s black onyx or mother of pearl, a sturdy band or a slight circle, 18-karat gold or stainless steel, a Providence College ring is a tangible link to a special time.

One side of the ring is traditional, usually displaying the letters BA or BS, depending on the degree received; 1917, the year of the College’s founding; and the Veritas torch. The other side incorporates details special to each class and chosen by a student committee. Through the decades there have been Friar heads, Providence skylines, anchors representing the state symbol of Rhode Island, clasped hands, and iconic buildings such as Harkins Hall.

Receiving the ring is a special occasion, always involving a blessing and much feeling, as described in the 1966 edition of Veritas, the College yearbook: “It was the year of the Ring Dance, when Father Dore blessed the rings to the literal sound of champagne music, when a large walk-through ring added ‘class’ to the ring ceremony, and a bold ‘66’ characterized our original design.”

Whether it’s worn daily, tucked away for safekeeping, or passed along to a child, a PC ring is always more than a piece of jewelry.

That’s why Katharine Mueller ’16 (Norwood, Mass.) didn’t hesitate to order hers when the time came. Her Class of 2016 ring includes a street sign showing the intersection of Eaton Street and Huxley Avenue, meant to commemorate the College’s purchase of a portion of Huxley, which eventually will become a pedestrian walkway.

“I’ll wear the ring all the time,” Mueller promised. “PC’s been my life for the past four years.”