Students decorate graduation caps

Kelly Hatter decorating her hat with a Cal State Fullerton design. (Sean Byrne)

Ashley Reyes

Saddleback College’s cap and gown decorating ceremony was a day to highlight the celebratory aspects of graduation or transferring. On April 29 at 1:30 p.m. in the quad, students were able to purchase their cap and decorate it.

Kelly Hatter adding the names of all who have helped her achieve her goal. (Sean Byrne)

Kelly Hatter, a Cal State Fullerton transfer student, is graduating Saddleback with an associates degree in psychology. She explained how her instructors have influenced her in a positive way.

“I was also very involved with my professors I really valued them not only inside of class but outside of class,” Hatter said.

Another attendee of the cap decorating ceremony was Sid Ames, a theater performance major, who is currently deciding between San Francisco State and University of California Berkeley.

“Saddleback has definitely prepared me and got me motivated to be involved with campus life in other universities,” Ames said.

Ames was part of the ASG interclub council chair,  part of the diversity student council, and also worked for the department of outreach in the student services center, she also served as a student ambassador.

The decorated sign inviting everyone to come join the Gaucho Hour. (Sean Byrne)

“Sometimes in college you figure out what you really want to do, but it may change who knows,” Ames said.

The idea was thought of by Natalie Hart, office assistant for ….she came up with the idea to both advertise graduation, get students involved and also as a right of passage for students transferring.

” It’s really amazing when you get those pictures and you’re able to see the messages written [on the hats], its something that’s done regularly at the university level and I hope it’ll become a tradition here,” Audra DiPadova, director of student life, said.

This is the first year they offered a cap decorating ceremony at Saddleback. Another new thing they hope to do for graduating students for next year is to start a cap and gown recycling program. Students who are graduating next year will have the option to get a recycled or gently used cap to save money.

“One reason students don’t participate in the ceremony is because they don’t want to purchase the cap and gown, so this can help with that,” DiPadova said.

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