Kennesaw State University Mace
The honor of leading the academic procession as Chief Faculty Marshal is given to
the chair of the Faculty Senate. The marshal carries the mace to symbolize of rich
traditions of higher education.
The practice of carrying a mace dates back to the Middle Ages. Originally designed
as a weapon, it was carried by a respected senior member of the community who was
chosen to protect and guide the leaders as their group traveled through crowded streets.
The KSU mace was designed by Patrick Taylor, former chairman of the Department of
Visual Arts, and hand-crafted on campus. The polished bronze handgrip is a stylized
owl, both KSU's mascot and the symbol of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom.
The globe near the top of the mace represents graduates going out into the world.
Topping the globe is the lamp of learning, a traditional symbol of higher education,
with a flame representing the quest for knowledge. A large bronze medallion displaying
the university seal is part of the globe, and the festive ribbons streaming from the
crown that cradles the globe represent the university colors.
