Graduation is set for Friday, May 3, but there is one treasured ceremony that happens prior to commencement: Magnolia Chain.
2023’s magnolia chain after blossoms were collected
The chain, which is fashioned from magnolia leaves by members of the sophomore class, is a ceremony that dates back to at least 1890. Although the first chains were made from daisies or other flowers, students began making it from magnolias in 1905.
For some seniors, this ceremony truly cements their feelings of entering the Long Blue Line.
“As we walked two by two in unison singing the Magnolia Chain Song, I felt as if it was the reality of graduation truly being just a few hours away,” said Hallie Chastain, a 2023 graduate. “As a class cheerleader, I had been anticipating the opportunity to sing ‘Hail to Thee’ since convocation during Homecoming with my fellow past cheerleaders and on the stage during Mag Chain.”
The white magnolia blossoms that are woven into the chain are said to represent the purity of achievement, and the green leaves represent the growth and experiences of students in the past four years. Those who walk away with a blossom or bud are said to have good fortune and romance. During the event seniors sing the “Magnolia Chain Song” while holding onto the chain and walking campus for one last time as a student.
"For me, Mag Chain was the most memorable part of graduation," said Annie Oeth, a 1987 journalism graduate. "My classmates and I decided that capturing a magnolia blossom meant all-around success and luck, and as soon as we finished singing 'Friends,' we were going after those magnolias! I came out of the pile of soon-to-be graduates with a few bruises, but I had a magnolia."
Trey Harper, a 1998 graduate, still has fond memories of his Mag Chain experience.
“My wife and I both graduated from The W in 1998. I was the Student Government president, so I got to be up close and personal with the prep and tradition. The magnolias had not bloomed, but we had plenty of buds,” he said. “Because we were already engaged, getting one wasn’t a top priority, but I may have intentional gotten in the way of a few folks so that Heather could grab one. With all the traditions about being an old maid, I wasn’t leaving anything to chance.”
Chastain joined the rush for a magnolia, as well.
2023 senior, Hallie Chastain (right), attending the annual Mag Chain ceremony.
“It was truly a moment I am grateful for but, the most special part was all of us graduates who had chosen to participate in the ceremony gathering in a circle at the end of the Mag Chain, singing ‘Friends,’ and rushing to grab our momentous magnolia flower from within the chain,” she said. “It is such a special part of the ceremony, and the song shows the value of going to such a small and tight-knit university.”
While graduation can be a sad time of saying goodbye, it is also a time of joining all those who went before and established the traditions that make The W special.
“Looking back, those traditions were some of the best parts of my W experience,” Harper said. “It was those moments you really feel the presence of the long blue line. As all those generations watched, I know there were quite a few who weren’t a fan of my presence that day, but those moments are what wove me forever into the tapestry of our beloved university.”
There will be two commencement ceremonies on May 3, just hours after Mag Chain. The first ceremony, which begins at 1 p.m., will feature graduates in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Bill and Jo-Ann Vandergriff College of Nursing & Health Sciences (Associate of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing, Doctorate of Nursing). The second ceremony, which begins at 4 p.m., will see graduates of the College of Business & Professional Studies, the School of Education, and the Bill and Jo-Ann Vandergriff College of Nursing & Health Sciences (Kinesiology, Public Health, Speech-Language Pathology) walk across the stage.