WINONA, Minn. — President Scott Olson at Winona State University considers himself an enthusiast for meaningful traditions. The graduation bell will be a new tradition as students each ring the bell as they accept their diplomas on the commencement dais. It has special meaning in 2021, Olson said, because these are students who have been through the unsettling experience of the Covid pandemic. The idea for the Commencement Bell was explored through the campus Student Experience Committee, Olson said. “It’s an exciting new tradition that will happen henceforth to proclaim their achievement,” Olson said.
Olson. WSU president since 2012 sees Commencement Bell as new tradition.
Commencement Bell. All 40 inches of its cast iron height reverberate as each graduate pulls the cord.