University Symbols

The ceremonial mace is a centuries-old tradition in academia, signifying the knowledge gained and the power that it brings.

To honor this practice and the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s commitment to higher education, a mace is now part of the campus’ 60-year legacy.

The 42-inch mace will be carried in esteem by the Faculty Senate chairperson during commencement, convocation and other ceremonial events to signify the arrival of the faculty processional.

The UM-Dearborn mace is strong in Michigan representation through its contemporary and purposeful design. It is carved from native wood — walnut, which is prevalently found in the campus’ 300-plus acre Environmental Study Areas — and decorated with Michigan symbols: natural, industrial and educational.

• Copper banding — the warm-hued element chosen to signify Michigan’s upper peninsula with the natural resource famously found there — twists around the staff and includes engraved names of top campus leaders throughout the years.
• Petoskey stones — fossilized coral fragments from approximately 350 million years ago and found in Michigan’s lower peninsula — adorn the top of the mace, arranged in the shape of the Great Lakes state, representing their status as the state stone and serving as a reminder of the area’s rich history.
• Three copper medallions display the strength and partnership of UM-Dearborn’s foundation.
• The official campus seal — one with maize enamel and the other with blue enamel — gives homage to university colors and the standard of academic excellence the University of Michigan system upholds. And a third honors the gift from the Ford Motor Co., allowing our higher education institution to take shape in the community and have a positive impact on the people and industries in the state, region and beyond.
   

The Seal of the University of Michigan-Dearborn is used as a formal insignia on official university documents. The lantern represents liberal learning and symbolizes enlightenment. The banner, “Artes, Scientia, Veritas,” (Arts, Knowledge, Truth) encourages each student to commit to in-depth systematic study, through disciplinary and professional knowledge. The rays of the sun represent personal growth. The outer rings symbolize social responsibility. 

The Chancellor’s Medallion is a symbol of the University of Michigan-Dearborn Chain of Office.

• In the center of the pewter medallion is a raised shield, a design taken from an exterior copper decoration on Fair Lane, the Henry Ford Estate.
• The wave at the top of the shield represents the Rouge River which runs behind the estate.
• A knot, superimposed on the shield, symbolizes the connection of the three campuses of the University of Michigan, the connections between the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the community, and the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s urban and suburban constituencies.
• The background inlay of the shield represents the four schools of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. The University of Michigan appears above the shield; Dearborn appears below. The dates 1817, establishment of the University of Michigan, and 1959, establishment of the University of Michigan-Dearborn, appear on either side. A grove of maple and beech trees, in relief on either side of the shield, represents the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s natural area.