UND ‘legacies’ honored with green, white and pink cords at commencement

A new tradition on the UND campus will begin on May 12. For the first time, “legacy” students will be honored at spring commencement with a specific cord to recognize the connection they share with their family members who have graduated before them.

Katie Crook, Boulder, Colo., a third-generation graduate, sees the new tradition as a way to express the UND pride on which she was raised.

“I could not be more proud to be graduating from that college and becoming another member of my family to graduate from UND,” she said.

Students with UND graduates in their family history (parents, step-parents or grandparents) are considered legacies. Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible. (Professional degree graduates will be honored in different ways through their ceremonies.)

Katie’s father, Tim, ’71, ’73, is proud of Katie’s nursing degree, and also loves what the cords represent and the memories they bring back. His father, William E. Crook, graduated from UND in 1943, and Tim says he was “very proud of being a UND graduate.” While William was here, he lived at Camp Depression, free student housing for students willing to do manual labor.

William, Tim and Katie aren’t the only Crooks relatives to graduate from UND. Tim also has an aunt, uncle, brother and two sisters who have graduated from UND, with two master’s degrees in the mix.

“We’ve received a great response to the availability of the legacy cords,” said Sarah Kotelnicki, ’03, director of Alumni Relations at the Alumni Association and Foundation. “In several cases, alums, parents, grandparents and students themselves have become emotional about the opportunity to honor their family ties within their individual accomplishment.”

Legacy cords are available for pickup at the Memorial Union May2-4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in front of the Student Involvement Offices. Eligible students should bring their student ID card and the name of their family member(s) who graduated from UND. Legacy cords are provided as a gift to UND legacies from the Alumni Association and Foundation.

— Alyssa Shirek, associate director of marketing, Alumni Association and Foundation, 777-4879, alyssas@undalumni.org.