The Rider Rock

Graduating seniors will take part in a new Rider tradition on Commencement Day May 12.

At the end of their Commencement ceremony on the Campus Green, graduates of the Class of 2006 will have an opportunity to walk by and touch the “Rider Rock,” which is located adjacent to the Bart Luedeke Center Patio.

On the five-foot high granite rock, “Rider University” is inscribed on an embedded glazed tablet, along with the insignia of the tree of knowledge and the year Rider was founded. It also includes the Latin words, “In Omnia Paratus,” which translate to: “in all things, go prepared.” Also appearing on the tablet is the temporary statement: “By touching the Rider Rock, we affirm our commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and the betterment of our world. Through the time we spent here, we are forever joined to the past and future generations of students and to Rider University.” Permanent language will be finalized at a later date.

The Rider Rock was initiated by students to honor generations of Rider students, past, present and future and to connect them to the symbolic Rider Elm, the emblem of learning and the cycles of life.

Perry Whiteley, outgoing SGA president, maintains that the tree will be forever preserved in Rider’s rich history. “This helps connect past and future generations to each class as they graduate,” said Whiteley. “It’s something that hopefully in 30 years, Rider graduates can come back with their kids and say, ‘I touched this rock when I graduated.’ This has been yet another successful collaboration between student and the administration. Hopefully this tradition will also instill a stronger connection between students and the University.”