Make your Missouri Statement with your mortarboard

#BearGrads, commencement is approaching quickly. The moment that you walk across the stage and graduate in front of all your friends and family will be one of the proudest moments of your life. Get your cap and gown ready because the big day is coming fast.

A trend that has been around MSU’s campus in recent years has been for graduates to decorate their mortarboard (the square, flat part of the graduation cap). Painting, bedazzling, adding some personal flare to your mortarboard is a perfect way for you to make the event even more meaningful and to leave Missouri State with a special memory.

MSU students have gotten pretty creative decorating their mortarboards over the years. Here’s a gallery of some of our favorite mortarboards at recent ceremonies:

A student wears a mortarboard featuring a school house and the words, "Adventure is out there. Miss Thurston."

“Adventure is out there,” from fall 2017 commencement

A student wears a mortarboard decorated with flowers and a silhouette of the continent of Africa.

Representing culture – A student wears a mortarboard decorated with flowers and the continent of Africa.

A student wears a mortarboard saying "I don't know where I'm going from here. But I know it won't be boring."

“I don’t know where I’m going from here. But I know it won’t be boring,” from fall 2017 commencement

A group of students sit together with their decorated mortarboards

“What feels like the end is often the beginning,” and jeweled Bear head from fall 2017 commencement

A student wears the Honduras flag on her mortarboard at summer 2017 commencement.

A student looks forward; her decorated mortarboard reads, "Para mi familia."

“Para mi familia,” / “For my family,” from summer 2017 commencement

Two students pose with their backs to the camera with their mortarboards decorated with one saying "Psyched to graduate" and the other featuring DNA strands around the edges of the mortar board.

“Psyched to graduate” from fall 2017 commencement

A student wear a decorated mortarboard, saying "Dreams come true! 2017" with the image of a castle.

“Dreams come true!” from fall 2017 commencement

A student wears her decorated mortarboard which reads "Now I'm like this cylinder. We're both graduated."

“Now I’m like this cylinder. We’re both graduated,” from summer 2017 commencement

A student walks during commencement with his mortarboard decorated with a set of Mickey Mouse ears

Mickey Mouse ears at fall 2017 commencement

A student wears her decorated mortarboard reading, "See the ability. Not the disability."

“See the ability. Not the disability,” from fall 2017 commencement

A student looks at the stage, her mortarboard reading "Always Stay Kind and Humble" facing the camera.

“Always Stay Kind and Humble” from 2017 summer commencement

A student sits wearing a decorated mortarboard reading "What like it's hard?" with an image of Elle Woods from Legally Blonde

“What like it’s hard?” from fall 2017 commencement

A student wears her mortarboard which reads "Because Hogwarts doesn't accept FAFSA."

“Because Hogwarts doesn’t accept FAFSA,” from fall 2017 commencement

Making your own mortar board

Supplies you will need include:

Scissors
Markers/Pens
Construction paper
Tape/Glue
Glitter
Ribbons
Sequins
Ruler/tape measure
Bear stencils

Need more inspiration?

You can find plenty of ideas on sites like Pinterest, but remember that the best designs showcase your individuality. You might even make the Missouri State Twitter feed. Be sure to add #BearGrads to your social media post.

Making your own mortar board

Need more inspiration?

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