Class of 2019: A recap of creative TU caps
From pop culture to clever puns, the class of 2019 shares the inspiration behind their cap decorations
By Rebecca Kirkman on May 30, 2019
A decorated cap infuses personality into Commencement regalia.
Graduates use their caps to show off artistic skills, thank friends and family or send a final message on the day they transition from Towson University students to alumni.
We asked graduates from TU's class of 2019 to share the inspiration behind their decorated caps.
Name that tune
Becca Davenport '19 decorated her cap with lyrics from the song "Dear Maria, Count Me In" by All Time Low. She graduated from the Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics on May 24 with a bachelor's degree in information systems.
"The inspiration behind my cap design is my favorite band, All Time Low, who are originally from [the Towson] area themselves," says Davenport. "Their concerts have always felt like home to me so I knew I wanted to incorporate them into my cap design."
Her favorite memories at TU include seeing All Time Low perform on campus in 2009 and 2013. "It feels like a very full-circle moment knowing that I’ll be walking across the same stage I watched them perform on," she says.
"Additionally, I’ve had great experiences and made a lot of really great friendships through the Jewish organization on campus, Towson Hillel. I even got the chance to travel to Israel with [the organization] on Birthright, so I’ll forever be grateful to them."
Feeling the magic
When it was time to decorate her cap, Lea Brisbane '19 was determined to come up with a clever and original pun.
For her undergraduate Commencement, Brisbane's cap was decorated in a more serious tone. "So I decided to go with something more fun and lighthearted for my master's," she says.
Her inspiration? "Puns and Harry Potter." She landed on a design that makes two Harry Potter references, cutting out the lettering by hand to resemble the series' signature font.
The determination paid off. Brisbane's cap was voted winner of TU's cap decorating contest on Facebook, racking up 430 likes.
The graduate of the College of Education with a master's in counseling psychology says her favorite TU memories came from the cohort experience.
"I'll never forget getting to know and grow with my cohort over the last two years!"
Planting roots
Graduating from the College of Fine Arts and Communication on May 22 with a bachelor's in mass communication, Kylie Hipps '19 took her cap's design inspiration from family, mentorship and her major.
The hand-painted yellow flowers allude to Hipps' childhood nickname, Buttercup, given by her father, as well as inspiration from a mentor during her time at TU.
"The previous director of communications for Towson University, Ray Feldmann, always quoted, 'Bloom where you are planted,'" Hipps explains. "With a lot of sunshine, and a little bit of rain, I have grown and bloomed into the woman I have always aspired to be."
"Your Ad Here," meanwhile, is a play on her advertising and strategic public relations tracks within the mass communication major.
"With all of the advertising, media planning and buying, and content creation classes I have taken at Towson, I thought it was a smart way of paying tribute to the lessons I have learned," Hipps says.
Even more caps
See more creative Tiger caps from the College of Education and the College of Fine Arts and Communication ceremonies on May 22:
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Caps from the College of Business and Economics and the College of Health Professions on May 23:
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Cap designs from the Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Liberal Arts on May 24:
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