LMU Loyola Law School is enhancing its regalia for the May 2023 Commencement ceremony, when it will shift to custom-designed red regalia for JD, LLM and JSD graduates complemented by hoods unique to the law school. The shift to red regalia from black was due to go into effect for the May 2020 Commencement ceremony but was delayed by COVID. Deans and other school leadership wore regalia featuring the new design elements during the May 2022 Commencement ceremony.
The community-driven decision to change regalia colors was made during the university’s rebranding process, which began in 2017, to elevate the significance of the ceremony and fall in line with the color scheme used for all other LMU doctoral programs. The visual identity transformation was made in consultation with the entire university community; LLS students, alumni, faculty, and staff opinions were solicited as part of the overall rebranding process.
One of the goals of the rebranding was to bring LLS and LMU in closer alignment so that all benefit from the rewards of our shared successes. The more consistently LMU colleges are aligned, the more effective the university can be in projecting one brand to the outside world. This inures to everyone’s benefit by lifting the value of university degrees, along with establishing more clearly defined connections to facilitate networking and other opportunities among the university’s large family of alumni.
The law school retains its unique nature in a number of ways. The newly designed hoods incorporate purple in a nod to the color traditionally associated with the legal academy, fusing the unique character of LLS among all seven LMU colleges. Diploma covers will also be unique to the law school. Moreover, the law school covers the cost of the regalia.
The regalia shift comes with added benefits. The color will make the ceremony and related photography more vibrant. Additionally, the color change provides law school graduates with a unique look firmly rooted in academic excellence. The crimson color is evocative of gowns worn at other elite institutions.
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