{"id":13217,"date":"2018-02-20T21:53:17","date_gmt":"2018-02-20T21:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/?p=13217&post_type=story"},"modified":"2020-05-21T19:02:50","modified_gmt":"2020-05-21T19:02:50","slug":"the-grad-hatters","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/pegasus\/the-grad-hatters\/","title":{"rendered":"The Grad Hatters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spring 2018 | By Bree Adamson \u201904<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Campus is abuzz with art these days, from statues and stained glass<\/a> to impressive murals<\/a>. But one form of artistic expression has gained popularity in recent years, going from rebel status to handcrafted sentiment and making an appearance each spring, summer and fall.<\/p>\n

Graduation caps, or mortarboards as they\u2019re formally called, are part of every Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ student\u2019s commencement attire. And with ample space on top, the caps provide the perfect canvas for proud students to make a decorated declaration on their big day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gives students a last chance to express themselves, a last statement before moving on,\u201d says Melissa Westbrook \u201914 \u201916MNM \u201916MPA<\/strong>, who decorated graduation caps for more than 100 students through Caps for a Cause<\/a>. Westbrook founded the organization and donated each $10 crafting fee to Feeding\u00a0Children Everywhere, a nonprofit that provides healthy meals to people in need.<\/p>\n

Westbrook\u2028 estimates the number \u2028of decorated caps\u2028at graduation has \u2028quadrupled since she\u2028 started designing them in Fall 2013. \u201cOnce people started seeing photos of caps online, it caught on like wildfire,\u201d she says. And\u2028 the designs run the gamut from motivational and movie quotes \u2028to humor and favorite hobbies. \u201c[Decorated caps] show the creativity of students, and it\u2019s another way for them to show gratitude \u2014 to their mom and dad, their grandma, their mentors.\u201d<\/p>\n

These days Westbrook is semiretired from decorating caps. Fortunately, other groups and entrepreneurial students have sprung up to help less\u2028 crafty students create memorable grad caps.<\/p>\n

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For upcoming graduates, Westbrook offers the following advice:<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Make your message clear and concise.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Have a maximum of three different components.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Don\u2019t break the bank. You can craft a great cap for less than $20.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Plan your idea in advance and shop sales ahead of time, not the week of graduation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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