UAB mace
The UAB mace is a ceremonial symbol of authority whose form is derived from the weapon of the same name. It represents the authority wielded by the Provost and faculty on behalf of the University of Alabama Board of Trustees, which is under charter to the State of Alabama.
UAB's ceremonial mace was presented to the university as a gift from UAB Graduate School dean Samuel Barker and his wife Justine. They commissioned it from artist Cordray Parker. He constructed it of brass and bronze with stainless steel fittings, representing the city's association with forging and steel-making. Enameled medallions incorporated into the pommel represent the lamp of knowledge, the rod of Asclepius, representing medicine, and the UAB logo, executed in green and gold by Heidi Bowman. The mace is approximately 4 feet in length and weighs 10 to 15 pounds and has two handles.
The UAB mace debuted at commencement exercises held in June 1989. It was carried in procession by UAB School of Education professor Virginia Horns-Marsh (who has been credited previously with selecting the colors green and gold to represent UAB.)
Until 2019 the mace was stored atop a cabinet in the Provost's office on the 10th floor of the UAB Administration Building. At the suggestion of then-Provost Pam Benoit, UAB Collat School of Business associate professor Jamey Worrell constructed a wooden display stand for the UAB mace at his family's millwork shop in Chattahoochee, Florida. For the base he used white oak salvaged from clearing the UAB Campus Green site for University Hall. He sourced additional salvaged wood from Alabama Sawyer for other components of the stand. He chose hickory, representing resiliency, for the feet; elm, representing knowledge, for the side cradles; and cherry, representing passion, for the cross-brace. The wood is finished with tung oil. The UAB seal is inlaid into the center of the cross-brace. The completed stand went on display in the summer of 2021.
References
- Buchanan, Charles (March 2020) "Meet the Mace." UAB Magazine
- Herfurth, Haley (August 27, 2021) "A new stand for the Mace: How a Blazer’s family tradition gave new life to a UAB icon." ]]UAB News]]