The ETBU Ring is filled with significant and inspiring symbols of your transformative ETBU experience on the Hill. In Deuteronomy 6, the Lord commands us to carry and display our love for Christ with all our heart, soul, and strength. God calls us to place His precepts for life upon our hearts. He also challenges us to tie His commandments as symbols on our hands. As you carry the love of Christ with you, I ask that you would also carry this token of the Christian education you received at ETBU.
As you look at the top of your ETBU Class Ring, you will see the Seal of East Texas Baptist University. St. Andrew’s Cross is emblazoned on the center of the shield, an armor proclaiming the foundation of ETBU built on the cornerstone of Christ. Surrounding the shield are the Latin words Veritas, Mores, and Scientia. These words translate to Truth, Character, and knowledge, which are cornerstones of the University. Anchoring the University seal is the year 1912, when Rev. W.T. Tardy, pastor of First Baptist Church in Marshall, founded ETBU’s forerunner, the College of Marshall. The Seal also features two Texas Lone Stars, representing the College of Marshall and East Texas Baptist College, the institution’s Texas Baptist heritage, and its rich contribution to Texas history.
The first side of the ring depicts Max Greiner’s Divine Servant ® statue, which sits in front of the Rogers Spiritual Life Center and inspires the University Family to follow Jesus Christ’s model of servant leadership. Centered between your class year, the Scarborough Cross sits as a significant reminder that the grace of God is sufficient for all things and as a symbol of your spiritual formation here on the Hill. To the right, the globe represents Jesus’ Great Commission to His followers in Matthew 28 to go and make disciples. This globe not only focuses on this command to reach the nations in His name but also represents the impact of ETBU alumni, who are living and serving across the world. Our prayer is that the Gospel continues to reach to the ends of the Earth through our graduates as well as our students, faculty, and staff in service to God’s Kingdom. The prominent engraving of the Bible showcases East Texas Baptist’s commitment to integrating biblical faith and learning. God’s Word is the foundation upon which the University stands and teaches.
Appearing beneath the Bible are oak, pine, and myrtle. These symbols of ETBU’s heritage are handed down through generations of Tigers – the grace of the myrtle, the strength of the oak, and the ever-flourishing life of the pine. We pray God’s grace, strength, and abundance is evident along life’s path as promised in Proverbs 3:5-6, the University’s theme verse. This verse appears on the chevron as a guidepost to the University Family, reminding us to seek the Lord’s plan for our lives and not rely on our own strength.
On the reverse side of the ring, the depiction of Marshall Hall and the Light on the Hill represents the two most significant pieces of history and tradition at ETBU. Marshall Hall, built in 1916, is the institution’s oldest building and has stood as an icon for Christian education since its inception. The Light on the Hill, featured on the East Lawn of Marshall Hall, was installed in 1932 and remains front and center of the University as a symbol of enduring guidance, knowledge, and truth. The Light, which burns brightly night and day, serves as a reminder of the campus community’s call from Matthew 5:16 to be a city on a hill shining the Light of Christ into the lives of others. Our home on the Hill is nothing without you, our students, proudly known as Tigers. This sentiment is featured below the Light on the Hill, signifying that the future of ETBU is in the hands of its Tiger graduates.
This ring is a symbol of Tiger Pride and academic accomplishment that allows graduates to take the spirit of ETBU wherever God leads in fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission call. Our hope is that the ring will open the door for Gospel conversations with others about how God has worked in your life and through ETBU. Upon your graduation this December, you will forever be a part of the Christ-centered legacy of East Texas Baptist University.
