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Presidential Necklace
Presidential Necklace
In 1995, Dr. Thomas Gamble, president of Joliet Junior College, commissioned part-time
instructor Bev Decman to create a symbol to be worn by the college’s president during
the graduation ceremony. Decman, whose specialty is jewelry and metalwork, crafted
a necklace of medallions to honor the history of the nation’s oldest public community
college.
Using a combination of her own ideas and the suggestions of her students, Decman’s
creation consists of 11 linked brass medallions plated in 24-karat gold. Sugelite
stones are set in two of the pieces to honor the college’s official color purple;
two medallions are etched with a deer to represent the natural beauty of the campus;
and six medallions feature doors that honor the college’s first location at the
original Joliet Central Technical High School. The largest medallion is reversible;
one side features the motto Carpe Diem (seize the day) with the college crest, while
the other side has a representation of the Main Campus building and the slogan Reach
for the Promise of Tomorrow.
“Dr. Gamble wanted something to represent the school that all the presidents would
have—something historic,” said Decman, a lifelong Joliet resident who has taught
at JJC for 25 years.
The $500 necklace has the names of all JJC presidents and their tenures engraved
on the medallions. Gamble passed away from cancer in 2007 while serving as president
of Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Fla.