Joshua McGuire, BMus鈥�03 and principal senior lecturer in musicianship at Blair School of Music, has been named the new university marshal for Vanderbilt鈥檚 Commencement ceremony. The university marshal serves as the 鈥渃onductor of movement,鈥� ensuring the procession flows smoothly for all involved. It鈥檚 one of the highest honors a faculty member can receive.
McGuire succeeds Cynthia Paschal, senior associate dean for undergraduate education in the School of Engineering and associate professor of biomedical engineering, who organized the Commencement procession during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as for the event鈥檚 first two years off campus, at Bridgestone Arena and GEODIS Park.
鈥淐ommencement is a cherished tradition, and I鈥檓 deeply grateful to Cynthia Paschal for her dedication in guiding it through unprecedented challenges,鈥� said C. Cybele Raver, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. 鈥淎s she passes the mace to Joshua McGuire, we are in excellent hands. His artistry, precision and deep connection to Vanderbilt will ensure this milestone remains meaningful for all.鈥�
The university marshal oversees virtually every detail of the procession, ensuring nearly 2,000 people鈥攊ncluding students, faculty, alumni and guests of honor鈥攁re lined up in the right order, the various schools鈥� academic colors are properly displayed, the faculty marshals have everything they need to serve the students, the regalia is correct, and that everyone can get to their seats efficiently and smoothly. In the case of GEODIS Park, it even means measuring the backstage areas down to the inch to determine where everyone needs to wait before they emerge onto the field.
McGuire, an opera librettist who studied conducting and now teaches aural skills, sees similarities between the Commencement ceremony and musical performance. Both require an awareness of the emotional impact of the moment, good timing and leading through collaboration, he said. 鈥淵ou have to be able to clearly envision a big goal while at the same time making a thousand little details link up to that big goal,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 been a challenge in which I鈥檝e felt at home.鈥�
He has no plans to reinvent the procession, however. Rather, he sees his role as a joyful responsibility to uphold treasured traditions that go back, in some cases, hundreds of years. 鈥淲e鈥檙e saying, here鈥檚 this way of life. You鈥檝e achieved this. Now you take it and you live it for yourself,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 lot of meaning is being conveyed with very few words. And it鈥檚 something that people who have gone through it remember for the rest of their lives. There鈥檚 tremendous beauty and power in it.鈥�
One of the things at the top of his to-do list is recruiting faculty marshals to assist with the procession. 鈥淥ne thing that I can say to my fellow faculty鈥攁s an alumnus鈥攊s that it means more than you know when you show up,鈥� he said, recalling how touched he was to see his thesis adviser, Roy Gottfried, professor emeritus of English and university marshal emeritus (he served in the role for more than 12 years), standing on the stage as McGuire received his own diploma. 鈥淭his is what they remember of you. If you鈥檙e willing to come take part in that moment with them, it鈥檚 a wonderful way to connect with your students.鈥�
Faculty who are interested in serving as faculty marshals for this year鈥檚 Commencement should email McGuire at joshua.a.mcguire@vanderbilt.edu. The time commitment for serving is as follows:
- Training workshop with lunch from 12-1 p.m. on Thursday, May 1
- Commencement walk-through at GEODIS Park with lunch at noon on Thursday, May 8
- Commencement at GEODIS Park at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 9