Commencement 2007
Commencement Confetti
An omnium-gatherum of notes and statistics, vital and otherwise
EDUCATED MEN AND WOMEN
On Commencement day, Thursday, June 7, Harvard conferred 6,871 degrees and 138 certificates. The College granted 1,694 of these, 71 summa cum laude.
Mother Nature, the ultimate female scientist (as one participant called her), laid on forgiving weather—crisp—for the throng jammed into Tercentenary Theatre for the formal exercises in the morning and the multitude that returned that afternoon to hear the address of Microsoft chairman Bill Gates. (The day before, also fair, had drawn its own huge crowd to listen to former U.S. president Bill Clinton speak at Class Day.)
Commencement caller Frederick Abernathy, McKay professor of mechanical engineering and Lawrence professor of engineering, told the celebrants milling in the Old Yard before the procession Thursday morning, “My responsibility is to engineer with dignity and good humor your orderly march into Tercentenary Theatre.” When his charges failed to form up smartly, he observed, “Good weather is not good for Commencement,” due to its relaxing effects. He appealed for discipline, declaring stentorianly, “President Bok is here, anxiously looking forward to the end of this event!”
Harvard planted yellowwood trees in Tercentenary Theatre because they customarily bloom in these parts in early June, at Commencement time. This year they flowered a full week ahead of schedule. They were practicing for the new academic calendar (see "Developing Deans, Calendar Consensus"), which will wrap up the academic year, including Commencement, in May, beginning in 2010.
WOOKIEES
The Latin Oration, which can always be counted on to raise a few laughs, is one of three traditional student “parts” delivered during the formal Commencement exercises. This year’s offering, by Charles J. McNamara ’07, of Lowell House and Grayling, Michigan, entitled “Iohannes Harvard, Eques Iediensis,” or “John Harvard, Jedi Knight,” had a Star Wars theme. Names such as “Chewbacca” jumped out of the Latin in a startling way—and, in that case, drew an answering Wookiee growl from members of the audience.
Photograph by Jim Harrison
New officers, all College seniors, from left: 2nd Lt. Robert Huefner, of Peachtree City, Georgia; 2nd Lt. John W. Cancian, of Arlington, Virginia; Ens. Donald M. Coates, of Los Angeles; Ens. Erika E. Helbling, of San Antonio, Texas; Ens. Patrick Morrissey, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Ens. Erik A.H. Sand, of Lake Elmo, Minnesota; Ens. Meredith E. Sandbert, of Salt Lake City; Ens. Jonathan T. Sieg, of Salem, Oregon; Ens. Danielle Thiriot, of Salt Lake City; Ens. Aaron T. Woodside, of Edmond, Oklahoma; and 2nd Lt. Lauren L. Brown, of Winter Park, Florida. A twelfth senior, 2nd Lt. Jukay Hsu, was commissioned in April.
WARRIORS
Eleven seniors took oaths and received their first salutes at the ROTC commissioning ceremony on June 6. Lawrence H. Summers spoke at the event in each of his years as president, but President Derek Bok did not attend. The guest speaker was Stephen P. Rosen, Kaneb professor of national security and military affairs, director of the Olin Institute for Strategic Studies, Harvard College Professor, and master of Winthrop House. “Four years ago,” he said, “Harvard chose you, and four years ago, you chose….the life of a warrior. Harvard honors public service, but is uneasy with national military service, because Harvard is uneasy with war, and with warriors, and increasingly sees itself as an international university, not simply an American university.
“We all wish to avoid war, with all our hearts…,” Rosen continued. “And we welcome students and faculty from around the world. But the United States is our country. Without the United States, there would be no Harvard, and we should never forget that. And our country is still at war, and so I salute your courage, your commitment to national service, and the…sacrifices you have made and will make.”
Photograph by Jim Harrison
Royalty sighting: Her Majesty Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, left, one of four queens of Bhutan, with her daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Ashi Sonam Dechen Wangchuck, LL.M. ’07, who plans to serve her country as a member of the Judiciary of Bhutan.
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