Williamstown, MA 01267

* within walking distance
Berkshire Hills Motel, Cold Spring Rd., Rt. 7, 800-388-9677
The Birches at Steep Acres Farm B&B, 522 White Oaks Rd., 413-458-8134
Clover Hill Farm B&B, 249 Adams Rd., 413-458-3376
Cozy Corner Motel, Sand Springs Rd., Rt. 7, 413-458-8006
1896 House Inn & Motels, Cold Spring Rd., Rt. 7, 413-458-1896
Fairfields B&B, P.O. Box 55, 954 Green River Rd., 413-458-3321
Green Valley Motel, Simonds Rd., Rt. 7, 413-458-3864
Guest House at Field Farm B&B, 554 Sloan Rd., 413-458-3135
House on Main Street B&B, 1120 Main St., 413-458-3031 or 800-519-4667 *
Howard Johnson Inn, 213 Main St., Rt. 2, 413-458-8158
Ingalls Crossing B&B, 175 Blair Rd., 413-458-8688
Maple Terrace Motel, 555 Main St., Rt. 2, 413-458-9677 *
Northside Motel, 45 North Street, 413-458-8107 *
The Orchards, 222 Adams Rd., 800-225-1517 *
River Bend Farm B&B, 643 Simonds Rd., Rt. 7, 413-458-3121
Upland Meadow House B&B, 1249 Northwest Hill Rd., 413-458-3990
The Villager Motel, Simonds Rd., Rt. 7, 413-458-4046
The Williams Inn, On the Green, 413-458-9371 *
Williamstown B&B, 30 Cold Spring Rd., 413-458-9202 *
Williamstown Guest House, 295 Blair Rd., 413-884-6152
Williamstown Motel, 295 Main Street., Rt. 2, 413-458-5202
The Willows Motel, 480 Main St., Rt. 2,413-458-5768 *

Pownal, VT 05261

4 miles north of Williamstown
America’s Best Value Inn, Rt. 7 north, 802-823-7341 or 800-261-5233

North Adams, MA 01247

5 miles east of Williamstown
Blackinton Manor B&B, 1391 Mass. Ave., 413-663-5795 or 800-795-8613
Holiday Inn Berkshires, 40 Main St., 413-663-6500
The Porches Inn, 231 River Street, 413-664-0400
The Redwood Motel, 915 State Road, Rt. 2, 413-664-4351

New Ashford, MA 01237

8 miles south of Williamstown
Econo Lodge The Springs, 94 New Ashford Rd, Route 7, 413-458-7090
Berkshires-Shirakaba B&B, 20 Mallery Rd,413-458-1800

Adams, MA 01220

10 miles southeast of Williamstown
Belle’s Victorian B&B, 22 Maple Street, 413-743-3516
Mount Greylock Inn B&B, 6 East Street, 413-743-2665
Topia Inn, 10 Pleasant Street,413-743-9605

Florida, MA 01247

12 miles east of Williamstown
Whitcomb Summit, Rt. 2 Mohawk Trail, Florida, 413-662-2625

Hancock, MA 01237

14 miles south of Williamstown
Bentley Brook Mountain Club at Jiminy Peak, Corey Road, 413-738-8600
Jericho Valley Inn, Hancock Rd., Rt. 43, 800-537-4246
Jiminy Peak, the Mountain Resort, Brodie Mtn. Rd., 413-738-5500
Hancock Inn, 102 Main St., Rt. 43,413-738-5873

Bennington, VT 05201

15 miles north of Williamstown
Alexandra B&B, Historic Rt. 7A, 888-207-9386
Apple Valley Inn, Rt. 7 south, 802-442-6588
Best Western-New Englander, Rt. 7A, 802-442-6311
Catamount Motel, 500 South St., Rt. 7, 800-213-3608
Darling Kelly’s Motel, Rt. 7 south, 802-442-2322
Eddington House Inn, 21 Main St, North Bennington, 802-442-1511 or 800-941-1857
Four Chimneys Inn, 21 West Road, Rt. 9 west, 802-447-3500
Hampton Inn, 51 Hannaford Square, 802-440-9862
South Gate Motel, Rt. 7 south, 802-447-7525
South Shire Inn, 124 Elm Street, 802-447-3839
Taraden B&B, 183 Park Street, 802-447-3434
Vermonter Motor Lodge, West Road, Rt. 9, 866-539-0036

Cheshire, MA 01225

16 miles southeast of Williamstown
Harbour House Inn B&B, 725 North State Rd, Rt. 8,413-743-8959

Pittsfield, MA 01201

21 miles south of Williamstown
Comfort Inn, 1055 South St., 413-443-4714
Crowne Plaza, Berkshire Common, Rt. 7, 413-499-2000
Patriot Suites, 8 Dan Fox Dr., 413-997-3300
Ramada Limited Inn & Suites, 1350 W. Housatonic St., 413-442-8714
Thaddeus Clapp House, 74 Wendell Ave., 413-499-6840
White Horse Inn, 378 South St., Rts 7 & 20, 413-442-2512

Other Links

The Berkshire Visitors Bureau
The Berkshire Web
The Bennington Chamber of Commerce

 Links tested on 2/20/2012

We look forward to welcoming the families and friends of the Class of 2012 for graduation weekend. Ivy Exercises and Baccalaureate are on Saturday, June 2 and Commencement is on Sunday, June 3, 2012.

The calendar of events is posted here.  As our plans develop we will update this website with the latest information.  If you have questions, please contact Carrie Greene (413-597-2347) or me.

Sincerely,

Jefferson Strait
Professor of Physics and College Marshal

1:10 p.m., Saturday, June 2, 2012, on West College Lawn

Members of the Senior Class plant ivy, read the Class Poem and the Class History, perform music, and sing the College Song. The Dean of the College announces dozens of individual student awards. The George Olmsted Jr. Class of 1924 Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching is awarded to awards outstanding high school teachers nominated by Williams students. Tickets are not required for this event.

Rain plans: In case of heavy rain, Ivy Exercises will move to Lansing-Chapman Hockey Rink.

In case heavy rain forces us to hold Commencement indoors in the Lansing-Chapman Rink, each senior will receive four guest tickets for the rink when picking up his or her cap and gown.  Unlimited overflow seating will be available in Chandler Gymnasium where the ceremony can be viewed on a large screen.

Baccalaureate is optional, but well attended.  Due to limited seating in Chapin Hall, tickets will be required for parents and other guests.  In April seniors will have the opportunity to request two guest tickets for Baccalaureate on a first-come-first-served basis.  When we run out of Chapin tickets we will issue tickets to a simulcast in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall and in Presser Choral Hall.  Our past experience is that we have enough room to accommodate everybody who wishes to view Baccalaureate from Brooks-Rogers and Presser.

Tickets for the Conversation with David Brooks, New York Times columnist and honorary degree recipient:  Seniors and their guests who wish to attend this event in the ’62 Center Main Stage will need tickets.  Each senior may request up to 3 tickets online while the limited supply lasts.  Please note that refreshments will be available on Chapin Lawn and that the Senior Athlete Recognition Reception is at the same time as this event.

Request tickets online  for Baccalaureate. David Brooks tickets are sold out but you may wait in line at the theatre for available seats as of 2:30 pm on Saturday, June 2.

Be sure to complete the entire process, including responding to an email within 15 minutes to confirm your request.  There is no need to reserve indoor Commencement tickets.  All tickets will be distributed when seniors pick up their caps and gowns.

All tickets will be distributed at the cap and gown distribution on May 31, June 1, 2, and 3.

If you have questions, please contact Carrie Greene, 413-597-2347.

5:00 – 6:15 p.m., Saturday, June 2, 2012, in Chapin Hall

Baccalaureate is a service of gratitude and remembrance, using the languages of many religions to celebrate the transformation of learning into wisdom. One of the honorary degree recipients gives the Baccalaureate address. Admission is by ticket only.

2012 Calendar of Events to Print

Friday, June 1, 2012

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Graduate Program in the History of Art Spring Symposium,
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Auditorium

Saturday, June 2, 2012 – Class Day

8:30 a.m. — Phi Beta Kappa Induction, ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance

10:00 a.m. — Sigma Xi Induction, ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance

11:00 a.m. — Music Students in Concert, Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall

1:10 p.m. — Ivy Exercises, West College Lawn

3 – 4:30 p.m. — Refreshments, Chapin Hall Lawn

3:15 – 3:45 p.m. — Senior Athlete Recognition Reception, Goodrich Hall

3:15 – 4:15 p.m. — Conversation with an honorary degree recipient, David Brooks,  ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance

5 – 6:15 p.m. — Baccalaureate Service, Chapin Hall (Admission by ticket only)
Baccalaureate speaker: Anna Deavere Smith

Sunday, June 3, 2012 – Commencement Day

9:30 a.m. — Commencement Procession

10 a.m. — Commencement Exercises, West College Lawn
Commencement speaker: Atul Gawande

Noon – 1 p.m. — President’s Reception, Chapin Hall Lawn

Information about the 2012 Honorary Degree Recipients

Williams College President Adam F. Falk conferred bachelor’s degrees on 528 seniors at Commencement, Sunday, June 5, 2011. Master of Arts degrees were awarded to 10 students in the Program in the History of Art, and 30 fellows from the Center for Development Economics received M.A. degrees in Policy Economics.

To see photos from Commencement, please visit the college’s Flickr collection.

The Speeches

• 

  The Hon. Cory A. Booker

  Cory A. Booker, Commencement Speaker

• Ann Bancroft, Baccalaureate Speaker, “Giving Good Weight”
• Christopher J. Fox, Class Speaker, “Re-flections”
• Gea Hyun Shin, Valedictorian, “What Numbers Can’t Capture”
• Briana Marshall, Phi Beta Kappa Speaker, “16,000 Hours”

Honorary Degree Citations

• 

  Honorary Degree recipients with President Adam Falk (photos by Roman Iwasiwka)

  Marina Abramovic, Doctor of Fine Arts

• Ann Bancroft, Doctor of Science
• Cory A. Booker, Doctor of Laws
• Ken Burns, Doctor of Fine Arts
• Bruce Russett ’56, Doctor of Letters
• Margarito “Gary” B. Teves (CDE ’68), Doctor of Laws

Emeritus Citation

• Anne R. Skinner, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, Emerita

Williams News Releases

May 16, 2011 Olmsted Awards for Secondary School Teachers
March 20, 2011 Williams College Announces its 2011 Honorary Degrees

Sunday, June 3, 2012, on West College Lawn
9:30 a.m., Commencement Procession
10:00 a.m., Commencement Exercises

Commencement begins with a formal academic procession. Three members of the Senior Class give brief speeches, honorary degrees are awarded, and an honorary degree recipient gives the Commencement Address. Finally the College President awards each senior his or her diploma. No tickets are necessary for outdoor Commencement on West College Lawn. Since the outdoor seating faces east, guests will find hats, sunglasses, and a water bottle useful on a sunny morning.  Every effort will be made to hold the ceremony outdoors, even with a possibility of light rain. Guests should bring rain gear if the weather forecast includes rain.

Rain Plans: In case of heavy rain or threat of lightning, the Chapel Bells will toll at 9 a.m. Sunday signaling that the ceremony will move to Lansing-Chapman Hockey Rink for indoor Commencement. Tickets are required for admission to Lansing-Chapman. Additional seating will be available on a first come basis in Chandler Gymnasium where the ceremony will be broadcast on a large screen. Tickets are not required for seating in Chandler Gymnasium.