Commencement
An overview of the weekend exercises can be found below. Detailed itinerary of the weekend is posted as events develop on the Commencement Weekend Schedule.
Ivy Exercises
Ivy Exercises, held outdoors on the Williams Quad, is an informal event presented by the Officers of the Senior Class. Members of the Class plant ivy, read the Class Poem and the Class History, perform music, and sing the College Song. The Dean of the College announces over 100 student awards. The event ends with the 100-year-old tradition of dropping a watch from the top of Thompson Memorial Chapel. If the watch breaks, the Class will have good luck!
Baccalaureate
Baccalaureate is a service of gratitude and remembrance, using the languages of many religions to celebrate the transformation of learning into wisdom. Seniors process in cap and gown to Chapin Hall. Because seating is limited and the service’s principal focus is on seniors as a group, we limit each senior to two guest tickets. Other family members and guests are welcome to view a livestream of the service next door in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall. Tickets for the livestream are not required. If you plan on dinner out following the ceremony, we recommend making reservations for after 6:30 p.m.
Commencement
This is the main event! Commencement begins with a formal academic procession and is held in the Williams Quad. During the ceremony, members of the Senior Class give brief speeches, honorary degrees are awarded, one of the honorary degree recipients gives the Commencement Address, faculty emeritus are recognized and each student will be called up to cross the stage. Please plan to occupy only six seats per graduate in our outdoor venue. If additional guests plan to attend, we invite them to sit in Chapin Hall, immediately adjacent to the Library Quad, where the ceremony will be live-streamed. Chapin is fully air-conditioned, offers comfortable seating, and is fully accessible.
President’s Reception
Immediately after Commencement on Sunday, President Mandel invites the graduates and their guests to a buffet lunch on Chapin Lawn.
Rain Plan: In case of extreme weather, the Commencement ceremony will be moved indoors. Tickets will be required in the event of indoor Commencement. Each student will receive a limited number of guest tickets for the Ice Rink if the weekend weather looks questionable. Additional seating is available in the ‘62 Center where the ceremony is broadcast on a large screen. Tickets are not required for seating in the ‘62 Center. As with the outdoor ceremony, indoor Commencement will be live-streamed and available for viewing off-campus.