566 Seniors Will Graduate at 178th Commencement; Watch the Ceremony Live

Lafayette will grant 589 degrees to 566 graduating seniors at its 178th Commencement Saturday, May 25.

The ceremony can be viewed live via a link on the Lafayette homepage, which also will have complete coverage of Commencement Saturday night, including videos, photo galleries, and an article. Also, follow the ceremony on Twitter via @lafcol or hashtag #lafcolgrad.

The event will be broadcast in Colton Chapel, rain or shine.

Commencement will feature an address by Anne-Marie Slaughter, one of the nation’s most influential commentators on international relations and global issues, and will include the awarding of five honorary degrees. The program will start at 2:30 p.m., following the academic procession, which will begin at 2:15 p.m.

The annual Baccalaureate service will be held at 10:30 a.m. the same day, featuring a sermon by the Rev. Alexandra Hendrickson, College chaplain and director of religious and spiritual life.

The Baccalaureate service and Commencement exercises are scheduled to be held on the Quad. In case of rain, one or both ceremonies may be held in Allan P. Kirby Sports Center. If there is a change in the location for either ceremony based on the weather, that information will be available by calling (610) 330-5809.

Read details on the Commencement website

President Daniel H. Weiss is concluding his eighth and final year as Lafayette’s 16th president and will become president of Haverford College July 1. Edward W. Ahart ’69, chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, will recognize Weiss’ service as president and award him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Weiss will award Slaughter the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. He also will award honorary degrees to the British author Martin Amis (Doctor of Literature), Joseph T. Cox ’68, headmaster of The Haverford School (Doctor of Humanities), and Robert A. Pastor ’69, professor of international relations and director of the Center for North American Studies and Center for Democracy and Election Management at American University (Doctor of Public Service).

Zachary A. Winthrop ’13 will deliver farewell remarks for the Class of 2013. He is the recipient of the George Wharton Pepper Prize, awarded to the senior who “most closely represents the Lafayette ideal.” Winthrop, of Philadelphia, will graduate with a bachelor of science degree, summa cum laude.

The first students to receive their diplomas will be Scott T. Albert ’13, Szu-Ying Chen ’13, and Megan E. Young ’13, who have achieved the highest cumulative grade-point average in the class. Albert, of Marlboro, N.J., and Chen, of Bangkok, Thailand, will each graduate with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering, summa cum laude. Young, of Manasquan, N.J., will receive a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering, summa cum laude.

Taylor B. Dougherty ’13, Caroline J. Lang ’13, and Lucas D. Simpson ’13, chairs of the Class of 2013 Gift Committee, will present the class gift. Dougherty, of Sayreville, N.J., will graduate with a bachelor of science degree in psychology and a bachelor of arts degree with a major in government and law. Lang, of Yardley, Pa., will receive a bachelor of arts degree with a major in government and law. Simpson, of South Plainfield, N.J., will graduate with a bachelor of arts degree with a major in anthropology and sociology.

Weiss will congratulate the recipients of annual Lafayette awards for distinguished teaching, scholarship, and service to the College and recognize four faculty members who are retiring and have been elected to emeritus status. They are Thomas H. Bruggink, professor of economics; James E. Lennertz, associate professor of government and law; Anthony D. Novaco, Marshall R. Metzgar Professor of Physics; and Chester John J. Salwach, associate professor of mathematics.

Weiss will confer degrees upon the graduates and deliver farewell remarks. Assisting in presenting diplomas will be Rose Marie L. Bukics, Thomas Roy and Lura Forrest Jones Professor of Economics and acting clerk of the faculty, and Hannah W. Stewart-Gambino, dean of the College.

Guy L. Hovis, John H. Markle Professor of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, will lead the academic procession as Bearer of the Mace. The mace is carried by the faculty member senior in rank of full professor. Annette Diorio, vice president for campus life and senior diversity officer, will marshal the Class of 2013.

Wendy L. Hill, provost and dean of the faculty, will march at the head of the faculty. Thomas F. McGrail ’55, trustee emeritus, will lead the trustees and the platform party.

Alexandra M. Hendrickson, chaplain of the College and director of religious and spiritual life, will deliver the invocation and give the benediction. Jennifer W. Kelly, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities, will lead the singing of “America the Beautiful.” Members of the Lafayette Choir, led by Kelly, will lead the singing of “The Alma Mater.”