Williams College Celebrates 220th Commencement
Williams College President Morton Owen Schapiro conferred bachelor’s degrees on 512 seniors at Commencement, Sunday, June 7, 2009, 197 of them completing two majors. Master of Arts degrees were awarded to 11 students in the Program in the History of Art, and 24 fellows from the Center for Development Economics received M.A. degrees in Policy Economics.
Distinguished alumnus and former Williams trustee Clarence Otis delivered the Commencement Address. Three graduating seniors also spoke: Peter Nurnberg delivered the Valedictory Address, Jeffrey Kaplan was the Phi Beta Kappa speaker, and Aroop Mukharji was chosen by his classmates as Class Speaker.
In addition to Otis, President Schapiro conferred honorary degrees to NPR foreign correspondent Anne Garrels, former astronaut and senator John Glenn, award-winning author Tracy Kidder, historian James McPherson, and musician James Taylor.
Professor of Psychology Phebe Cramer and Cluett Professor of Humanities Mark Taylor were granted emeritus status.
Pictures
- Commencement 2009 (on Flickr)
The Speeches
- Anne Garrels, Baccalaureate Speaker
- Clarence Otis Jr., Commencement Address, “Fulfilling Our Leadership Obligation”
- Aroop Mukharji, Class Speaker, “Advice From My Father, or, the Audacity of Alumdom”
- Jeffrey I. Kaplan, Phi Beta Kappa Speaker, “The Solution to the Economic Crisis”
- Peter S. Nurnberg, Valedictorian, “It Takes a College”
Honorary Degree Citations
- Video of recipients receiving their degrees
- Anne Garrels, Doctor of Letters
- John Glenn, Doctor of Laws
- Tracy Kidder, Doctor of Letters
- James McPherson, Doctor of Humane Letters
- James Taylor, Doctor of Music
- Clarence Otis, Class of 1977, Doctor of Laws
Emeritus Citations
- Phebe K. Cramer, Professor of Pschology, Emerita
- Mark C. Taylor, Cluett Professor of Humanities, Emeritus
Dialogue with John Glenn, former Astronaut and U.S. Senator
Williams News Releases
- June 25, 2009 Williams Graduate Program in the History of Art, Class of 2009
- June 23, 2009 63 Seniors Inducted into Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society
- June 23, 2009 Center for Development Economics Graduates 24 from Around the Globe
- June 2, 2009 Dialogue with Astronaut and Senator John Glenn
- May 26, 2009 Williams to Celebrate 220th Commencement, June 6 and 7
- May 26, 2009 Williams Awards Four High School Teachers Olmsted Teaching Prizes
- March 18, 2009 Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degree Candidates Announced
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