Princeton's commencement ceremonies, the culmination of week-long reunion and university activities that color the town orange and black, will feature the traditional P-Rade, the first Pan-African Graduation ceremony, and appearances by a former president and a best-selling humorist.
David Sedaris will address the Baccalaureate service, which will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday in the University Chapel. Bill Clinton will speak at the Class Day ceremony for seniors set for 10:30 a.m. Monday on Cannon Green (Jadwin Gym in case of severe weather). Tickets are required for both events.
The Hooding ceremony for advanced degree candidates will begin at 5 p.m. Monday in McCarter Theatre.
The actual Commencement ceremony is slated for 11 a.m. Tuesday on the lawn in front of Nassau Hall (Jadwin Gym in case of severe weather).
The Reunion Tradition
According to Mudd Library's "Going Back in Orange & Black" exhibit, which will be on view through July 28, Reunion tradition dates back to the early 19th century when members of each class returned to watch commencement exercises. After the Civil War, reunions became an occasion for returning alumni to share memories and socialize with former professors and fellow classmates. The "Tiger-centric" clothing and accessories that roar "Reunions are here!" began when alumni wore pins and buttons from class meetings to reunion dinners. Eventually, pins and buttons grew to include shirts and ties, bandanas and sashes, and straw hats and pith helmets. The "costumes and accessories are suffused with meaning for the alumni who select, design, and wear them back to Old Nassau each spring," according to the notes for the Mudd exhibit. The detailed outfits "lend a class a sense of cohesiveness, pride, and unity as it convenes on the Princeton campus to celebrate and remember in its own particular style."
Perhaps the one Reunion event the community at large most looks forward to is the alumni "P-rade," which will take place on Saturday, June 3, as members of the 25th reunion class march from Nassau Hall to Poe-Pardee Field in all their Princeton finery. According to the Mudd exhibit, only class members were allowed in the P-rade at first, but in the early 1920s, children of alumni were able to join. Women were not allowed to march until after 1969, when Princeton became coeducational.
Baccalaureate
The next day's traditional Baccalaureate ceremony will include a procession of faculty, trustees, administrators, and degree candidates; music; prayers; readings; and the address by Mr. Sedaris, who was selected by University President, Shirley Tilghman, in consultation with senior class leaders. The author of Me Talk Pretty One Day, Barrel Fever, and Naked, Mr. Sedaris was chosen, according to an e-mail sent to this year's graduating class by its officers, "because there are very few people who have seen a wide range of human experiences and had the talent to write about them so charmingly and humorously." He is also one of the few authors, the officers noted, that students will read amidst their load of school work.
The Baccalaureate service will be simulcast on a screen outside of the chapel as well as in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall; McCosh 10 and 50; McCormick 101; and Betts Auditorium, School of Architecture; tickets are required at the simulcast sites.
A New Addition
The First Annual Pan-African Graduation ceremony to celebrate the achievements of graduates from the African Diaspora will be held on Sunday, June 4, at 5:30 p.m. in Richardson Auditorium. Princeton's Pan-African student organizations Akwaaba, Black Graduate Caucus, Black Student Union, and the Princeton Caribbean Connection collaborated on the event and would like it to become a Reunion tradition, according to Princeton alum and Media Relations Manager Cass Cliatt.
"The ceremony, open to all Princeton students, will allow additional reflection on the unique struggles and triumphs that Pan-African students experience in the distinctive environment that is Princeton," said Makeba Clay, Director of the Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding.
While this celebration will reflect the cultures of Africa, U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean, many non-Black students, faculty and staff who are supportive of the Pan-African community will also participate, including Caucasian students from South Africa or Asian students getting a certificate in African or African-American studies. Maximum participation is the key to making this ceremony a Princeton tradition, according to Ms. Clay.
The Step Sing
Later that night, at 10:00 p.m., the senior class will put on the Step Sing. During this informal event, seniors, along with their guests, sing songs that reflect their Princeton experience. Each class has a committee that determines what approach they take, said Ms. Cliatt. Some classes only choose songs released during their four years at Princeton; some pick songs that everyone knows. Popular songs from the past include Don McLean's "American Pie" and Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl."
Class Day
Along with academic departmental and program receptions, Monday, June 5, is Class Day, where seniors publicly acknowledge contributions made by class and university members. The ceremony includes the awarding of prizes to classmates, the dedication of the yearbook, presentation of the "class history" and class gift to the University, and remarks by President Tilghman. The main event will be the address by former President Bill Clinton, who was chosen by senior class president, Christopher Lloyd, and the senior class chairs, because of his extensive career in public service. According to Mr. Lloyd: "We believe that his experiences, along with his perspectives as a parent, will surely inspire our class and family members as we gather together to celebrate our Princeton experiences."
Class day will end with the singing of "Old Nassau," which was written in 1862 by Harlan Page.
The celebration culminates with Commencement on June 6.
While admission to events (except for the P-Rade) is by ticket only, the ceremonies will be broadcast live on TigerNet Channel 7 on campus and on Channel 27 on Princeton cable television. They also will be Webcast live and will be archived for later viewing at the same site. Detailed information about the events, including parking instructions for members of the University community and guests, is available online at www.princeton.edu.