Schedule of 2008 Commencement Events
Friday, May 23
3:00 p.m.
Alumni-Student Men's Rugby Game
Sponsored by the Department of Athletics and Recreation and Bard St. Stephen's Alumni/ae Association
Lorenzo Ferrari Soccer Complex, north field (weather permitting)
5:00-9:00 p.m.
President's Dinner and Reception
Salute reunion classes and honor the exceptional achievement of Bard alumni/ae and friends.
Commencement Tent
9:00 p.m.
Commencement Jazzfest
Jazz in memory of Larry McLeod '76 and Frank Carter '79
Blum Hall, Edith C. Blum Institute
9:30 p.m.
Concert
Bard student soloists and composers in concert with
the American Symphony Orchestra, Leon Botstein, conductor
Sosnoff Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts
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Saturday, May 24
7:30 a.m.
Walking Tour of Bard Lands with Professor William Maple
A boxed continental breakfast will be available.
Meet on back lawn of Blithewood.
10:00 a.m.
Senior Project Panel
Members of the Class of 2008 present their Senior Projects.
Weis Cinema, Bertelsmann Campus Center
Tours
10:00 a.m.
Campus tour featuring new buildings
10:30 a.m.
The Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden Center for Science and Computation
11:30 a.m.
Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts
Check at Registration Desk for details
11:00 a.m.
Dedication
Jim Ottaway Jr. Film Center
Milton and Sally Avery Arts Center
Commencement
Academic Procession
Alumni/ae from reunion classes are invited to join the Class of 2008, faculty, and trustees in the Academic Procession. Academic attire is required and must be ordered in advance; attire ordered after April 25 will require an additional shipping and handling charge.
1:30 p.m.
Robing for the Academic Procession
F. W. Olin Humanities Building
2:00 p.m.
Formation of the Academic Procession
Chapel Walk
2:30 p.m.
Commencement Exercises
Alumni/ae are invited to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2008 and the awarding of honorary degrees.
Commencement Tent, Seth Goldfine Memorial Field
Commencement Address
Congressman Charles B. Rangel
Click here to read Congressman Rangel's Commencement Adddress
Conferring of the Honorary Degrees
Doctor of Fine Arts
Merce Cunningham
choreographer
Doctor of Laws
Margaret H. Marshall
Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Doctor of Humane Letters
Eric S. Maskin
economist
Doctor of Letters
Ajai Singh "Sonny" Mehta
editor-in-chief of Alfred A. Knopf Publishers
Doctor of Letters
Marjorie Perloff
poetry critic
Conferring of Graduate Degrees
Conferring of Bachelor of Arts Degrees
Charge to the Graduates
Click here to read President Leon Botstein's Charge to the Graduating Class of 2008
Reception
Kline Commons Terrace
Special Events for Reunion Classes
Gather with classmates and friends for special receptions and dinners.
Dinners offer reserved seating for reunion classes.
Commencement-Reunion Barbecue, Dance, and Fireworks
Blithewood main lawn
Cocktails (cash bar): 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Dinner: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Dance to live music: 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Fireworks: approximately 9:00 p.m.
9:00 p.m. to midnight
Commencement Jazzfest
Some of the stellar jazz players in Bard's history play
in memory of Larry McLeod '76 and Frank Carter '79.
Blum Hall, Edith C. Blum Institute
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Sunday, May 25
9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Alumni/ae Memorial Service
In honor of alumni/ae, faculty, and special friends of the College who died during the past year
Officiants: Bard College Chaplaincy
Chapel of the Holy Innocents
