Bells pealed from Harkness Tower and heralds' trumpets called out a fanfare on the morning of May 27 to announce Yale's 2002 Commencement.
Banner-bearers, marshals wielding ceremonial maces, faculty in colorful hoods and robes, and 2,625 students in caps and gowns streamed onto Old Campus, where they were greeted by some 12,000 friends and relatives who had gathered to celebrate their achievements. The procession was accompanied by the music of the Yale Concert Band.
When all participants were in their places and the banners and flags were at rest in their stands, the Reverend Frederick Jerome Streets, University chaplain, opened the ceremony with an invocation, asking God to guide the graduates "to meet the challenges of life and face its uncertainties and ambiguities ... to fulfill their promise and use their gifts to better our common life." After asking the audience to join in a moment of silence to remember those who died in terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, he prayed: "Let us not lose confidence in the power of good to overcome evil and democracy to vanquish the grip of tyranny. May our experience of liberty make us better stewards of freedom. ... May we be guardians of those truths that unite us and bring light where there is darkness and where there is despair, hope."
In keeping with tradition, the deans of each school stepped forward, one at a time, and presented their degree candidates to President Richard C. Levin. As they were presented, the students rose en masse and cheered -- none louder than the 1,010 candidates for Bachelor of Arts and 215 for Bachelor of Science degrees from Yale College, who were introduced by Dean Richard Brodhead. The President then conferred the appropriate degrees, using the time-honored phrase, "By the authority vested in me, I confer upon you the bachelors degrees in Yale College as designated by the Dean and admit you to all their rights and responsibilities."
The deans of the Schools of Architecture, Art, Divinity, Drama, Music, Nursing, Forestry & Environmental Studies, Management, Divinity, Law, Medicine and the Graduate School followed, each in turn. Degrees from the Law School and Physician Associate Program were granted provisionally, since their academic calendars end later than those in other University schools and programs. Ph.D. degrees were awarded in Latin, recalling medieval European academic tradition, when Latin was the common language of educated people.
Despite an overcast sky and cool breeze, the atmosphere was festive, and the sun broke through towards the end of the program, as the honorary doctorates were awarded.
Ten distinguished world and national leaders were accorded honorary degrees. By Yale tradition, these are not announced in advance. As Provost Alison Richard called each degree recipient to step forward, there was warm applause, but when Levin read the citation for Judge Robert L. Carter, a pillar of the civil rights movement who successfully argued the Brown v. Board of Education case, the audience rose to its feet in a spontaneous demonstration of admiration.
The honorary degree recipients represented a wide range of human endeavor. In addition to Carter, doctorates were given to: Jeanne Quint Benoliel, a pioneer in the field of nursing research and the study of death and dying; Ela Ramesh Bhatt, who founded the Self-Employed Women's Association in India; the Reverend William Sloane Coffin, a prominent civil rights and anti-war activist and a beloved former chaplain at Yale; Robert Fagles, a renowned translator of classic Greek poetry, epic and drama; Gordon E. Moore, cofounder of Intel and now an environmentalist and philanthropist; film writer, director and producer Steven Spielberg (who was serenaded by the Yale Band with the Indiana Jones theme when he stepped up to receive his doctoral hood); and Claude Mason Steele, a social psychologist whose studies of addiction, negative racial stereotyping and self-esteem have had a powerful impact on theory and policy.
Two Ivy League university presidents rounded out the list of this year's honorees: Lawrence Henry Summers, 27th president of Harvard; and Shirley M. Tilghman, 19th president of Princeton.
Divinity School Dean Rebecca Chopp closed the ceremony with a prayer: "Almighty One, God of beauty, music and art, infinite wisdom, greatest of all teachers, goal of all professions, we give thanks for all whose work and love and resources have made this day possible... We thank you for these graduates who have worked and loved and labored and failed and led and played. O dreamer of all visions, our hope for the future of our world resides in these graduates. Our hope to renew a common world rests with their knowledge and their wisdom ... In a world of terror, may they remember that the best response this year to the fear of Sept. 11 was found in community, in private purpose and in love for humanity."
As Yale's 301st graduation drew to a close, the Yale ,Band struck up a lively rendition of Leonard Bernstein's "Slava!" and the graduates, faculty and guests filed out of Old Campus to the many separate diploma ceremonies that were held at the residential colleges and schools around the campus.
-- By Gila Reinstein
C O M M E N C E M E N T
2 0 0 2
Yale Celebrates 301st Graduation
Baccalaureate Address
Honorary Degrees
Senior Class Day
Teaching Prizes
Scholastic Prizes
David Everett Chantler Prize
Roosevelt L. Thompson Prize
Elliott and Mallory Athletic Awards
Robert E. Lewis Award for Intramural Sports
Wilbur Cross Medals
Other Undergraduate Awards and Honors
Graduate Student Awards and Honors
Commencement Photos
T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Yale Celebrates 301st Graduation
Biodiversity expert named new director of Peabody
Renowned architect Maya Lin elected to Yale Corporation
Two faculty members named to Sterling professorships
Drama School/Yale Rep to receive 2002 Governor's Arts Award
Two pioneering researchers are elected to the NAS
Peptide promotes nerve growth in damaged spinal cords
Exhibit shows how publisher 'cooks up' his books
Yale to join Elm City in celebration of world's arts & ideas
Nursing school marks retirement of its former dean
Center honors former director Dr. Donald Cohen
Divinity dean Rebecca Chopp steps down
Schools of Medicine, Nursing host class reunions
Library's Franklin Papers and Fortunoff Archive win NEH grants
Undergraduates named Dean's Research Fellows
City's downtown will heat up with 'hot sounds' this summer
Yale professor granted award to study TSC
Bulldogs aim to out-row Crimsons in 150th regatta
Artist who portrays black life in the rural South to discuss his work . . .
Campus Notes
Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News|Bulletin Board
Yale Scoreboard|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines
Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs Home|News Releases|
E-Mail Us|Yale Home Page
