Instructions for the media, the ceremony's history, honorary degree recipients, and more
Here is a guide to events and information that will help you navigate Rutgers' Commencement 2008. Check this page regularly for updates.
Rutgers University Commencement: On
May 21, University President Richard L. McCormick officially will confer all graduate and undergraduate degrees on an estimated 10,852 graduates (approximately 7,168 receiving baccalaureate degrees and 3,684 receiving masters and doctorates) and offer greetings and congratulations to the graduates and their families during the colorful and dignified event. Included in this link are instructions for the media such as seating locations, technical assistance and journalist parking.
Ten Graduates to Watch: These 10 remarkable people and their experiences represent the broad possibilities available to students at Rutgers. From making a difference in their local communities to solving global problems, each has had an impact on campus and far beyond.
Commencement At-a-Glance: A comprehensive guide to the convocation ceremonies in Camden, Newark and New Brunswick.
Getting Around That Week: The ceremony brings hundreds of extra vehicles to roads in and around the New Brunswick. Motorists are urged to plan alternate routes, if possible, be alert to new traffic patterns in the construction zone and allow extra travel time.
Honorary Degree Recipients: The degrees
honoris causa – "for the sake of honor" in Latin – are awarded each year to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to their fields. This year's commencement speaker, renowned broadcaster Gwen Ifill (left), will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters. Also receiving honorary degrees are William F. Baker, president emeritus of Thirteen/WNET New York; renowned German neuroscientist Wolf Singer, director of the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research; Ivy F. Matsepe-Casaburri, South Africa’s minister of communications and a Rutgers alumna; and Arthur F. Ryan, chair and recently retired CEO of Prudential Financial Inc.
Biotechnology Major and Crew Athlete to Address Graduates: Melanie Spero is only the fourth undergraduate to speak at the university commencement as part of a new tradition established by Rutgers President Richard L. McCormick in 2004. Spero, a native of East Granby, Conn., graduated from a tiny high school with only 52 in her senior class yet found success amid the vast array of opportunities offered at a major research university like Rutgers.
Rites of Passage: The first “Rites of Passage” ceremony at Rutgers began in 1993 as the “Black and Latino Commencement Celebration.” The ritual was started by industrial engineering student Juanita Jones Daly, who was compelled to provide an opportunity for black and Latino students to celebrate their academic achievements in spite of overwhelming drop-out statistics that suggested a less successful future.
The Historic Voorhees Mall: The site of commencement is the historic heart of Rutgers dating back to the earliest days of the university. It is home to "Silent Willie," a monument memorializing Rutgers alumni killed or declared missing in the Vietnam Conflict, and a bench containing piece of the earliest classroom at Rutgers.
American Elms Provide History, Beauty and Shade: The stately, graceful elms that live at Voorhees Mall once lined Bleeker Place, a New Brunswick street that cut through the campus. A virulent fungus from Europe once threatened the American Elms, but the living antiques thrive because of vigorous horticultural treatments and maintenance.
Media Contact: Steve Manas
732-932-7084 ext. 612
E-mail: smanas@ur.rutgers.edu
