PHOTO ESSAY
Photos by Eileen Barroso

The ranks of College alumni grew by nearly 1,000 as members of the Class of 2001, joined by family and friends, happily participated in Class Day ceremonies on Tuesday, May 15, and the University's 247th Commencement the following day. It was a festive atmosphere on South Field as class president Jorge A. Herrera '01 emceed the Class Day proceedings, which featured remarks by Dean Austin Quigley, keynote speaker David Boies and salutatorian Lauren Monacell '01. All urged the graduates to be adventuresome as they moved into their careers and to strive to do their best, but never to lose the ability to live in the moment and have fun.

Receiving honorary degrees at Commencement were former SEC chairman Arthur Levitt; former Secretary of State George Schultz; Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the Internet; Judith Kaye, chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals; Columbia biochemist Isidore Edelman; cancer researcher Zhen-Yi Wang; jazz drummer and composer Max Roach; and Princeton historian Peter Brown. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium, received the University Medal of Excellence, and among those receiving the 10 Alumni Medals were three alumni of the College: Bob Berne '60, Stuart Kricun '78 and Charles O'Byrne '81.

Members of the Class of 2001 stood and cheered numerous speakers throughout the proceedings. Dean Quigley later remarked upon the positive spirit and how it represented a significant achievement for the College.

Text by Alex Sachare

Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.