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The Yale Alumni Magazine is owned and operated by Yale Alumni Publications, Inc., a nonprofit corporation independent of Yale University. The content of the magazine and its website is the responsibility of the editors and does not necessarily reflect the views of Yale or its officers. |
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Clinton stars at commencement The father of liberation theology, Gustavo Gutierrez, was there, receiving an honorary doctorate of divinity. So was choreographer Bill T. Jones, whirling and swooping his way to an honorary doctorate of fine arts. Bestselling author John McPhee, world-renowned sculptor Richard Serra '62, '64MFA, former Yale provost Alison Richard, Nobel Prize-winning economist Thomas Schelling -- for star power, none of these luminaries could match the biggest name on Old Campus: Hillary Rodham Clinton '73JD, making her first Yale appearance since becoming Secretary of State. Word of Clinton's honorary doctorate of laws leaked out a day early, thanks to the intrepid Yale Daily News. That didn't preclude a standing ovation from the graduates and guests who filled the Old Campus for Yale's 308th commencement. The real stars of the day, of course, were the graduates themselves. After university chaplain Sharon Kugler prayed for the graduates to gain wisdom to bring peace to "this beautiful but hurting world," President Richard C. Levin '74PhD conferred degrees on most of the capped-and-gowned candidates. The exceptions were the School of Medicine's physician assistant students, whose program ends in December, and students at the Law School, who had exams through last week. Acting dean Kate Stith of the Law School, who drew a round of cheers second only to Clinton's, made a jocular point of emphasizing that her students are not yet finished. No mention was made of Stith's predecessor, Harold Koh, but his presence loomed. Dean since 2004, Koh stepped aside in March after being nominated as legal adviser to the State Department -- Clinton's top lawyer. Although the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held Koh's confirmation hearing in late April and sent his nomination to the full Senate on May 12, Democratic leaders have not yet scheduled a vote. |
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Related Watch the commencement ceremony View the commencement program & list of graduates [PDF] |
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