NASHVILLE, Tenn. ñ Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi and rock ‘n‘ roll legend Little Richard will help send off the 130th class at Vanderbilt University this month, with commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 13, capping three days of celebration.
“Commencement gives students, friends, families and those of us at Vanderbilt time to celebrate with one another and shows to advantage the intellectual development which is part of our everyday life here,” said Chancellor Gordon Gee, who will deliver the commencement address.
A total of 2,468 graduates will attend commencement, 1,423 undergraduates and 1,045 recipients of graduate and professional degrees.
Commencement will begin with the academic procession at 9 a.m. Friday, May 13, on Alumni Lawn, which extends from behind the Fine Arts Building on West End Avenue to the Sarratt Student Center. The event will end around noon, with graduate and professional degree recipients recessing around 10:15 a.m. to attend ceremonies and celebrations involving their individual schools.
If it rains, commencement will be moved to Memorial Gymnasium. Those unsure where the ceremony will be held may call 615-322-7311 after 6 a.m. the day of the event for confirmation.
Celebrations will kick off at 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, with The Party, for members of the Vanderbilt community, at the Hill Center Lawn on the campus of Vanderbilt‘s Peabody College. Little Richard (“Long Tall Sally,” “The Girl Can‘t Help It”) and The Jimmy Church Band will perform.
Ebadi, who became the first Muslim woman and first Iranian to win a Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, will highlight Senior Day activities on Thursday, May 12, with a 10 a.m. lecture on Alumni Lawn. Ebadi, an attorney, has defied threats as she fights for rights for women, children and victims of government repression in her native Iran. She served more than 20 days in jail in 2000 as a result of representing the families of students and reformists killed by pro-regime vigilantes.
Ebadi will speak in Farsi, with an interpreter immediately translating. Chancellor Gee will present her with The Chancellor‘s Medal for her contributions to human rights.
There will be receptions and celebrations across campus all day on Thursday, including Senior Sendoff at 2 p.m. at Rand Terrace with Chancellor Gee. Six faculty seminars will be held in the afternoon on topics ranging from cloning to a look ahead at the 2008 presidential election.
Chancellor Gee will give his now traditional gift of Oh, the Places You‘ll Go! by Dr. Seuss to each graduate.
The addresses by Chancellor Gee and Ebadi will be webcast live and archived for later viewing. Links will be posted at www.vanderbilt.edu. The main commencement, undergraduate and Vanderbilt University Medical School ceremonies will be videotaped. For ordering information, go to www.vandygrads.com.
Further information about commencement activities is available at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/commencement/.
Media contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu