President Larry Bacow announced yesterday that Pierre (LA '88) and Pamela Omidyar (LA '89), philanthropists and founders of the online auction site eBay, would deliver a joint speech at this year's graduation ceremony. The announcement came after weeks of speculation about which prominent alumnus would headline the commencement ceremonies for the University's 150th graduating class.
Former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will speak at the Fletcher School's commencement ceremony, and humorist Roy Blount will address the graduating class at the veterinary school.
Omidyar spokeswoman Michelle Goguen said yesterday that the couple will be "speaking from the heart" and that the mission of the University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS) will be among the topics discussed.
Though the decision met with a lackluster response from students, Bacow said that those in attendance will find the Omidyars' speech memorable.
It was speculated that Bacow was looking also looking at other prominent alumni, including former New York senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, former Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson, and New York Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, but the president said that the Omidyars were second to none. "They were my first choice, and the only speakers I approached," Bacow told the Daily yesterday. "They willingly and readily accepted the honor."
Bacow said that he chose the Omidyars for their commitment to public service. "Pioneers and philanthropists, Pam and Pierre Omidyar have dedicated their lives to building and strengthening community through innovation, technology, and activism," the president said in a press release.
Upon announcing in January that he had chosen the speaker, Bacow said he was "confident that the student body [would] be pleased."
Yesterday, though, most students asked said they expected a more nationally-recognized figure to speak at commencement. And some undergraduates said that Albright would have been ideal for the undergraduate ceremony, because of her political prominence.
"I am disappointed with this year's commencement choice," former Tufts Democrats president and senior Sarah Molenkamp said. "For Tufts' 150th, we should have some high powered politician or author."
Senior Bailey Stoler said she was surprised the speaker was a relatively recent graduate. "I think the Omidyars are a decent choice - they certainly know and love Tufts, and there's no doubt that they're successful - but part of me would like to hear an older speaker, someone with more life experience," Stoler said. "I'm not so sure they can offer the wisdom that we graduates need to hear."
Other students said that the Omidyars' recent $10 million donation to the UCCPS and last year's receipt of the University's Light on the Hill Award make the pair an all-too-familiar choice.
"For the 150th anniversary, it would have been nice to have a bigger name than a business alum who has already spoken at Tufts and many of us have already seen," senior Jonathan Smith said. "Nobody can top Bill Cosby."
Bacow said he believes Tufts has seen its fair share of more prominent figures this semester. "Between Al Gore and Bill Clinton, we have will have had a number of 'big names' on our campus this year," the president said. "Having listened to many commencement speeches in my life, I am confident that students will remember the substance of what Pierre and Pam have to say far longer than the speeches given by most 'big names.'"
The Omidyars will join a number of other prominent Tufts graduates at the May 19 ceremonies, as well as such honorary degree recipients as Tufts graduates Roderick MacKinnon, Katherine Haley Will and Eugene Fama. Tufts president emeritus John DiBiaggio and the Rev. William Sinkford will also receive honorary degrees
Pierre Omidyar was a computer science major who developed one of the most successful sites on the Internet, eBay. The idea has blossomed into a multi-million dollar corporation, making eBay the world's largest online marketplace.
