Approximately 2,393 diplomas from Tufts' undergraduate and graduate schools will be awarded at today's commencement exercises.
The ceremony will take place in two phases.
Phase I will take place on the Academic Quad between Bendetson and Ballou Halls. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. as an all-school ceremony that will include graduates from all schools and colleges of the University.
The presentation includes the academic procession, commencement speaker Lance Armstrong's address, the awarding of honorary degrees and the presentation of degrees by the University's Board of Trustees.
In addition to Armstrong, who is the seven-time winner of the Tour de France, honorary degrees will be granted to pastor and humanitarian Rev. Gloria E. White-Hammond, retired Gen. Joseph Hoar, philanthropist and Veterinary School benefactor William S. Cummings and prominent evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis. (For more information on the honorary degree recipients, see page 13.)
Phase II consists of smaller ceremonies for graduates of each of the respective departments, in which each graduate receives their diploma and departments may conduct specialized, department-specific activities.
These ceremonies are held in various locations around campus. They will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. and are expected to last through 3 p.m, including luncheons.
The administration opted for this two-phase commencement ceremony after widespread complaints about the previous lengthy ceremony, in which diplomas were presented to every graduate while the entire University community looked on.
The baccalaureate service for graduating seniors was held at 3 p.m. on May 20.
At the ceremony, University President Lawrence Bacow and Wendell Phillips Award winner Mauricio Artinano address the graduating class.
The Wendell Phillips Award is granted annually to one senior at Tufts and one at Harvard who excel in public speaking and public service. Tufts seniors competed for this award earlier this semester with an oratory competition of five-minute speeches.
The School of Arts, Sciences and Engineering will award 890 Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees, 138 Bachelor of Science (BS) Degrees and 187 Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degrees.
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Graduate School of Engineering will award 167 Master of Arts (MA) degrees, 15 Master of Science (MS) degrees and 78 Master of Science in Engineering degrees. Twenty-six Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) will also be awarded.
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy will award 210 Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD), 75 Master of Arts (MA) degrees and 14 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees.
The School of Dental Medicine will award 173 Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degrees and eight Master of Science (MS) degrees.
The School of Medicine will award 142 Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees, 33 Masters of Public Health (MPH) degrees, one Master of Science (MS) in Health Communication and one Master of Science (MS) in Pain Research Education and Policy.
The medical school will also award a host of combined degrees, including 13 combined MD/Master of Business Administration Health Management (MD/MBA) degrees and 15 combined MD and Master of Public Health (MD/MPH) degrees.
It will award two joint MD/PhD Degrees and two joint MD/Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MD/MALD) degrees.
The Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences will award 28 Ph.D. degrees and 16 MS degrees.
The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy will award 12 Ph.D. degrees, 46 MS degrees nine joint Master of Science and combined dietetic internship degrees.
Seven joint MS/MPH degrees and 6 Master of Arts in Humanitarian Assistance (MAHA) degrees will be awarded. This last degree is offered in conjunction with the Fletcher School.
The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine will be awarding 71 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degrees and seven MS degrees in Animals and Public Policy. It will also award three combined DVM/Master of Public Health (DVM/MPH) degrees, three combined DVM/Master of Science in Laboratory Animal Medicine degrees and seven Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy degrees.
The "Severe Weather Plan" on the commencement Web site indicates that an abbreviated ceremony would take place on the lawn in the event of rain, but that the ceremony could be canceled in the event of severe
weather.
