Cameras flashed. Parents, eagerly seeking their child in the crowd of graduates, waved frantically. Equally excited graduates waved back, posing for pictures as they stood among their classmates.
In Boston, commencement season has begun with Northeastern again leading the way last Saturday morning. Nearly every seat was filled in the FleetCenter as 2,200 undergraduates received their diplomas.
“I congratulate you,” said President Richard Freeland, as the ceremony ended. “But this is not the end of learning. Make your years here rather a beginning of learning. To stop learning is to stop living.”
The ceremony began with a prayer from the Reverend John Unni, before President Freeland took the podium to greet the crowd.
Freeland called for the crowd to recognize the contributions parents, grandparents and other family members have made in the lives of the graduates, and students stood to wave and shout to their families. He also recognized the “golden graduates,” members of the Class of 1955, who joined in the commencement ceremony in golden yellow gowns and mortarboards. This year, Freeland said, marks the 50th anniversary of Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at Northeastern, and mentioned the over two-dozen ROTC golden graduates in the crowd.
Student speaker Nina Ibarra told her fellow graduates they are fortunate to have received a college education.
“This day seemed long in coming,” she said. The class of 2005 now joins the 28 percent of United States citizens with a college degree, and the 1 percent world-wide with a college degree, she said.
“In truth, we are extremely blessed. This is an opportunity not awarded to everyone,” she said.
After her speech, Ibarra said she hoped students would remember to never take their college experience for granted.
“The underlying message was to be grateful for the education we’ve received,” she said.
Following Ibarra’s speech the class of 2005 presented its class gift to the university, an annual tradition.
Heidi Squires, president of the 2005 class council, presented the class gift, a donation from over 1,000 students and family members, she said. The gift, a check for $21,500, was dedicated to Snell Library for the construction of the proposed alumni reading room.
Later, commencement speaker Leon Panetta, former President Bill Clinton’s chief of staff, addressed the graduates.
Panetta spoke of his parents’ experiences as immigrants, traveling to the United States from Italy in the 1930s.
“They had values, the values of wanting to work hard. And they were willing to sacrifice for the future,” he said. They sought a better life, and he said the graduates “should have the opportunity to succeed and the opportunity to achieve that better life.”
His speech soon turned to political matters, and he urged students to get more involved in public affairs.
“You have the energy, the idealism, the commitment and the dedication to change the face of America,” he said.
Ibarra said although she was exhausted from her own speech, she still enjoyed Panetta’s.
“I thought it was pretty good,” she said. “He made some good points. I liked the jokes he added in.”
Finally, after all the speeches were given, the graduates prepared to receive their diplomas.
Each college cheered as they were asked to stand by their respective dean. Members of the College of Engineering threw orange paper airplanes into the air as their name was called. Bouv
