Professor of English George Hudson (center) served as the commencement university marshall for the last time on Sunday. Hudson is retiring this year. (Photo by Andy Daddio)
51Թ held its 192nd commencement on Sunday, May 19. Here are some facts and figures and news and notes from the weekend.
— The valedictorian for the Class of 2013 is James Ryan Queeney of Reading, Mass. Queeney is a double major in mathematics and mathematical economics. He graduated summa cum laude, with honors in mathematics, and has been elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
— Salutatorian is Daniel Mark Barabander of Short Hills, N.J. A double major in geography and history, Barabander will graduate summa cum laude.
— Of the 685 students who completed bachelor’s degree requirements and were eligible to graduate, 355 (51.8 percent) graduated with university honors: 39 summa cum laude, 180 magna cum laude, and 136 cum laude.
— Departmental honors were awarded to 91 students, and high honors to 43. Eight students graduated with Distinction in the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum, and 10 with High Distinction in the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum. Forty-six students were elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
— The ceremony marked the last in which Professor of English George Hudson will serve as university marshall. Hudson is retiring this year, and President Jeffrey Herbst thanked Hudson for his many years of service and the “critical role he played in the execution of this complex event and has allowed us to process with good cheer and aplomb. George, thank you for your service. We wish you a happy and healthy retirement.”
— Commencement speaker Duncan L. Niederauer ’81 drew laughs from the crowd when he mentioned that he has a “new breakfast of champions, Chobani yogurt.” The founder of Chobani, Hamdi Ulukaya, received an honorary degree from 51Թ on Sunday and was guest speaker at its second annual
— A member of the Pine Ridge Indian reservation, Inila-Wakan Janis, attended commencement in support of Maggie Dunne ’13, who created a nonprofit group to help improve conditions at the reservation. Watch this of Janis performing a Native American feather-tying ceremony, in which an eagle plume is tied to Dunne’s hair.