May 13, 2007
As proud families and friends watched, approximately 370 students received their diplomas during the College's 114th Commencement on May 13 on Marston Quad, the College's first outdoor Commencement in three decades.
Students in the Class of 2007 came from as far away as Brazil, Japan and Zimbabwe. Their majors ran the gamut from geology to psychology. As they headed off to graduate fellowships, careers and other adventures, the class joined the ranks of more than 19,000 Pomona alumni living around the globe.
In his Charge to the Class of 2007 [pdf], Pomona College President David W. Oxtoby lauded the students for taking the lead in many campus environmental initiatives. "In my four years on campus, I have been struck that so much of the leadership at the College comes not from the top down but from you, the students,” said Oxtoby.
“You took the issue of climate change and did not just watch movies and throw up your hands; instead, you analyzed College practices and proposed specific strategies to reduce our carbon footprint; you started a campus climate challenge that lowered dormitory electricity use. You laid the groundwork for other critical steps ranging from reducing water consumption to cutting the number of cars on campus through a Flexcar rental option,” he noted.
Carter Kenneth Deloro '07 and Senior Class President Alexandra Ruth Romano '07 gave the student speeches. Rosemary Choate '63 received the Trustees' Medal of Merit. Honorary degrees were awarded to:
Former Sen. Bob Graham
Former Sen. Bob Graham (D-Florida) was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 and served until his retirement in early 2005. He also made a bid for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 2004. His book Intelligence Matters: The CIA, The FBI, Saudi Arabia and the Failure of America’s War on Terror was released in 2004. He previously served as governor of Florida.
Mary Patterson McPherson
Mary Patterson McPherson is president emeritus of Bryn Mawr College – she was made acting president of Bryn Mawr College in 1976 and president from 1978-97. Effective July 1, 2007, she will be executive officer of the American Philosophical Society. She is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Mary Patterson McPherson's speech [pdf].
Dr. Robert E. Tranquada, M.D., '51
Dr. Robert E. Tranquada, M.D., '51 is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He served as chairman of the Board of Overseers of the Claremont University Consortium from 2000-06. He is chairman emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Pomona College and emeritus trustee of the Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences.