Members of DePauw's Class of 2016, 533 Strong, "Enter a Very Exclusive Club" at the 177th Commencement

May 22, 2016

Photo Galleries 1 & 2; Order Your Commencement DVD

"We're about to enter a very exclusive club," Craig R. Carter told fellow members of DePauw University's Class of 2016 this morning, moments before they received their diplomas. "Only 17% of Americans hold a college degree, and at large, only 6% of the world.  That gives us a responsibility to uplift those who are still searching, to build our homes and to guide our fellow man and woman," added Carter, the student body president who won the Walker Cup, which is awarded to the senior who has contributed the most to the University community during his or her four years on campus.

Carter was among the 533 DePauw seniors who were awarded diplomas at the University's 177th Annual Commencement, which took place in Holton Memorial Quadrangle.  The weather was perfect for the proceedings, with sunshine, a cloudless blue sky and temperatures in the mid-70s.

With his classmates sitting before him, Carter said, "Now I want you to think about who has uplifted you, who helped you to discover yourself.  Never forget their actions, never forget the value of yourself, never forget the value of your work."

DePauw's Class of 2016 also heard from Tavis Smiley, the host of the late-night PBS talk show Tavis Smiley, as well as The Tavis Smiley Show on Public Radio International (PRI).

Smiley received an Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree during the program.  Douglas Hallward-Driemeier, a 1989 DePauw graduate and partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Ropes & Gray, was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree.  His arguments helped persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage last summer.

DePauw also paid tribute to five faculty members who are retiring at the conclusion of the current academic year (the year they joined the faculty is noted parenthetically): Masha Belyavski-Frank (1992), Marguerite Andrade Professor of Modern Languages (Russian); Mary M. Bretscher (1974), associate professor of kinesiology; Thomas C. Chiarella (1988), Hampton and Esther Boswell Distinguished University Professor of Creative Writing; John T. Schlotterbeck (1978), A.W. Crandall Professor of History; and Barbara J. Steinson (1978), professor of history.

It marked the final commencement ceremony for DePauw's nineteenth president, Brian W. Casey, who is leaving to become president of Colgate University.  Graduates gave Dr. Casey a round of applause during the program in appreciation of his service, and many stopped to hug him as they received their diplomas.  Embedded below is video of the President's Charge to the Graduating Class, which has been read at commencement for more than a century.

Graduates and their families are invited to order a limited edition DVD of the commencement program. The disc, which is professionally replicated, will include footage of each graduate receiving their DePauw diploma as well as a range of bonus materials, including clips of some of the most memorable moments of the past four years, such as Ubben Lectures by Jimmy Kimmel, Jane Goodall, Dan Quayle '69, Martin Luther King III, Bret Baier '92 and Andrew Luck. The DVD will also contain a video tribute to President Casey and vintage film from the DePauw Archives.

Orders are now being accepted at $19.95 for the first disc; additional DVDs sent to the same address will be $8 each (7% sales tax will be added to Indiana orders). An online order form is available here; you can learn more about the disc in this article.

For more information on DePauw's commencement, click here.

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