Graduation Exercise marks 40th Anniversary of Admission of Women
HARTFORD, Conn. – Commencement speaker Joanna Jeanne Scott urged the 567 undergraduate and 39 graduate students who received their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively, on Sunday “to imagine new possibilities as [you] face the uncertainty that is the future.”
Scott, ’82, an author and professor of English at the University of Rochester, was one of three “remarkable” women to receive honorary degrees during Trinity’s 183rd Commencement held on the main quadrangle. The two other women were Marjorie Van Eenam Butcher, who taught at Trinity for 33 years and was the first female member of the College’s faculty and the first women to achieve the rank of professor, and Deborah Bial, president and founder of the Posse Foundation, which provides scholarships and assistance to disadvantaged young people so that they can attend college.
Although the usual pageantry was displayed at Commencement, which is primarily held each year to honor the students who receive their degrees, it took on special meaning this year because it marks the beginning of a yearlong celebration of Trinity admitting women in 1969.
The four decades of coeducation was underscored by James F. Jones, Jr., President and Professor in the Humanities, who noted that in the audience were 19 Trinity alumnae who are mothers of female members of the Class of 2009, 22 alumnae who are sisters and eight who are cousins. “We’re very proud of that fact,” Jones said.
Scott, who has written eight novels and has won numerous awards for her novels and collections of short stories, told the graduates, “Looking back at your time at Trinity, you probably feel that the years here have passed in a flash. It’s a flash that will continue to cast a light on everything you do in the future. I know something about the implications of a Trinity education because I’ve sat where you’re sitting.”
Acknowledging these tough economic times, Scott said, “The world is looking rougher than ever these days, and there will be daunting challenges as you shape your own lives. But you’ve spent your years at Trinity asking hard questions, overcoming obstacles, and dreaming of the future.”
Scott ended her speech with this uplifting message: “Go forth and prosper.”
The valedictorian of the Class of 2009 was Sagar Bhandari of Nepal, who graduated with a B.S. in engineering and physics, and the salutatorian was Gautam A. Samarth of India, who graduated with a B.S. in economics and a minor in Chinese language.
Three undergraduates were named Optimus students, which signifies that he or she has earned an A- or better in all courses required for his or her degree. The three were: Sylvia Hristakeva of Bulgaria, who majored in economics; Dzheni Dilcheva, also of Bulgaria, who co-majored in international studies: Latin American and Caribbean, and psychology and minored in Hispanic studies; and Naoto Hamashima of Japan, who majored in engineering.
The five above-mentioned students all are members of Phi Beta Kappa, for which an initiation luncheon was held Saturday in Mather Hall. Members are elected from among those students who have achieved the highest grades. The Trinity chapter, known as the Beta of Connecticut, was chartered by the Yale chapter, the Alpha of Connecticut, in 1845, and is the eighth oldest chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in the United States.
The Charles A. Dana Research Professorship, the College’s most prestigious award for exceptional scholarship – which was established in 1984 to recognize exceptional scholarly achievement and to support continuing research – was granted to Leslie G. Desmangles, professor of religion and international studies. The award was also presented to two associate professors: Susan A. Masino, professor of psychology and neuroscience, and Beth E. Notar, associate professor of anthropology.
The Trustee Awards for Faculty and Student Excellence were presented to Pablo Delano, associate professor of fine arts; and Cara E. Pavlak of Maine, who majored in international studies: African, with a minor in French language and human rights; and Verdell Nicole Walker of Georgia, who co-majored in economics and international studies: Middle Eastern.
The Commencement Ceremony, which lasted from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., was followed by a reception on the soccer field. The ceremony was the culmination of two days of festivities, which included a Saturday afternoon concert by the Trinity College Chapel Singers; the Phi Beta Kappa luncheon; a baccalaureate service for graduating seniors and their families; and a Saturday evening reception at the home of President Jones.
On Sunday, as the procession of undergraduate and graduate students began and they walked to their seats, each followed the tradition of stepping on The Luther-Roosevelt Long Walk Inscription in front of the Fuller Arch in Northam Towers. The inscription commemorates the visit in June 1918 of former President Theodore Roosevelt, who delivered a speech and received an honorary degree at commencement.
For information about the Commencement Ceremony, please go to the College’s web site at /AboutTrinity/commencement. For photos, please visit /AboutTrinity/commencement/photos. A video of the ceremony will be available shortly for viewing at the commencement web site.
back to top