Despite what began as a light drizzle but soon became a torrential downpour, the 2012 graduating class of Columbia College made it up to the South Lawn stage—and on to the real world—this morning. There’s got to be a metaphor in there, somewhere. Words of wisdom and congratulations were bestowed upon the baby blue-swathed grads […]

Today, the SEAS class of 2012 took the metaphorical and literal stage. Super SEAS Specialist (aka SEAS junior) Brian Wagner watched and took some notes.  Coming and going with a bit less fanfare than today’s other ceremony, SEAS Class Day took place on the South Lawn late this afternoon. The atmosphere was decidedly less energetic […]

Bwog was shocked to learn the world continually turns as we sleep in until 1 pm and subsequently spend the day watching Netflix. Because the news won’t take a break, we’re taking a break from being on break to break some news—cue a recovery nap.  Donald Keene, a prominent scholar of Japanese literature and culture and […]

John “Rick” MacArthur, CC ’78, will return to Morningside May 15 for CC Class Day. A longtime journalist and current president of Harper’s Magazine, MacArthur graduated from Columbia with a B.A. in History and has worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Star, and The Chicago Sun-Times during his illustrious career. He was also described as […]

Bwog has just learned that the Ursula Burns, SEAS ’82 (MS in mechanical engineering) and the chairman and CEO of Xerox Corporation, will be the featured speaker at the 2012 engineering school class day. Burns is the first African-American woman to chair a Fortune 500 company, according to an article published by Spec. The same […]

It was breezy, chilly, and wet, but this Monday, the General Studies Class of 2011 diligently filed into the large tents on South Lawn to finally graduate. Dean Peter Awn received a warm welcome and gave the prototypical opening about what it means to be a GS student, followed by remarks from PrezBo, who could […]

Having being directed all around campus yesterday by Public Safety officers and people in ponchos concerned Bwog did not have a press pass, Intrepid Underclassmen Peter Sterne finally found the press section and settled in to watch the commencement of SEAS Class Day. After a procession of old alums, professors, and administrators, KevSho took the […]

Speaking of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming! Creed, CC ’88, is the executive producer of NBC Nightly News and the Vice President of NBC News. There has only been one female Class Day speaker since Columbia went co-ed in 1983: Claire Shipman, CC ’86, also a TV journalist, spoke in 1999. Creed was […]

Everyone had a good time at GS Class Day. There was a brass band, there was a Korean pop star, and there was a Valedictorian named Brian Corman who made a speech. This was not an unusual thing for a Valedictorian to do, but Mr. Corman did something out of the ordinary: he stole a […]

Hans Hyttinen gives you the highlights of the SEAS ’10 Class Day. This year’s SEAS Class Day was marked, as is the norm, by a number of speeches, both funny and inspiring. Seth Davidovits and Rodney Chang delivered the valedictory and salutatory addresses, respectively. Met with general approval, their speeches were interesting and humorous—especially Seth’s, […]

Jon Edelman reports from GS Class Day this morning. In true GS style, guests were greeted by Howard Fishman and the Biting Fish Brass Band, who marched the graduates in to “Down By the Riverside,” rather than your typical 10-minute rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance.” The ceremony continued with a rendition of the national anthem […]

Remember how Bill Clinton was going to maybe speak at CC Class Day? Well, he isn’t, but he will be speaking at the Public Health School’s Graduation at New Balance Track & Field Arena on 168th Street. Hubba hubba! The complete Graduation/Class Day/Commencement hullabaloo calendar has just been released for CC, GS and the School […]

SIPA students are unhappy, and not just because they have to smoke their cigarettes in that weird little buried courtyard. No, it’s something bigger: they’re unhappy with the school’s choice of graduate and trustee Vikram Pandit, the embattled CEO of Citigroup, as graduation speaker. While it may be harsh to call Pandit “One of the […]

The youngest-ever president of the NAACP, Ben Jealous, CC ’94, will be speaking at Columbia College’s Class Day. At a celebration tonight in Havana Central’s back room, Class Council 2010 President Cliff Massey revealed Jealous’s selection after weeks of speculation that saw names floated including Bill Clinton and Kofi Annan Jealous, who was involved with […]

Breaking news from the Diana Event Oval! Meryl Streep has just been announced as Barnard’s Class Day Speaker. Bwog is hoping she’ll deliver the speech in a medley of her most famous characters– a Miranda Priestly drawl, a Julia Child shrill, whoever she played in 2006’s under-the-radar film “The Ant Bully”. Make way for Meryl, […]