| News from PRINCETON
UNIVERSITY Office of Communications 22 Chambers St. Princeton, New Jersey 08542 Telephone 609-258-3601; Fax 609-258-1301 For immediate release: June 3, 2003 Contact: Patricia Allen, (609) 258-6108, pallen@princeton.edu |
| (Editor's Note: A total of 1,117 undergraduates were granted degrees
in the 2002-03 school year, including students from earlier classes. However,
only 1,108 undergraduate degrees were actually awarded at commencement.) |
| Princeton University holds 256th
Commencement PRINCETON, N.J. -- Princeton University awarded degrees to 1,117 undergraduates
and 695 graduate students at its 256th Commencement today. In addition,
the University conferred honorary doctorate degrees upon five individuals
for their contributions in the fields of education, science, human rights
law and the humanities. The valedictory oration was delivered by Peggy Ping Hsu from Bethlehem, Pa. Hsu, with a grade point average well over 4.0, majored in molecular biology. Salutatorian Jesse Liebman, of New York City, who received a bachelor's degree in classics, addressed his classmates and their guests in Latin -- a tradition that dates back to an era when the entire ceremony was conducted in Latin. The Latin Salutatory, Princeton's oldest student honor, began as a serious, formal address, but today it often contains humorous tributes, recollections and a farewell to Princeton campus life. Because few students today know Latin, the new graduates follow along using printed copies of the remarks, complete with footnotes telling them when to applaud (plaudite), laugh (ridete) and shout (vociferate). Guests and other audience members do not have the annotated copies as tradition dictates since the salute is directed to the members of the class. Class of 2003 By the Numbers: Class of 2003 Honors: Graduate Degrees: |