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Date: June 1, 1999
Princeton University Confers 1,806 Degrees at 252nd Commencement
Princeton, N.J., June 1 -- Princeton University conferred a total of 1,806 bachelor and advanced degrees this morning at its 252nd Commencement.
There were 625 men and 547 women from the Class of 1999 awarded undergraduate degrees today; 1,006 received a bachelor of arts and 166 received a bachelor of science in engineering. In addition, three bachelor of arts degrees were awarded to candidates from earlier Princeton classes, and 11 undergraduate degrees were awarded previously in the 1998-99 academic year.
At Commencement, 538 graduating seniors -- or 45.9 percent of the Class of 1999 -- received some form of honors: 101 received highest honors, 184 received high honors and 253 received honors. In the senior class, 46.1 percent of all men received honors and 45.7 percent of women received honors.
The 610 advanced degrees awarded today include 250 doctors of philosophy, 210 masters of arts, 72 masters in public affairs, 27 masters of architecture, 14 masters of science in engineering, 13 masters in public policy, eight masters of engineering, eight masters of fine arts, four masters of Near Eastern studies, and four masters in public affairs and urban and regional planning.
In keeping with long tradition, two Commencement speeches, the valedictory and the Latin salutatory addresses, were delivered by members of the graduating class. Chan Vee Chong of Singapore, who received his bachelor of science in engineering in electrical engineering, was the valedictorian. Thomas Wickham Schmidt of Alexandria, Va., who received a bachelor of arts in classics, was salutatorian.
Princeton University President Harold T. Shapiro delivered brief remarks at the conclusion of the Commencement ceremony.
Note: Princeton students and the press have copies of the Latin salutatory address with instructions on when to shout, applaud, laugh, groan, etc. Only the press is given the translation. This is supposed to be an "in" joke among the students, whose parents are expected to marvel at their children’s ability to understand spoken Latin. It is a vestige from the days when the entire Commencement exercise was in Latin. For more information, see the Commencement program.