Princeton - PWB 060799 - Congratulations 1999

Princeton Weekly Bulletin June 7, 1999

Congratulations 1999



Senior celebrates. (photo by Ron Carter)

There's always something interesting at Commencement," said President Harold Shapiro with a smile.

On the platform in front of some 10,000 spectators, salutatorian T. Wickham Schmidt had just concluded his Latin address "Valete omnes -- and, Anastacia Rohrman, I'd like to ask you to marry me." In her seat on the Front Campus, classmate Rohrman was dumbfounded but soon mustered the presence of mind to raise a hand-lettered sign -- "Yes" -- provided by a friend.

Schmidt and Rohrman were two of 1,172 members of the Class of 1999 -- 625 men and 547 women -- who were awarded degrees on June 1, 1,006 bachelors of arts and 166 bachelors of science in engineering. In addition, three BAs were awarded to candidates from earlier Princeton classes, and 11 undergraduate degrees were awarded earlier in 1998-99.

The 610 advanced degrees awarded consisted of 250 doctors of philosophy and 360 master's degrees, including 210 masters of arts, 72 masters in public affairs and 27 masters of architecture and 51 others.

The valedictory address was delivered by Chan Vee Chong of Singapore, who received his BSE degree in electrical engineering.

Citing John Donne's observation that "No man is an island," Chong thanked parents, friends and teachers on behalf of himself and his classmates. "Regardless of where our individual paths may lead us, my sincerest hope is for all of us to live lives that matter," he told his fellow graduates. "Let us not live as if we will never die. Let us not die as if we had never lived."

At the end of the ceremony, President Shapiro gave an address and then, following the benediction, he led the assembly in the singing of "Old Nassau."



Honorary degree candidate Kofi Annan (r), secretary general of the United Nations, sat with trustee John Scully '66 on the platform at Commencement. Others who received honorary degrees were Oscar Arias Sanchez, former president of Costa Rica; William Baumol, Joseph Douglas Green 1895 Professor of Economics, Emeritus; Phyllis Lambert, founder of the Centre Canadien d'Archi-tecture; Harvey Lichtenstein, president and executive producer of the Brooklyn Academy of Music; photojournalist and author Gordon Parks; and Harold Varmus, director of the National Institutes of Health. (photo by Denise Applewhite)

Honorary degree recipient Gordon Parks (l), photojournalist and author, was attended by an HBO sound crew who recorded the activities in the Faculty Room before Commencement for a documentary HBO is preparing to air on his 85th birthday. (photo by Denise Applewhite)

		Honorary degree candidate Kofi Annan (r), secretary general of the United Nations, sat with trustee John Scully '66 on the platform at Commencement. Others who received honorary degrees were Oscar Arias Sanchez, former president of Costa Rica; William Baumol, Joseph Douglas Green 1895 Professor of Economics, Emeritus; Phyllis Lambert, founder of the Centre Canadien d'Archi-tecture; Harvey Lichtenstein, president and executive producer of the Brooklyn Academy of Music; photojournalist and author Gordon Parks; and Harold Varmus, director of the National Institutes of Health. (photo by Denise Applewhite)