President John L. Hennessy
April 2009
To the Graduates of the Class of 2009, their parents and families:
It is with great pleasure that I invite you to Stanford University’s 118th Commencement Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14, 2009. This is our opportunity to congratulate and honor our graduates and to thank all of you — parents, family members and friends — for your support and confidence.
The Commencement ceremony will be held on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Stanford Stadium. Anthony M. Kennedy, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and distinguished legal scholar, will be this year’s Commencement speaker.
We are very proud of all of our degree candidates, and we have planned a number of events for the weekend, which opens with the Baccalaureate celebration. Held in the Main Quadrangle on Saturday morning, this multi-faith celebration is a time of thanksgiving and reflection for students and their families. This year’s Baccalaureate address will be given by Ruth W. Messinger, president of the American Jewish World Service and highly regarded for her public service. On Saturday afternoon, I also invite you to join my wife, Andrea, and me at a reception for graduating students and their families at Lou Henry Hoover House.
Parents will receive Commencement information in the mail. Updates and additional information about the weekend can be found online at http://commencement.stanford.edu.
Commencement marks both a completion and a beginning. When our students become alumni, they don’t leave — at least not in spirit. At Stanford University, we encourage our alumni and their families to remain involved in the life of the university. You will always be a member of the Stanford family.
Sincerely,
John L. Hennessy