249th Commencement

Commencement Invitation

To the Penn Community:

Penn’s Commencement is a wonderful opportunity to gather together in celebration of the impressive accomplishments of our students. On behalf of the Trustees, Officers and Deans and their faculties, we would like to invite all members of the Penn community to attend the University’s 249th Commencement on Monday, May 16, 2005. We are very fortunate to have U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan as our Commencement speaker this year.

The Academic Procession steps forth from the Annenberg Center at 9 a.m., then pauses for approximately 45 minutes in front of College Hall to applaud the graduating students as they pass through our ranks. The procession then proceeds to Franklin Field where the ceremony begins at 10:15 a.m. If you wish to attend the festivities, please seek advance approval from your supervisor to assure that the business needs of your department will continue to be met. Whether you wish to join the festivities around Locust Walk and College Green, or come to the ceremony itself (tickets are not necessary), we very much hope that you will join us in this University-wide culmination of the academic year.

Amy Gutmann, President
Peter Conn, Interim Provost
Leslie Laird Kruhly, Secretary

University of Pennsylvania
Commencement Events 2005

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Honorary Degree Recipients

Click here for sketches of the recipients.

Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Quincy Jones, Musician, composer, educator, Doctor of Music, honoris causa

Saul A. Kripke, McCosh Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, Princeton University, Professor of Philosophy, Gradute Center, City University of New York, Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa

Ralph J. Roberts, W ’41, Founder and chairman of the Executive and Finance Committee, Comcast Corporation, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Judy Woodruff, Prime Anchor and senior correspondent, CNN America, Inc., Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Nancy Fugate Woods, Dean, School of Nursing, Professor, Family & Child Nursing, University of Washington, Doctor of Science, honoris causa

School Ceremonies and Speakers

Annenberg School for Communication
Doctoral Ceremony:  Monday, May 16, 3 p.m., Annenberg School for Communication

Undergraduate Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 10 a.m. Zellerbach Theatre, Annenberg Center

Reception: Annenberg Plaza, immediately following the ceremony

Biomedical Graduate Studies 
Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 1:30 p.m., BRB II/III Auditorium and Lobby

College of Arts and Sciences
Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 7-9 p.m.,Franklin Field

Speaker: Michael Feinberg, Founder of KIPP Academies

Graduate Division, School of Arts and Sciences
Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 1 p.m., Hill Square, 33rd and Walnut Street

Speaker:  Steven Hahn, Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Professor of History, Penn

Reception: Hill College House, immediately following the ceremony

College of General Studies
Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 4:30 p.m., Hill Square, 33rd and Walnut Street

Reception: Woodlands Ballroom, Inn at Penn, immediately following the ceremony

School of Dental Medicine
Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 1 p.m., Irvine Auditorium

Speaker:Dr. Ronald Gross, Trustee, American Dental Association Past-President, Pennsylvania Dental Association

Reception: Robert Schattner Center, immediately following the ceremony

School of Design
Luncheon: Monday, May 16, noon, Meyerson Hall Terrace

Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 1:30 p.m., Furness Plaza

Speaker: Billie Tsien, partner at

Tod Williams Billie Tsien and Associates

Graduate School of Education
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony:  Saturday, May 14, 3 p.m., Penn Museum

Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 10 a.m., Philadelphia Marriott, 1201 Market Street

Speaker: James W. Stigler, Professor of Psychology, UCLA and CEO LessonLab, UCLA

Continental Breakfast: Preceding ceremony at 8 a.m., Philadelphia Marriott

School of Engineering and Applied Science
Doctoral Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 1 p.m., Zellerbach Theatre, Annenberg Center

Speaker: Dr. Katherine Crothall, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Animas Corporation

Reception: Annenberg Plaza, immediately following the ceremony

Master’s Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 4 p.m., Zellerbach Theatre, Annenberg Center

Speaker:  Dr. John H. Davis, Founder and Principal, Technology Advisors Group

Reception: Annenberg Plaza, immediately following the ceremony

Undergraduate Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 3 p.m., Franklin Field

Student Speaker:  Meenal LeLe, CBE ‘05, President, Engineering Deans’ Advisory Board

Reception: Monday, May 16, immediately following Commencement ceremony, West Towne Lawn and Levine Hall

Fels Institute of Government
Ceremony and Reception:  Saturday, May 14, 5 p.m., Fels Institute of Government

Reception: Fels Institute of Government, immediately following the ceremony

Law School
Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 3 p.m., Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets

Speaker:  Jamie S. Gorelick, Esq., partner at Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr, LLP

Reception:  Law School, Sunday, May 15, 2-4 p.m.

School of Medicine
Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 3 p.m., Grand Ballroom, Philadelphia Marriott, 1201 Market Street

Speaker:  Dr. Helene D. Gayle, director,  HIV, TB and Reproductive Health Program for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Reception: Franklin Hall, Philadelphia Marriott, immediately following the ceremony

School of Nursing
Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 3 p.m., Verizon Hall, the Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce Streets

Reception:  Monday, May 16, noon–1:30 p.m., Hall of Flags, Houston Hall

Speaker: Dr. Nancy Fugate Woods, Dean,

School of Nursing, University of Washington

School of Social Work 
Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 2 p.m., Harrison Auditorium, Penn Museum

Speaker:  Joan Lunden, broadcast journalist and author

Reception: Chinese Rotunda and Upper Egyptian Gallery, Penn Museum, immediately following ceremony

School of Veterinary Medicine
Ceremony: Monday, May 16, 2:30 p.m.

Zellerbach Theatre, Annenberg Center

Speaker:  Edwin Sayres, president and CEO, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Reception: Annenberg Center Plaza, immediately following ceremony

Wharton Undergraduate Division and Wharton Evening Division
Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 9 a.m., Franklin Field

Speaker: Lea Delgado Cohen, W ’05

Wharton Graduate Division
Ceremony: Sunday, May 15, 1 p.m., Franklin Field

Speaker: Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System

Reception: Jon M. Huntsman Hall, immediately following the ceremony

Wharton Doctoral Division

Ceremony & Celebration: Sunday, May 15, 5:30 p.m. Jon M. Huntsman Hall—8th floor