Commencement programs, April 1942-December 1942

The Commencement Records are arranged chronologically and document commencement ceremonies at the university, from the first graduating class in 1908 to the 120th commencement in 2017. The collection primarily comprises commencement programs and commencement addresses, but includes many other documents related to the planning and execution of commencement events, such as invitations, correspondence, meeting minutes, and setup diagrams. The collection also includes documentation of honorary degrees presented at commencement, with many notable names: among them, diplomat Carlos Peña Rómulo, astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell, Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” conductor Lorin Maazel, writer Isaac Bashevis Singer, and architect I. M. Pei. The majority of the materials date from 1920 to 1983.