Words of Wisdom from Class Days of Yore

With the recent announcement that Soledad M. O'Brien '88-'00 is slated to take the stage at Class Day this year, we at the Flyby thought we'd seize this opportunity to reflect upon some words of wisdom from previous Class Day speakers. Here are some salient snippets of their stirring speeches. Added bonus: watching these will help you with tonight's procrastination, guaranteed.

The Crimson's Commencement Coverage

As the Class of 2011 graduates from Harvard, The Crimson publishes its annual Year in Review issue. In this special section, we discuss the events and trends that have made this school year memorable.

Faust Confers 9 Honorary Degrees

Commencement speaker and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was among nine recipients of honorary degrees at the morning exercises of the Commencement ceremony Thursday.

Commencement 2011 Morning Exercises

Malik Ahmad Jalal holds up an inflatable globe and cheers with his fellow students as they become Kennedy School of Government graduates during Commencement.

Posthumous Degrees

After graduating in the morning, Tiffany Smalley accepts a posthumous degree from the university in the honor of another Aquinnah Wampanoag, Joel Iacoomes, who died in 1665 after studying at the Harvard Indian College. Bernard Coombs, a relative, also accepts Iacoomes' degree in his honor. Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, chairwoman of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, and Cedric Cromwell, chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, were also present as University President, Drew Faust, presents the degrees.

Joseph C. Higgins '11 and his friends celebrate the conferral of their degrees near the close of Morning Exercises.

At 360th Commencement, Faust Confers More Than 7,200 Degrees

University President Drew G. Faust conferred 1,556 bachelors of arts and bachelors of science degrees on the Class of 2011 in the morning Commencement exercises.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (center) is congratulated after being serenaded by opera singer Plácido Domingo (left) after both were awarded honorary degrees. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (right), Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, Dudley Herschbach, James R. Houghton, Rosalind Krauss, J. G. A. Pocock, and David Satcher also received honorary degrees during Thursday's Commencement Exercises.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Kennedy School of Government alumna and the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, was awarded an honorary degree during the morning exercises of Commencement on Thursday. In the afternoon she delivers a speech to the Harvard Alumni Association in which she encourages its newest members to "resist cynicism."

Latin Salutatory

Graduating senior Charles Bridge delivers the Latin Salutatory address during the morning exercises of Commencement in Tercentenary Theatre.

Members of the Class of 2011 take photos in front of the John Harvard statue before processing into Tercentenary Theatre for Harvard's 360th Commencement exercises.

Harvard Law School students celebrate the conferral of their degrees, shaking gavels in the air as symbols of their area of study.

Harvard University Commencement 2011

Harvard University Commencement Exercises, May 26, 2011.

Si Se Puede

Dianne Sánchez and Silvia Rodriguez Vega received their Master's degrees in Arts in Education. Silvia is undocumented and an immigrant rights activist. Her mortarboard borrows the dictum of Cesar Chavez.

Soon-to-graduate seniors doze off in the back of Memorial Church before the 8:00am senior church chapel service on the morning of Commencement.

Commencement 2011 Morning Exercises

Thousands of Harvardians fill Tercentenary Theatre for the morning exercises of Commencement Day, 2011.

Commencement 2011 Morning Exercises

Minutemen players in costumes walk past volunteer alumni organizers in the Old Yard after leading students to their Commencement morning exercises on Thursday.

COMEBACK GAME OF THE YEAR: Late Goals Save Crimson

Down 3-0 to Northeastern midway through the second period of the Beanpot semifinals on Feb. 8, it seemed that the Harvard women’s hockey team would suffer its second Beanpot semifinal loss ever and its first since 2007.

BASEBALL: Troubled Harvard Strikes Out

But despite strengths in its lineup and a change in NCAA bat regulations that favored the Crimson’s hitting style, scoring ruts and inconsistencies plagued Harvard throughout the year.

TEAM OF THE YEAR: First-time Champions

It was a season to remember for Harvard, which won a program-best 23 games and set school records for conference victories with 12 and home wins with 14—in 14 contests.

MEN'S SOCCER: Crimson Falters Late in Year

Harvard began its fall season with a win over then-No. 13 Stanford and ended its schedule with a victory over then-No. 18 Penn. In between, the Crimson struggled to convert its close matches into wins, finishing 5-7-5 overall and 2-3-2 in the Ivy League to tie for fifth in the Ancient Eight. But these bookend wins speak better to the spirit of the season, in which Harvard grew as a squad and competed with some of the best teams in the nation.

FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP: Nadler has Strong First Year Despite Setbacks

In her first two weekends of skiing, Rebecca Nadler established herself as one of the best skiers in the nation and arguably the greatest alpine skier Harvard has ever had.

TEAM OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP: Harvard Wins the Ivy League

After sweeping the Ivy League Championship Series against Cornell, the Harvard softball team (36-16, 18-2 Ivy) earned a spot in the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in team history.

FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP: Lange Leads Crimson In Rookie Campaign

The Ivy League Rookie of the Year hit .444 with 11 home runs and 65 RBI, which ranked her second, second, and first in the Ivy League, respectively. She led the team in all three categories.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Perlman Overcomes Elbow Injury

In 2009, after throwing 55 innings in the Cape Cod League over the summer, Max Perlman returned to Harvard with his repaired elbow well-tested. He was ready to retake his spot atop the Crimson’s rotation as the team’s ace.