Commencement Stanford University

Alexander Nemerov, the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Provostial Professor in the Arts and Humanities, offers the New Student Orientation first lecture on the purpose of a liberal education and how students will become more than their major.

Speaking at the 2013 Stanford Baccalaureate ceremony will be alumna Valarie Kaur, an award-winning filmmaker, civil rights advocate and interfaith organizer. She is the founding director of Groundswell, a nonprofit initiative at Auburn Seminary that mobilizes people of faith in social action. Currently a fellow at Yale Law School, Kaur is the founding director of the Yale Visual Law Project, where she makes documentary films and trains students in the art of visual advocacy.

More than 30,000 family members and friends gathered for Stanford's 122nd Commencement Weekend. The keynote of Sunday's Commencement ceremony was an address by Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, NY. He spoke to the graduates who entered Stanford Stadium with the traditional Wacky Walk.

More than 30,000 family members and friends gathered for Stanford's 122nd Commencement Weekend. The keynote of Sunday's Commencement ceremony was an address by Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, NY. He spoke to the graduates who entered Stanford Stadium with the traditional Wacky Walk. Highlights on Saturday included the Baccalaureate address by Valarie Kaur, award-winning filmmaker and founder of Groundswell; the Class Day Lecture by Mehran Sahami, an associate professor of computer science.

At Stanford's 121th Commencement, the university conferred 1,763 bachelor's, 2,302 master's and 1,023 doctoral degrees. Cory Booker, the Mayor of Neward, New Jersey, delivered the commencement address. (June 17, 2012)