Filed under:
Sarah Lawrence College celebrated its 96th Commencement on Friday, May, 10 2024. Parents, families, and friends gathered under a tent in Westlands Lawn to cheer on the nearly 450 graduates, with many more joining from afar via live broadcast.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy delivered this year’s Commencement speech, weaving moments of humor and poignancy throughout. His address reflected a number of priorities on which he has focused during his tenure as Surgeon General — connectedness, community, and relationships. He left the Class of 2024 with this powerful message: “Love is the world’s oldest medicine. It is what I wish for you more than anything else in the world. Your ability to give and receive love is your greatest power. It is what will sustain you on every step of the journey ahead.”
During her remarks, Sarah Lawrence College President Cristle Collins Judd marveled at the resiliency of this year’s graduating class — a class that began their undergraduate years during the pandemic — and reflected on all that they experienced and achieved in their time at the College, saying: “Class of 2024, while your years at this College have been profoundly shaped by external forces that will mark your memories of this time, equally profound are the ways in which you have shaped each other and shaped this College.”
As part of this year’s Commencement exercises, the College held a Graduate Hooding ceremony on Thursday, May 9, in the Barbara Walter Campus Center. The hooding ceremony's sole focus was on Sarah Lawrence’s master’s candidates and recognizing their unique achievements in pursuit of advanced degrees.
A full recap of Sarah Lawrence’s 96th Commencement and Graduate Hooding ceremonies, including videos and photos, is available here.