COMMENCEMENT 2009
Tutu inspires
graduates with
his heartfelt oration
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Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu exhorted the crowd of about
30,000 gathered in Kenan Stadium for Carolina’s May 10 commencement ceremony to
become God’s partners in fighting injustice and oppression wherever it exists
throughout
the world.
“You fantastic people over there, God says, ‘Go on dreaming.
Go on being the idealistic people you are. Go on being the ones who believe
that poverty can indeed be made history,’” said Tutu (pictured below),
recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in opposition to South
African Apartheid. “‘Please, please, help me to make this world a little more
compassionate – to make the world a little more gentle, help me,
please.’” (See the full text, video highlights and slideshow at
uncnews.unc.edu.)
Nearly 5,700 students completed their degrees, including
around 3,371 bachelor’s degrees, 1,363 master’s degrees, 286 doctoral and 662
professional degrees (from the schools of dentistry, law, medicine, nursing and
pharmacy). On May 9, an estimated 286 graduates participated in the doctoral
hooding ceremony at the Smith Center.
Click here for a lighthearted Quicktime video of graduates before the ceremony and here for video of Roscoe Griffin, at 92 the oldest member of the Class of 2009.
God says, ‘Please, please, help me to make this
world
a little more compassionate – to make the world a little more
gentle.
Help me, please.’
– Desmond Tutu
Bernadette Gray-Little, executive vice chancellor
and provost, places the hood on Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on May 10 to
commemorate his honorary doctor of divinity
degree from Carolina. Tutu received a standing ovation from the crowd in Kenan
Stadium following his speech.
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The face of a graduate’s
relative reflects her tremendous pride.
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Graduates celebrate with loved
ones in Kenan Stadium.
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Above and below, doctoral candidates receive hoods at the May 9 doctoral hooding ceremony in the Smith Center.
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Adron Harris, the M. June and J. Virgil Waggoner Chair in Molecular Biology at
the University of Texas in Austin, addresses the doctoral candidates during the
hooding ceremony. Harris earned his Ph.D. at Carolina.
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Chancellor Holden Thorp presents the diploma to a
doctoral candidate during the May 9 hooding ceremony. Approximately 286
doctoral candidates attended the ceremony in the Smith Center.
A sea of
Carolina blue-robed students celebrates the awarding of their
degrees May 10 in Kenan Stadium.
Faculty members applaud the graduates during
commencement in Kenan Stadium.
Below, Thorp, center, poses with seniors from
the championship men’s basketball team. From left are J.B. Tanner, Patrick
Moody, Jack Wooten, Mike Copeland, Tyler Hansbrough, head coach Roy Williams,
Bobby Frasor, Danny Green and Marcus Ginyard.
Tutu delivers his impassioned commencement address.
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