About Commencement

Dear Swarthmore Families,

I write to extend my warmest congratulations to you and your graduating senior as we prepare for Commencement for the Swarthmore Class of 2017. As I hand our remarkable students their degrees in the beautiful Scott Outdoor Amphitheater, I will share your deep sense of pride in all that they have accomplished during their time with us.

Commencement is an opportunity for our entire community to celebrate our graduates' considerable achievements. Not only have they met and mastered the rigorous intellectual challenges that are the hallmark of a Swarthmore education, but they have also made their mark on the College in many ways: in our classrooms and laboratories; on stage and on the athletic fields; and in service here on campus, in our surrounding communities, and even around the world.

This guide provides you with the information you will need to plan for the Commencement activities. We will update this guide as new information becomes available. You may also visit the college website for updates. Please share these resources with family and friends.

Swarthmore is proud to have had a role in preparing your graduating seniors to assume positions of responsibility and leadership and to make their own contributions to the common good. I look forward to joining you at Commencement to honor our graduates and to wish them well as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

Sincerely,

Valerie Smith
President