Commencement 2018 by the Numbers
Among staff from all across campus who make commencement special is Will Evans, Jr., of grounds & horticulture, who has helped to prep the Scott Outdoor Amphitheater, where the ceremony will take place, for nearly 30 years.
Commencement weekend is here — the culmination of four years of learning and exploration for seniors, endless hours of instruction and collaboration from faculty, and every bit of a full year of planning and execution by staff from all areas of campus. It's a celebration for and by the entire College community. But before final touches are made and the regalia is adorned, let's examine Swarthmore's commencement — its 146th — by the numbers.
418: Seniors graduating
418: Number of roses given to seniors by the Scott Arboretum, in keeping with tradition
89: Students receiving Honors
351: Honors exams taken, on 132 subjects across 28 disciplines
62: Students who were first in family to attend college
84: Students with the most popular major, economics
134: Students with double majors
59: Students with special majors, including medical anthropology and fantasy writing
222: Students with a minor
54: International students from 23 countries, as well as 30 U.S. citizens who have dual citizenship in 11 additional countries
40: States represented by students, including Washington, D.C.
37: Students with one or more parent who is an alum
12: Students with one or more grandparent or great-grandparent who is an alum
2: Winners of the American Parliamentary Debate Team of the Year
14: National award winners, including seven Fulbright grantees, a Watson Fellow, a National Science Foundation Fellow, two Boren Scholars (here and here), two Newman Civic Fellows (here and here), and a Humanity in Action Fellow.
207: Donors to the Senior Class Gift
11: Athletes in the graduating class to reach the Elite Eight in their respective sport this past year (men’s basketball, volleyball, baseball)
310: Procession steps between the entrances of Dean Bond Rose Garden and Scott Amphitheater
1,672: Tickets issued
3,400: Programs printed
3,620: Chairs ordered, 2,225 of which are set up in the amphitheater
100: Tables ordered
3,500: Cookies prepared for commencement events, including the post-ceremony reception on Parrish Beach
3: Languages in which Commencement is broadcast (English, Spanish, and Mandarin)
588: Unique views of the ceremony's livestream, across 27 countries and five continents
4,718: Likes to the College’s commencement posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Note: Student data was compiled by the Registrar's Office and is preliminary as of Friday morning.
