The president said 70 percent of the graduates who are going to work had already secured jobs. Of those to attend graduate school, 83 percent were accepted with 77 percent at their first choice.
Amherst College graduates make their way to the school's 192nd commencement, Sunday. Despite high winds and temperatures in the unseasonable 40s, President Carolyn “Biddy” Martin made the most of the rare peeks of sun that appeared during the morning.
“I am so glad the sun decided to shine on your graduation, you deserve it, “ she said. The 467 class of 2013 graduates come from 43 states and 37 different countries.
The president said 70 percent of the graduates who are going to work had already secured jobs. Of those to attend graduate school, 83 percent were accepted with 77 percent at their first choice.
Amherst College graduate Alice E. Li has been accepted at Harvard Law School and Yale Law School.
Her father, Xian Li, 48, said his daughter will instead attend Columbia Law School, which provided her a full scholarship.
“She is very smart; she has a very curious mind,” he said. Dr. Li has been on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for 16 years. He is currently director of transplant research at Texas Medical Center in Houston. Queendy Yu is Alice’s mother. Her parents are from China.
The senior class speaker, Reilly A. Horan, reflected on one of life’s persistent riddles: the pursuit of happiness.
“We have to figure out how to live a happy life when we leave here,” she said. “Making yourself happy . . . is sacred . . . the world will love you for it.”
Horan also said it is best not to let fear of what others think get in the way of personal growth.
“Be a little theatrical, express yourself, externalize,” she said. “The good stuff comes . . . when you just start swimming.”
Area graduates of Amherst college include: Mark Santolucito, Jacob Powers and Keri Lambert of Amherst; Bridget Crowley of Hampden; Mark Humphrey of Easthampton; Matthew Pieterse of Springfield; Sean Monaco of Granby; Oriel Strong of Hadley; William Workman of Northampton; and Kristin Young of Athol.
The school recognized World War II veteran Arthur J. Ourieff, who attended in the 1940’s but departed before graduating to join the service. Martin presented Ourieff his degree on Sunday; he is officially listed as graduating in 1945.
Amherst College bestowed an honorary Doctor of Law to attorney Barry Scheck.
A cofounder of the Innocence Project more than 20 years ago, Scheck has helped free hundreds wrongly convicted using the new DNA science tools. A book he co-authored, "Actual Innocence," details individuals wrongly convicted and later exonerated.
Jim Steinmann, who graduated Amherst College in 1969, was given a Doctor of Humane Letters. The music composer, lyricist, arranger and performer is currently working on a heavy metal version of Tchaikovsky’s "The Nutcracker."
1971 graduate Dr. Robert Yarchoan received an honorary Doctor of Science degree. He is a pioneer in AIDS and HIV research. He is chief of the HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch at the National Cancer Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health.