Monday, May 19
10:30 a.m.
Radio City Music Hall
1260 Avenue of the Americas
725 bachelor degree graduates

Radio City Music Hall offered perfect acoustics for the 2014 Steinhardt commencement. Associate dean for Student Affairs Patricia Carey opened the ceremony, after the parade of students filled their seats to the sounds of a bagpipe band and the traditional “Procession of the Nobles.” Carey introduced dean Mary Brabeck, who addressed the graduates for the last time as dean. Her speech focused on stories, ranging from Homer’s “The Odyssey” to the 140-character stories one tells on Twitter, urging the soon-to-be-alumni to offer their skills to make better life stories for themselves and others. Student speaker Grace Song delivered a speech about empathy and finished her address by turning around to take a selfie with the audience. Performances by the Dancing Educators and the Steinhardt Singers served as an entertaining intermission. As the graduates walked on stage to receive their degrees, the screens above them flashed congratulatory tweets, and even a marriage proposal, from members of the audience who hashtagged #Steinhardt2014. The procession closed with the Steinhardt Singers’ rendition of “New York, New York.” They were accompanied by some of the new graduates and distinguished faculty on stage who kicked their legs in full Rockette fashion behind the singers.

Francisco Navas is sports editor. Email him at [email protected].