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Commencement 2019

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Commencement Speaker

Actor, producer, and activist Alfre Woodard delivered the 2019 Commencement address and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.

Read Woodard's Address

Honorary Degree Recipients

Each year, the university honors a number of distinguished individuals with honorary degrees recognizing their significant accomplishments and contributions in the varied academic, scholarly, and professional fields represented at Tufts.

Read more about this year's recipients.

Baccalaureate Service

Photo by Alonso Nichols

A tradition that began in 1864, the Baccalaureate Service is the last time the undergraduate class comes together, alone, as a class. This multifaith celebration honors the heritage of spirituality and values at Tufts through a diversity of religions, philosophies and cultures in the forms of music, readings and blessings.

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Illumination Ceremony

The Illumination Ceremonies are longstanding and beloved Tufts traditions that take place on the first night of Orientation and on the eve of Commencement. The class gathers to place “a light on the hill” before venturing out into the world.

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Photo by Alonso Nichols

Graduating Student Profiles

They come from as far away as Eritrea and as close at Malden. They are aiming to go into science and engineering, health care and business—with a dash of fine arts. Catch up with some Tufts seniors as they head out into the world.

By Eric Weinberger
Photos by Alonso Nichols and Anna Miller

Regale Us

We asked nine Tufts professors to tell us the personal stories
behind their elaborate Commencement fashions.