Commencement 2012

Class of '12 Champagne Send-Off | Senior Dinner on the Quad |
Class Plaque Dedication Ceremony | Class Day Lecture (Parking Info)

Class of '12 Champagne Send-Off

Wednesday, May 30
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Arrillaga Alumni Center

Graduating seniors were invited to the Alumni Center to celebrate together as a class before Commencement. Limited edition Class of '12 tank tops were distributed. And in case our graduates might have thought they will be leaving Stanford behind once they graduated, we provided information on regional Stanford clubs and events so they will never be far from the Farm.

To see photos from this event, students can visit their Class of '12 Web Page

Senior Dinner on the Quad

Thursday, June 14
Reception: 7:00 - 7:45 p.m.
Dinner: 7:45 - 11:00 p.m.
Main Quad

Thank you to all the graduating seniors who joined us for Senior Dinner on the Quad! It was a magical night filed with good friends, dinner, dancing under the stars and what are sure to be lasting memories.

To see photos from this event, students can visit their Class of '12 Web Page

Class Plaque Dedication Ceremony

Friday, June 15
Dedication: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Main Quad

Close to 1000 undergraduates and guests from the Class of 2012 attended the Class Plaque Dedication ceremony, Friday June 15th on the Main Quad. This time-honored tradition marks the importance of each undergraduate class, and its unique place in Stanford History. The program included a welcome address by the Senior Class Presidents and remarks from Freshman Dean Julie Lythcott-Haims '89 and Howard Wolf '80, President of the Stanford Alumni Association. This class of "Oh Twelve" plaque joined the more than 116 class plaques in this century long tradition. Students were given the chance to place commemorative items from their experiences on the Farm in a time capsule under the class plaque.

To see photos from this event, students can visit their Class of '12 Web Page

Class Day Lecture

Saturday, June 16
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Maples Pavilion

Professor Larry Diamond delivered a memorable talk to graduates, their family and friends on "Why the Wind of Freedom Blows." You can now view this talk on the Stanford YouTube channel, as well as read about the event in the Stanford Report.

Professor Diamond is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. He is also faculty co-director of the Haas Center for Public Service. He teaches about comparative democratic development and post-conflict democracy building.

In 2007, Professor Diamond was named Teacher of the Year and received the University's Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive Contributions to Undergraduate Education. His latest book, The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies throughout the World, explores the sources of global democratic progress and stress and the prospects for future democratic expansion.

To see photos from this event, students can visit their Class of '12 Web Page

Parking on campus?

Class Day Lecture will be held in Maples Pavilion at 655 Campus Drive East. Parking for this event is available in the Galvez Field located on the corner of Campus Drive East and Galvez Street, with the entrance on Campus Drive East. It is approximately a 5 minute walk to Maples Pavilion. Shuttle service will be provided from Galvez Field to Maples from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and returning to Galvez Field from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Additional parking is available at the Knight Management Center underground parking structure 7, located directly across from Maples Pavilion with the entrance on Campus Drive East. Please note; traffic in this area maybe congested.

Parking for guests with state-issued or temporary disabled parking permits is available adjacent to Maples Pavilion.

Coming from Baccalaureate?

Maples Pavilion is approximately a 10-15 minute walk from Memorial Church. Shuttle service to Class Day Lecture will be provided from the top of the Oval on Palm Drive from 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Shuttles will be provided at the conclusion of the Class Day Lecture from Maples Pavilion to the top of the Oval on Palm Drive and will run from 12:30-1:30 p.m.