Mercer Times

At Princeton’s 277th Commencement on Tuesday, May 28, President Christopher L. Eisgruber thanked graduates for the “dazzling energy and imagination” they brought to the Princeton campus and wished them a future of joyful and meaningful engagement.

Eisgruber told the Class of 2024 — whose first year at Princeton was marked by remote learning due to COVID-19 — that they “breathed new life into our community” when they finally arrived on a campus whose strongly in-person culture was challenged by the pandemic.

"We had to learn anew how to show up for one another and with one another," he said. "We had to recall, or reinvent, the rituals that knit us together and the practices that enable us to cooperate effectively with one another."

And with that, he said, every facet of campus life grew stronger. “You leaned into academic projects and extracurricular ones. You reconstructed, refreshed, and revitalized acapella groups, athletic teams, dance troupes, musical ensembles, religious and spiritual groups, debating societies, scientific laboratories, co-ops, eating clubs, entrepreneurial networks, the undergraduate and graduate student governments, the Triangle Show, the Princeton University Band, and countless other organizations."

“You pursued independent research in dozens of countries. You embodied the enduring value of a broad liberal arts education by immersing yourselves at the intersection of disciplines — engineering and music; biology and literature; computer science and ancient texts — in the process forging meaningful new areas of research and scholarship.

“For that,” he added gratefully to them.

Along with gratitude, he expressed his hope that they would carry these qualities with them into the wider world. "My wish for you is that you lean into life after Princeton," Eisgruber said during a ceremony held at Princeton Stadium on a sunny day when 1,295 undergraduate degrees and 609 graduate degrees were awarded.

The event capped days of celebrations including Reunions for alumni; Baccalaureate featuring an address by federal Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury; Class Day with actor Sam Waterston's speech; Hooding for master’s and doctoral degree candidates; as well as an ROTC Commissioning ceremony addressed by General Christopher Cavoli '87.

In his Commencement address Eisgruber emphasized meaningful connection: "In a world where 'remote work' is possible... I hope you will continue to show up in person." He added: "Happiness often comes from collective human endeavor... The shared quest to achieve something worthwhile can be deeply meaningful even if it is not headline-making."

Valedictorian Genrietta Churbanova encouraged her classmates never to take their education for granted: "How do I pay my Princeton education forward?” Her answer: "Be a lifelong learner... always ask tough questions.”

John Freeman delivered the traditional Latin salutatory address humorously capturing experiences through COVID challenges: “We survived late nights... So cheers Great Class of 2024!”

During Commencement honorary degrees were presented to seven distinguished guests including Lamar Alexander; Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna; Dr. Paula A. Johnson; Randall Kennedy; Retired General Mark A. Milley; Joyce Carol Oates; Terrence J. Sejnowski.

The ceremony also recognized winners of President’s Awards for Distinguished Teaching honoring faculty excellence as well as recipients of Princeton Prize for Distinguished Secondary School Teaching given to outstanding New Jersey teachers.

Afterwards many students walked through FitzRandolph Gate greeted by family members capturing this momentous occasion.

Visit Princeton’s YouTube channel or follow #Princeton24 on social media platforms for more highlights photos videos.