After four years of hard work and late-night studying, the Class of 2003 is finally ready to graduate -- armed with a Penn degree and the encouraging words of its graduation speakers.
The Commencement ceremony, featuring Archbishop Desmond Tutu as the speaker, will be begin at 10:15 a.m. at Franklin Field on Monday. It will include the presentation of degrees to graduating seniors, awarding of honorary degrees and addresses by several University officials.
In addition, each school will host a separate ceremony for its students, so that graduating seniors will be able to have all their guests attend the event, along with all of their professors.
During the ceremonies, students will hear different speakers, chosen for their accomplishments and their relationships to the University.
"For the School of Arts and Sciences, the speaker selected is Lorene Cary -- a senior lecturer in Penn's creative writing program," SAS Public Relations Director Loraine Boehmcke said.
Cary -- who will be speaking to the College graduates on Sunday at 7 p.m. -- was chosen to be the speaker for the College's 247th Commencement ceremony by the members of the College administration in recognition of her many accomplishments and dedication to the University.
After receiving both her bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Penn, Cary wrote the novel The Price of a Child, which was chosen for the city's One Book, One Philadelphia program. She was also named winner of the Philadelphia Award, assigned to the person who contributes the most to the advancement of the city's community.
For Wharton graduating seniors, the speaker will be one of their own -- Adam Zimbler, a winner of the Marshall Scholarship.
Zimbler, who will present on Sunday morning at 9 a.m., was chosen by a student-run committee, with the input of a University staff member. After a first round of selections, all the chosen proposals were called in for a live presentation, culminating with the selection of Zimbler's speech.
"They chose the most timely and funny speech," said Beth Hagovsky, senior associate director of the Wharton Undergraduate Division.
Engineering seniors will also hear the address of one of their peers.
"The student speaker is Megan Smirti, a senior graduating in Systems, Science and Engineering," SEAS Assistant to the Dean Kathy Wohlschlaeger said.
Smirti was chosen by the deans of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, who took into consideration "a combination of factors, including the recipients of the Cornelius N. Weygandt Award, assigned by the student body as recognition to one graduating senior, " SEAS Director of Academic Affairs Joe Sun said.
Finally, the graduating class of the School of Nursing will receive its final words of encouragement from Judge Marjorie Rendell.
As the chairwoman of the Nursing School's Board of Overseers, Rendell was chosen by a graduation committee, composed of faculty, staff and students.
"She has been very supportive of our school and of nursing in general," Operations and Alumni Relations Associate Director Kristina Clark said. "The students felt she would provide very inspirational words to them."
The commencement ceremony for the Nursing School will be held on Monday at the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, located at 260 S. Broad Street.
