The members of the Wharton School class of 1997 graduated from what Dean Thomas Gerrity called the "oldest, most demanding, most highly regarded" business program in the country. When they received their diplomas at Franklin Field on Sunday morning, the new graduates joined a network of over 70,000 fellow alumni who Gerrity described as "leaders in every imaginable field of business, management and public service." Wharton senior Alison Chen addressed the audience. She said that even after the graduates leave Wharton, "these college years have built memories and knowledge that we will take with us for the rest of our lives." Gerrity presented teaching awards to Legal Studies Professor William Laufer and Finance Professor Suleyman Basak. The ceremony also honored several outstanding students. Wharton graduate student and Accounting 101 teaching assistant Dean D'Angelo received the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award. Deans Awards of Excellence went to Wharton seniors David Bianco, Matthew Levine and Gaurav Grover. The ceremony culminated with Gerrity and Wharton Vice Dean Richard Herring awarding diplomas to the individual graduates, who were seated according to area of concentration within Wharton. --Shannon Burke
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