Now that the commencement speakers have been announced, we thought we’d give readers the opportunity to weigh in on their enthusiasm (or lack thereof) for this year’s ceremonies.

How do you feel about the speakers this year? Vote in the poll below.

Tonight, Georgetown announced the speakers for this year’s commencement ceremonies. Here’s the full list:

• Dr. Paul Farmer, a Harvard University professor and founder of Partners in Health, an international health and social justice organization, will speak to Georgetown College

• Laura Chinchilla Miranda (G ’89), recently-elected president of the Republic of Costa Rica, will address the School of Foreign Service

• Michael Jensen, an economist at the Monitor Group and developer of the Jensen alpha, is the speaker for the McDonough School of Business

• Dr. John Howard, director of the Institute for Occupation Safety and Health, will addressing the School of Nursing and Health Studies.

Check out speakers for ROTC and Georgetown’s other schools after the jump!

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Last Friday, George Washington University President Steven Knapp announced that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will give the GW’s commencement speech this coming May. Last year, First Lady Michelle Obama gave GW’s commencement speech.

“Sounds like GW got a terrific speaker,” Julie Green Bataille, associate vice president for communications, admitted in an e-mail.

If history is a precedent, Georgetown is unlikely to announce its commencement speaker for several more months. Last year, Georgetown didn’t officially release its list of speakers until late April.

Although Meghan Hogge, director of academic events, declined to comment on GW’s pick and the status of Georgetown’s own selection process, all signs suggest that this year’s announcement will have to wait until next semester.

“Georgetown will have individual commencement speakers for each ceremony and I do not anticipate having a final list until much closer to our actual commencement dates,” Bataille wrote.

At last May’s commencement ceremonies, the nine speakers—one for each school and one for the ROTC commissioning ceremony—included Dikembe Mutombo (SLL ’91) and Bob Schieffer.

Photo: Flickr user “shootingbrooklyn“

Georgetown University has just announced who its nine commencement speakers will be at this year’s graduation ceremonies. Here’s the full list:

• Dikembe Mutombo, the NBA legend and ’91 Georgetown alum, will speak at the Georgetown College’s ceremony. “Mutombo … played 18 seasons in the NBA and has long made it a priority to improve the health, education and quality of life for the people his native Congo. In 1997, he founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, dedicated to improving the health, education and quality of life for people in the Republic.”

• President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of the Republic of Liberia will be the speaker for School of Foreign Service Students. “Upon her election in 2005 she became Africa’s first female president …. Sirleaf is now entrusted with the challenging task of rebuilding a post-conflict nation. She continues to work toward reviving national hope and restoring Liberia’s international reputation and credibility.”

• Shelia C. Johnson, the CEO of Salamander Hospitality and co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, will speak before graduating McDonough School of Business students. Johnson also has ownership in the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals.

• Dr. David Molyneux will speak before the School of Nursing and Health Studies. “Molyneux is renowned throughout the world for his steadfast service in championing the vulnerable, curing the afflicted and leading the fight against neglected tropical diseases …. [He] gained firsthand experience at the Nigerian Institute of Trypanosomiasis Research in the early 1970s, at a time when little attention was focused on the diseases that persist among the poorest and most vulnerable.”

Check out speakers for ROTC and Georgetown’s other schools after the jump!

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Last weekend, at Trinity Washington University (a small, Catholic school in Northesast D.C. with an all-women’s undergraduate program), University President Patricia McGuire used her commencement speech to upbraid the anti-abortion zealots who were protesting President Obama’s appearance at Notre Dame. Here’s your chance to add a little extra oomph to her very powerful speech.

Want a shot at your own 15 seconds of internet micro-micro-fame?  Start following us on Twitter (GtownVoxPop) and, if you’re connected to Georgetown, we’ll return the favor and you’ll automatically be in the running!

Former Voice Publisher Michael Keller graduated, magna pun laude.

Malin Hu put that econ training to practical use.

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The 210th 192nd Georgetown College Commencement ceremony

Newly minted College grads were probably congratulated a few dozen times on being the 210th graduating class. It’s a nice sentiment, but, unfortunately, it’s not factually accurate. The problem is that the University’s been miscounting the number of graduating classes for at least 77 years.

Georgetown history buff Matt Stoller (COL ’08) caught onto the fact that Commencements used to be dated from 1817, the year Georgetown first awarded degrees under the power granted to it by Congress in 1815. At some point, though, the dating of Commencement was set back to 1799, the year the first college course was established, making this year the 210th Commencement.

Stoller asked about the inconsistency and his inquiry made it all the way up to John Glavin, Director of the Gervase Programs, and John Q. Pierce, the University Registrar. Glavin verified Stoller’s guess that this year was the 192nd—not the 210th—Commencement.

Check out Glavin’s response and an estimate of when the error was made, after the jump!

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Photography by Helen Burton

Haven’t quite got your fill of all things commencement-related? Here’s what Vox recommends:

If you’re looking for complete coverage of Georgetown’s commencement weekend, check out the blog the University set up, which features write-ups of every ceremony. (Somewhat dry, PR-y write-ups, but still, pretty nice).

You can also check out the webcasts of the MSB, SFS and College ceremonies.

Curious about other commencement speeches? The Post has some interesting excerpts from a few local addresses (including Chuck Hagel’s). This year’s major theme? Yes, the economy’s all screwed up, but just think of that as a blessing in disguise! Here are some of the highlights:

• New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly speaking at Catholic University: “I have never made a career decision based on money, and I have never regretted it. Simply put, money is overrated.”
• AOL co-founder Steve Case speaking at George Mason: “So while I recognize some of you may have anxiety about your futures, I am reasonably confident that this period could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you, as it may very well force you out of your comfort zone and lead you to consider challenges and opportunities in other fields, and perhaps in other countries. . . .”
• Maryland State Senator C. Anthony Muse (D—Prince George’s County) speaking at Bowie State University: “Listen: No matter how tough your challenges may be in life, keep coming back. . . . You can make it.”

Graduates may not be on board with the whole “silver lining” approach to the sucky economy, though. Also in today’s Post: “Diploma in Hand, Job Out of Reach: Rough Economy Fills Many in the Class of ’09 With Anxiety, Not Excitement”

Finally, and most importantly, a big congratulations to the Class of 2009!

A couple days ago, the Times ran an Op-Ed by Christopher Francese, a professor of Classical Studies, decrying the continued use of Latin on college diplomas.

Latin is a beautiful language and a relief from the incessant novelty and informality of the modern age. But when it’s used on diplomas, the effect is to obfuscate, not edify; its function is to overawe, not delight. The goal of education is the creation and transmission of knowledge — not the creation and transmission of prestige. Why, then, celebrate that education with a document that prizes grandiosity over communication?

According to Francese, most schools now issue their diplomas in English, including standard bearer Harvard, which made the switch in 1961, prompting “diploma riots.”

Given Georgetown’s typically Catholic Latin obsession (between endless talk of “Cura Personalis” and “Hoya Saxa” chants, it would be tough to go a day without hearing some Latin on campus), it should come as no surprise that we’re one of the holdouts.

Sure, they may not be the most practical of documents, but I’d say after four years of putting up with undignified libraries and dorm rooms, graduates deserve a little pomp and circumstance. What say you?

Photo from Flickr user one_more_dreamer, used under a Creative Commons license.