Relatives and friends of the Class of 2007 cheered as McDaniel College awarded 243 master’s degrees and 373 bachelor’s degrees May 19 at its 137th Commencement.

All eyes were on stage as 90-year-old Ann McCool, class of 1938 and honorary trustee of the College, presented a diploma to her grand-nephew, Adam Lietzan, a magna cum laude graduate of McDaniel.

Top academic honors went to Jeffrey Zamostny, who received the Argonaut Award, for earning the highest grade point average, while Kaitlin McLean and Zamostny each received an Edith Farr Ridington Phi Beta Kappa Writing Award for the most well-written thesis.

Prior to the ceremony, graduates marched through Memorial Plaza as Old Main bell rang loud and clear. Since 1991, seniors have passed by the bell, now mounted on a brick pedestal, for the ceremony that signals the closing chapter in their academic lives. As first-year students, they each rang the same bell to symbolize the beginning of their college career.

Joining the recipients in cap and gown were David Gergen, editor-at-large for U.S. News and World Report, and Carla Hayden, executive director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Gergen and Hayden each received an honorary degree: Doctor of Laws and Doctor of Letters, respectively.

“Yours is the generation that will save this planet,” Gergen told the graduates and their guests. He closed his remarks on a light note with a quote from trio Semisonic’s hit, “Closing Time,” “You don’t have to go home – but you can’t stay here.”

Carla Hayden encouraged the graduates to reach for the stars. Quoting Eleanor Roosevelt, Hayden said, “Just do the thing you think you can’t.”

 

In time-honored tradition, McDaniel faculty placed dollar bets on the exact time the Commencement ceremony would end. Andria Hoffman, assistant professor of Exercise Science and Physical Education, won the pool with her estimate of 4:17:25, just 33 seconds away from the actual time of 4:16:52.