Jeff's Graduation

Jeff graduated on 6 June 2008 from MIT with a BS in Aerospace Engineering. It was cool to be on the parent end this time, especially one of such a smart guy. The weather was rainy and cold but it did little to dampen our spirits. Anisa and I went earlier to secure seats. When Linda and her Dad and Christine came, the showers came with them. By the time the graduates arrived, the rain had at least stopped. It was cool to hear so many languages spoken around us, french, chinese, urdu and ukrainian. The bengali nobel prize winner gave a very good address trying to get the graduates to think of social implications.

The graduation is in Killian Court and it opened for admission at 7:30 am. The strategy was for Anisa and me to get there early and hold the seats so the others did not have to sit there as long. By the time we go there a few hundred people were already inside. We found a great spot though pretty close to the front but also right in front of the jumbotron wehre they were broadcasting the ceremony.
Anisa with the giant TV in the background. She came prepared with things to read and activities to do. We staked out the five seats for me, Anisa, Linda, Rich and Christine.
They handed out a plastic poncho with the MIT logo as you walked in. Already there was a slight drizzle coming down and folks were wearing the ponchos.
The chairs for the graduates.
Every chair had a water bottle and a puddle of water on it.
There were people there from all over the world. I thought back to 24 years ago when Daddy had travelled all the way for my graduation. That was a pretty big deal for him to do.
The great dome behind the hedge.
Spectator chairs still unclaimed.
The whole gang is there replete with umbrellas and ponchos. From R to L, Anisa, Linda, Rich and Christine. Did I mention it was cold!
Anis and I played the game of collected pools of water on our plastic and then passing it to each other.
As the rain turned into a downpour, the umbrellas came out.
Then it got worse.
The it really poured.
The ground crew drying the chairs after the major downpour passed.
Getting ready for the academic procession to enter the court.
It is the tradition to have the class from 50 years ago join the graduates for commencement. Here the Class of 1958 lining up in their red jackets with the Charles River in the background.
The Great Court. After the Pentagon, MIT has the next largest number of interconnected buildings.
The academic procession enters and the cameras start clicking.
The robes and hoods are particular to each university and school the owner comes from.
Class of 1958.
The marshall for the graduating class.
The graduating class enters and more cameras click.
The variety of graduates was endless.
Jeff walks in but does not know he is already in my cross hairs.
He spots me!
Fareed Ahmed, one of the people I recruited for Boeing who will be coming to Philadelphia in four weeks.
Now the waiting begins.
Everyone seated at the stage.
There were plenty of ushers to keep folks from standing around the aisles and blocking the view. MIT has been having commencement in the court for over fifty years now, come rain or shine.
The flowers were in full bloom. I figured we would go there later for our pictures.
Prof Yunis from Bangladesh who won the nobel prize for microlending gave the speech. He was impressive. The TV screen was a lot more convenient to watch. Kind of funny that people watch that even though they could turn their heads and watch the real person but in a slightly smaller format.
Jeff going up to get his diploma from the President of MIT.
Walking back with his diploma.
And back to the seat. MIT keeps strict tabs on the sequence otherwise wrong people will get the diploma. They check your position in line at many checkpoints so that you align with the list of diplomas being handed out. Even if someone gets sick and is rushed out, it does not mess them up.
Harvard Bridge in the background.
Everyone keeping busy while the names are being read out. Since every single senior and graduate student gets their degree in person, about 2000 people, it takes a while. Anisa working on an art project, Linda doing her work, her dad doing a NYT crossword puzzle and Christine reading.
Jeff gets to see his mom after graduation. We did not decide on a randezvous after graduation figuring we would have cell phone. Unfortunately, Jeff left his in his room. Mine was discharged, and that is the number he knows so even though he left a message using his friends phone I couldn't get it. Luckily it only took a few minutes to find him.
And his Grandad.
And then the pictures start.
Over by the flowers.
Chritine, Jeff and Grandad.
Anisa with her big brother.
We were very proud of our young man.
More pictures.
Katrina, Jeff and Laura. They have been suitemates for the last four years and very good friends. Katrina and Laura are pre-med.
More pictures in Burton House.
Walking by Baker House to the reception.
we run into Jeff's classmate. She is going to grad school in Purdue..also doing Aero.