Events Schedule

Harvard Graduation Week Schedule

Spring, 2021

(all times listed as eastern daylight)

To view some of the terrific 2021 graduation programs presented so far,
please visit the Class of 2021 graduation playlist.

Please visit again as details are evolving.

Sunday, May 23

First-Gen/Next Gen (FGLI+) Graduation Ceremony
3 p.m.
Register for this event here.

Monday, May 24

Lavender Graduation Ceremony
5 p.m.
Register for this event here.

Tuesday, May 25

12 p.m. Harvard University Black Graduation Ceremony
Register here

2 p.m. Baccalaureate Service for Seniors
https://www.whrb.org/

3:30 p.m. Harvard University Latinx Graduation Ceremony
Register here

Wednesday, May 26

11 a.m. ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
Learn more here.

11:15 a.m. Harvard Law School Class Day
https://hls.harvard.edu/commencement/virtual-commencement-schedule/

12 p.m. Harvard School of Dental Medicine Virtual Graduate Recognition Ceremony
https://hsdm.harvard.edu/event/graduate-award-recognition-ceremony?delta=0

1 p.m. Harvard Kennedy School Class Day Awards Program
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/commencement-2021

2 p.m. College Class Day
https://alumni.harvard.edu/college/seniors/commencement

2 p.m. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Award Presentation
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/graduation

5 p.m. Harvard Divinity School Virtual Multireligious Commencement Service
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psbSl4sNaVY

8 p.m. Senior Letter Winners' Dinner
https://www.sld2021.com/

Thursday, May 27

Harvard Business School Class Day Ceremony
9:30 a.m. EDT
https://www.hbs.edu/commencement/2021

University-wide Program

10:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. Honoring The Harvard Class of 2021
https://www.harvard.edu/campus/honoring-the-class-of-2021/
(The official program is found here.)

While a vast majority of the community are spread across the globe at this time, Harvard will gather virtually to acknowledge the conferral of degrees and the remarkable achievements of the Class of 2021.

This year’s program features addresses (including one salutatory in Latin) by three students from the college and graduate schools, special remarks from President Lawrence S. Bacow, a celebration of honorary degree candidates, and a very special address by Ruth Simmons, PhD ’73, president of Prairie View A&M University.

Official playlist is found here.

Afternoon – Various School and Houses individual celebrations

Harvard Business School Dean’s Address and Diploma Ceremonies
12:30 p.m.
https://www.hbs.edu/commencement/2021

Harvard Divinity School Virtual Diploma Awarding Ceremony
12:30 pm
https://youtu.be/Ii_Q1_WBTPQ

Harvard Extension School Graduation Celebration
12:30 p.m.
https://extension.harvard.edu/harvard-extension-commencement-2021/

Harvard Graduate School of Design Graduation Ceremony
12:30 p.m.
https://www.gsd.harvard.edu/resources/commencement-information/

Harvard Graduate School of Education Schoolwide Ceremony
12:30 p.m.
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/commencement.

Harvard Kennedy School Class of 2021 Virtual Graduation Celebration
12:30 p.m.
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/commencement-2021

Harvard Law School Diploma Awarding Ceremony
12:30 p.m.
https://hls.harvard.edu/commencement/virtual-commencement-schedule/

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Graduation Recognition Ceremony
1 p.m.
gsas.harvard.edu/commencement

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Graduation Ceremony
1 p.m.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/graduation

College Residential Community Celebrations
2 p.m.
Graduating College seniors will be recognized at concurrent virtual ceremonies for each of the twelve Houses and the Dudley Community. Programming information for each House event will be shared with the graduating students.

Harvard School of Dental Medicine
&
Harvard Medical School Virtual Class Day Ceremony (MD and DMD graduates)
2-3:30 p.m.
http://hms.harvard.edu/graduation

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences PhD Virtual Recognition Ceremony
4 p.m.
https://commencement.seas.harvard.edu/

Friday, May 28

Radcliffe Day
12 p.m.
https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/radcliffe-day-2021

Friday, June 4

Alumni Association Meeting
11 a.m.
https://alumni.harvard.edu/programs-events/annual-meeting-of-harvard-alumni-association/livestream

This year’s meeting will include musical components, the celebration of the 2020 and 2021 Harvard Medalists, remarks from President Bacow, and an address by a featured speaker.

* * *

Links to each Harvard School's Class of 2021 page:

Harvard Business School

Harvard College

Harvard Extension School

Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Harvard Divinity School

Harvard Graduate School of Design

Harvard Graduate School of Education

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Harvard Kennedy School

Harvard Law School

Harvard Medical School

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

* * *

Harvard University Commencement Week Schedule:
Note: The college and each graduate/professional school hosts additional events unique to their community. Please visit the sites hyperlinked above or visit the "students" tab above and scroll down to review the additional events hosted by each school.

Tuesday

11:00 AM	Phi Beta Kappa Literary Exercises, Memorial Hall
2:00 PM	Baccalaureate Service, Memorial Church (service for seniors only)
3:30 PM	College Class of 2020 Photo, Tercentenary Theatre
5:00 PM	College Class of 2020 Family Reception, Science Center Plaza

Wednesday

11:00 AM	ROTC Commissioning Ceremony, Tercentenary Theatre
Noon	College Class Day Picnic, Old Yard
2:00 PM	College Class Day Exercises with featured Class Day Speaker, Tercentenary Theatre
4:00 PM	Dudley Community Reception, Lehman Hall
5:00 PM	Faculty Deans’ Receptions, Undergraduate Houses
8:00 PM	Harvard University Band and Choruses Concert (open to all), Tercentenary Theatre

Thursday

8:00 AM	College Senior Chapel, Memorial Church
8:00 AM	Formation of Advanced Degree Candidates, Sever Quadrangle
8:15 AM	College Senior Chapel ends, formation of Seniors begins, Old Yard
8:30 AM	Alumni Procession begins and President's Division begins processing through the open ranks of Seniors
8:35 AM	Procession of Advanced Degree Candidates begins
8:50 AM	Academic procession begins
9:25 AM	President's Division ends its procession into the Theatre
9:45 AM	The Commencement Morning Exercises begin After the meeting is called to order, the student orators deliver speeches. The Provost and Deans introduce the candidates and the president will confer the degrees. The meeting is adjourned following the benediction. The University Band and University Choir perform throughout the Exercises.
11:30 AM	The Commencement Morning Exercises end
NOON	Luncheons and diploma-awarding ceremonies at the undergraduate Houses, Graduate, and Professional Schools; reunion and alumni luncheons at various locations
1:30 PM	Formation of the Alumni Procession in the Old Yard
1:45 PM	Alumni Procession begins
2:30 PM	The Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association in Tercentenary Theatre begins The Afternoon Program includes the Overseer and HAA director election results, the presentation of the Harvard Medals, and remarks by the Harvard President and the Commencement speaker.
4:15 PM	The Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association ends