Events Schedule

Events Schedule

A detailed event schedule for Harvard’s virtual graduation program for the Class of 2021 is forthcoming. We ask that you please save the date: May 27^th, beginning at 10:30 AM (ET). Additional information regarding individual school’s Class Day, Convocation, and other programs, such as virtual House celebrations will be shared in the coming weeks. We are grateful for your patience as details develop.

Details from the Class of 2020’s virtual program are below.

* * *

Harvard Graduation Week Schedule

May 25 - June 4, 2021

(all times listed as eastern daylight)

Please visit again as details are evolving.

Tuesday, May 25

2 p.m. Baccalaureate Service for Seniors
URL forthcoming

Wednesday, May 26

Time TBD ROTC Commissioning Ceremony
URL forthcoming

12 p.m. Dental School Virtual Graduate Recognition Ceremony
URL forthcoming

2 p.m. College Class Day
URL forthcoming

2 p.m. Public Heath Award Presentation & Celebration
URL forthcoming

8 p.m. Senior Letter Winners' Dinner
URL forthcoming

Thursday, May 27

University-wide Program

10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Honoring The Harvard Class of 2021
URL forthcoming

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.

Afternoon – Various School and Houses individual celebrations
URLs and times forthcoming

Friday, May 28

Radcliffe Day
URL forthcoming

Friday, June 4

11 a.m. Alumni Association Meeting
URL forthcoming

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.

* * *

Honoring the Harvard Class of 2020: Graduation program schedule

We celebrated the spirit of our community as we came together virtually to honor the graduation of the Class of 2020 and to confer their hard-earned degrees. The university-wide program featured remarks by the president, provost, deans, and students. The program also included a special address from Marty Baron, one of the leading newspaper editors of his era, and a musical performance by renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma AB ’76.

Please find the complete program for the university-wide graduation here.

Wednesday, 5/27 @ 8:00 p.m.

Senior Letterwinners’ Dinner
https://www.sld2020.com/

The Harvard Varsity Club and Harvard Athletics invite the Harvard community to join them in celebrating the Senior Letterwinners. The Senior Letterwinners’ Dinner is a celebration of the student-athletes in the Class of 2020. This is our chance to say thank you for everything they have contributed to the Harvard community, and for upholding the ideals of Harvard Athletics: principled leadership, academic integration, and competitive excellence. All members of the Harvard community are invited to tune-in. Program begins at 8 p.m. EDT

Thursday, 5/28 @ 10:30 a.m.

University-wide Program
https://www.harvard.edu/honoring-harvard-class-2020

10:30 a.m Virtual program link is live with a countdown featuring images of our community and music by the Harvard Band

11:00 a.m Honoring the Harvard Class of 2020 graduation program begins

12:15 p.m. University-wide program concludes

School Programs

All programs are expected to begin at 12:30 p.m. We invite you to click on any of the links below to learn a little more about each program hosted by the schools.

Harvard Business School

Harvard College

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

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

Friday, 5/29 @ 12:30 p.m.

Radcliffe Day

https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/radcliffe-day-2020-virtual

In celebration of Radcliffe Day 2020 and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, please join us for a conversation between Tomiko Brown-Nagin, current Institute dean, and Drew Gilpin Faust, Radcliffe’s founding dean and president emerita of Harvard University.

More information on the program can be found here.

* * *

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