John Heysham Gibbon, Jr., surgeon and inventor of the cardiopulmonary bypass pump, received an honorary degree as part of the College's 1967 Commencement exercises.
James R. Shepley, journalist and CEO of Time Inc., addressed the College as part of its 1967 Commencement exercises.
Commencement exercises for the 1966-67 academic year were held in front of Old West.
Rolland Leroy Adams (Class of 1927), namesake of Adams Hall, received an honorary degree as part of the College's 1966 Commencement exercises.
Homer Cecil Holland (Class of 1913), namesake of the Holland Union Building, received an honorary degree as part of the College's 1966 Commencement exercises.
Chemist Hugh Stott Taylor received an honorary degree as part of the College's 1966 Commencement exercises.
Scholar and diplomat John Stothoff Badeau addressed the College as part of its 1966 Commencement exercises. Dr. Stothoff also received an honorary degree from the College.
Commencement exercises for the 1965-66 academic year were held in front of Old West.
This opening ceremony was held on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 4:00 pm. The academic procession began on Britton Plaza and ended on the lawn in front of Old West. The ceremony began with the presentation of new students and the introduction of new faculty and administrative staff. The 2011 Ganoe Award and the Shuman Prizes were both presented and the Senior and Junior Sophisters were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement.
This opening ceremony was held on Sunday, August 29, 2010 at 4:00 pm. Following the academic procession from Britton Plaza to Old West, new students were presented and new faculty and administrative staff were introduced. The 2010 Ganoe Award and Shuman Prizes were awarded, and the college Sophisters were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement. Next the Student Senate president greeted the college.
This opening ceremony took place on Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 4:00 pm. Following the academic procession from Britton Plaza to Old West, the new students were presented and new faculty and administrative staff were introduced. Senior and Junior Sophisters were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement, and the 2009 Ganoe Award and Shuman Prizes were awarded.
This year's opening ceremony was held on Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 4:00 pm. The academic procession began on Britton Plaza and ended in front of Old West. Following the presentation of new students, new faculty and administrative staff were introduced. The recipient of the 2008 Ganoe Award was announced, in addition to the announcement of the college sophisters and recipients of the Shuman Prizes. Greetings were given by the president of Student Senate.
This year's opening ceremony was held on Sunday, August 26, 2007 at 4:00 pm. The academic procession began in Britton Plaza and ended in front of Old West. Following the Convening of the College, new students were presented and new faculty and administrative staff were introduced. The Senior and Junior Sophisters were recognized for outstanding academic achievement and the Shuman Prizes were given out. Greetings were given by the president of Student Senate. Remarks were given by the co-winners of the 2007 Ganoe Award for Inspirational Teaching Jeffrey W. Niemitz and Teresa A. Barber.
This year's opening ceremony was held on Sunday, August 27, 2006 at 4:00. The academic procession began on Britton Plaza and ended in front of Old West. After the Convening of the College, new faculty and administrative staff were introduced. The Senior and Junior Sophisters were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement and the Shuman Prizes were given out. Next, the president of the Student Senate spoke. Remarks were heard from Wilfried Muller, Rektor of the Bremen Center, and Michael J. Fratantuono, Winner of the 2006 Ganoe Award for Inspirational Teaching.
This opening ceremony was held on Sunday, August 28, 2005 at 4:00 pm. The academic procession began on Britton Plaza and concluded in front of Old West. After the Convening of the College, new faculty and administrative staff were introduced. The Senior and Junior Sophisters were recognized for outstanding achievement, and the Shuman Prizes were awarded.
This opening convocation ceremony was held on Sunday, August 29, 2004 at 4:00 pm. The academic procession began in Britton Plaza and proceeded to Old West. After the convening of the college, new students were presented, and new faculty and administrative staff were introduced. A number of organizations are recognized for their achievements. Greetings came from the Student Senate President, and President Durden gave an address entitled "Connectivity and Context: A Distinctively Dickinson Education." Finally, new students proceeded up the steps of Old West to sign into the college.
This opening ceremony was held on Sunday, August 31, 2003 at 4:00 pm. The academic procession began in the Library Plaza and ended in front of Old West. Following the Convening of the College, new students were presented, and new faculty, and administrative staff were introduced. The Senior and Junior Sophisters, Phi Beta Kappa, and Alpha Lambda Delta were all recognized for their achievements, and the Shuman Prizes and Presidential Scholarships were awarded. Greetings were then given by the Student Senate President.
This opening convocation was held on Sunday, September 1, 2002 at 4:00 pm. The academic procession began in the Library Plaza and ended in front of Old West. After the Convening of the College, new students were presented and new faculty, academic professionals, and administrative staff were introduced. The Address was entitled "Expectations, Standards and the Desire to Be the Best." The Senior and Junior Sophisters and Phi Beta Kappa were recognized for academic achievement, and the Shuman Prizes and Presidential Scholarships were awarded.
This opening convocation ceremony was held on Sunday, September 2, 2001 at 6:30 pm. The academic procession began in the Library Plaza and ended in front of Old West. New faculty, academic professionals, and administrative staff were introduced. The address was then given by Professor Donaldson of the Religion Department. Senior and Junior Sophisters and Phi Beta Kappa were recognized for their achievements, and the Shuman Prizes and Presidential Scholarships were awarded. Next came greetings from the Student Senate president.
This opening ceremony was held on Monday, August 28, 2000 at 7:00 pm. The academic procession began in the Library Plaza and processed to the lawn in front of Old West. President Durden began the ceremony with the Convening of the College. Afterwards, new faculty, academic professionals, and administrative staff were introduced. The Senior and Junior Sophisters and Phi Beta Kappa were recognized for their achievements. The Shuman Prizes were also presented. The Student Senate president gave welcoming remarks, and the Presidential Scholars were recognized.
This opening ceremony was held on Tuesday, August 31, 1999. The academic procession began in the Library Plaza and made its way to the lawn in front of Old West. After the Convening of the College by new president William G. Durden, new faculty, academic professionals, and administrative staff were introduced. The Senior and Junior Sophisters and Phi Beta Kappa were recognized for their achievements, and the Shuman Prizes and Presidential Scholarship were awarded.
This year's opening convocation ceremony was held on Monday, August 31, 1998. The academic procession began in the Library Plaza at 4:15 pm and proceeded to the John Dickinson Campus. Following the convening of the college by President Fritschler, the Dean of the College introduced new faculty, academic professionals, and administrative staff. The Junior and Senior Sophisters and Phi Beta Kappa were both recognized for their achievements, and the Shuman Prizes and Presidential Scholarship were awarded.
This opening convocation was held on Monday, September 1, 1997 on the John Dickinson Campus. The academic procession started in the Library Plaza at 4:15 pm and ended on the John Dickinson Campus in front of Old West. President Fritschler began the ceremony with the convening of the college. After that, new faculty, academic professionals, and administrative staff were introduced by the Dean of the College. The Junior and Senior Sophisters and Phi Beta Kappa were recognized for their achievements, and the Shuman Prizes were given.
On the eve of his inauguration as president of the college, student organizations held a ceremony pledging their loyalty to Dr. Fred Pierce Corson. The ceremony featured addresses by Henry P. Fletcher, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and the Hon. L. J. Dickinson, U.S. Senator from Iowa. Ruth B. Shawfield, the president of the Women's Student Government Association, presented the pledge of loyalty to Dr. Corson.
Isidor Isaac Rabi, nuclear physicist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, addressed the College as part of its 1985 Commencement exercises. Dr. Rabi also received an honorary degree from the College.