Photo Essay: Behind the Scenes at a BU Commencement
A scene from the conclusion of Boston University’s 151st All-University Commencement on Nickerson Field, May 19. Photo by Michael D. Spencer.
Photo Essay: Behind the Scenes at a BU Commencement
A glimpse of what it takes to pull off more than 150 events for 75,000 people
It takes more than 1,500 employees from across the University—including from Dining Services, the BU Police Department, Campus Planning & Operations (CPO), Transportation Services, IS&T, and more—to pull off a Boston University Commencement each year. And then there are the 300 staff and faculty who volunteer to serve as ushers, marshals, and other roles on the big day itself.
Needless to say, graduation at BU is about more than just the All-University Commencement on Nickerson Field. Over the course of a week, the University hosts more than 150 events, among them 52 individual convocation ceremonies. Receptions run the gamut from a dinner for 650 people at Agganis Arena to an intimate luncheon for 20—and everything in between. All told, an estimated 75,000 people attend the weeklong events.
Here are a few fun facts that help give a sense of what an undertaking Commencement week is: Dining Services prepared 39,400 finger rolls, 2,000 chocolate-covered strawberries, 20,732 cookies, and 3,720 cupcakes. Campus Planning & Operations staff set up (and then broke down) 15,000 folding chairs, 385 barricades, and 188 stanchions and ropes just for the main ceremony on Nickerson.
And to make sure the campus was looking its spiffiest, CPO staff spent weeks planting 40,000 annuals, 1,500 perennials, 200 shrubs, and 15 trees and spreading 900 yards of mulch.
The photo gallery below gives a look at some of the many unsung heroes who helped make this year’s Commencement week a success. Take a look.
And to all the custodians, truckers, chefs, waiters, electricians, police officers, carpenters, grounds crew employees, masons, volunteers, and more who worked so hard to make BU’s 151st Commencement proceed like clockwork—a big thank you.
Now, time to begin planning for next year.
Facilities Management & Operations groundsworker Matt Pereira tending some of the 40,000 annuals delivered April 30 in preparation for Commencement.. The flowers were planted in beds across the Charles River campus.
Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Maria Cornier, a Barnes & Noble at BU campus retail associate, alphabetizes graduation gowns by last name to make pickup easier. Each order is checked for accuracy so hoods are with orders requiring them and every robe has its proper school tassel.
Photo by Cydney Scott
Facilities maintenance worker Lino Sorabella readying the event and line-up signs on April 30 for the All-University Commencement on Nickerson Field.
Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Brooke Sheerin (left), sales rep for Herff Jones, manufacturer of the caps and gowns used for BU commencements, steams robes with Auxiliaries Services institutional event specialist Judith Moran May 2 in the Athletics Offices.
Photo by Cydney Scott
Preparing for the May 19 All-University Commencement, David Cooper from D&Y Window Cleaning is power washing the Nickerson Field stands May 6.
Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Roger Vicente,a Facilities Management & Operations custodian, lugging chairs onto Nickerson Field May 13 for the May 19 ceremony, which drew an estimated 3,700 students and 20,000 guests.
Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
Dining Services cook John Quessa (left) and retail location manager Alhani Jackson preparing sandwich rolls during Commencement week food prep in the GSU May 15. BU Dining served more than 39,000 finger rolls and 1,800 regular sandwiches for the week’s events.
Photo by Cydney Scott
Priscilla Medeiros, lead baker with Dining Services, putting the finishing touches on BU-branded whoopie pies in the GSU May 13.
Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
GSU cashiers Yovana Portillo (left) and Maria Echavarria getting the perfect coating of chocolate on strawberries for Commencement week at the GSU May 15. Dining Services served up approximately 2,000 chocolate-covered strawberries during Commencement week.
Photo by Cydney Scott
BU President ad interim Kenneth Freeman signing two copies of the honorary degree, Metcalf Cup and Prize, and Metcalf Award citations for each recipient May 16 in his office at One Silber Way. The citations were awarded during the All-University Commencement May 19.
Photo by Cydney Scott
Victoria Ellis, South Campus Residence Life area director, marks chairs on Nickerson field May 17 to indicate the number of chairs per row. Ellis was joined by employees from Development & Alumni Relations and Procure to Pay.
Photo by Cydney Scott
BU staff volunteering as marshals for the All-University Commencement receive last-minute instructions during an orientation training session under tents erected over the tennis courts at Nickerson Field May 17.
Photo by Cydney Scott
Auxiliaries Services events specialists Teresa Batista (left) and Judy Moran polishing the mace and the Metcalf Cup in a BU Police Department conference room May 18. The mace, representing the authority of the University, is carried at the front of formal academic processions. Fashioned of sterling silver with two University seals intertwined on the button end, it was designed in the 1980s by the late Arthur G. B. Metcalf (Wheelock’35, Hon.’74), a BU Board of Trustees chair emeritus and a former professor. It is carried by the University Marshal during the All-University Commencement ceremony.
Photo by Cydney Scott
President ad interim Ken Freeman (left) rehearsing for the BU Commencement hooding ceremony with the help of Michael Ciarlante, Institutional Events director, on the Nickerson Field stage May 18.
Photo by Cydney Scott
Dave Kolar (MET’24), Learning & Event Technology Services assistant director, under the stage at Nickerson May 17, where a manhole provides a connection point for audio breakout cables connecting multiple locations carrying audio signals at Nickerson. Kolar received a master’s degree in financial management during Commencement, and his two sons degrees in economics.
Photo by Cydney Scott
Nate Stelmach, Learning & Event Technology Services (LETS) lead (right), with technical director Michelle Schlickman in the production truck May 18. BU Productions requires a large team of staff and freelance video professionals to produce a show the scope and scale of Commencement. Working out of the truck, (parked on Harry Agganis Way) are the producer, director, technical director, video engineers, audio engineers, media manager, video playback operator, and Game Creek Video engineers, who manage the truck. Two LETS staff members (with their array of laptop computers) are also in the truck, managing the livestream from this location.
The Commencement production is a partnership between BU Productions and LETS, which handles the technical components and the show’s distribution to locations all around Nickerson in addition to the livestream. The combined teams total approximately 40 people.
Photo by Cydney Scott
Freelance photographer Dana J. Quigley (hired by the BU Alumni Association to photograph this year’s graduates throughout Commencement Weekend) photographing grads and their families on the Marsh Plaza seal May 18. The Marsh Plaza seal is the most popular photo spot for grads: tradition has it that students who step on the seal prior to Commencement won’t graduate.
Photo by Cydney Scott
The Boston University Police Department leading a motorcade escorting those attending the Marsh Chapel Baccalaureate service to Babcock Street for BU’s 151st Commencement on Nickerson Field May 19. On the bus were this year’s honorary degree recipients.
Photo by Cydney Scott
ASL interpreter James Wiggins was one of four interpreters on site during the All-University Commencement May 19. Booked through BU Disability Services, approximately 18 interpreters were employed by the University throughout the week.
Photo by Cydney Scott
As the 151st Boston University Commencement gets underway, BU’s new community service animal and bona fide campus celebrity, Bean, plays with her handler, BUPD officer Geovanni Chevere. Bean, who is still in training, had a daunting role to play—to be cute. She does it well.
Photo by Cydney Scott
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