Bennington College Commencement

Class of 2024, December graduates, MFA Candidates, families & friends, faculty and staff, we are delighted to cordially invite you to Bennington College's 89th Commencement, Friday, May 31st and Saturday, June 1st 2024!

Poet and memoirist Safiya Sinclair ’10 will address the class of 2024 at Commencement. In addition, we are delighted to share this year’s faculty speaker Dana Reitz and senior student speaker Gaurav Aung '24.  

Please see the preliminary schedule below with our signature weekend events to assist you with your planning. We invite you to look over additional information targeted to your group via the buttons below.

This Commencement webpage will serve as your information hub in the weeks to come. Kindly trust that we will keep you on track with action items via email. If you have any questions, please reach out to commencement@bennington.edu

We can't wait to celebrate the Class of 2024!

Commencement Weekend Schedule

*Please note specific times and locations will be adjusted to accurately reflect exact times.

 
Event Date Approximate Time & Location Program Participants
Red Carpet Reception Friday, May 31st Under the Tent, Commons Lawn (5:30pm) Seniors, December Grads, MFA Candidates, Faculty and Senior Administration
Formal Senior Dinner and Address  Friday, May 31st Under the Tent, Commons Lawn (6:15pm) Seniors, December Grads, MFA Candidates, Faculty and Senior Administration
Dessert Reception Friday, May 31st Student Center (7:45pm) Seniors, December Grads, MFA Candidates, Faculty, Senior Administration, Staff, Families & Guests
Conferring of Degrees Ceremony Saturday, June 1st End of the World (10am, sharp!) Seniors, December Grads, MFA Candidates, Faculty, Senior Administration, Staff, Families & Guests
 

 

 

line drawing of a line of rocks with mountains in the background

 

 

For Seniors, December Grads and MFA Candidates
*Please check back in the coming weeks for more detailed information. 

Congratulations to members of the Class of 2024, December Graduates and MFA Candidates!

OVERVIEW

Commencement Weekend is finally coming! We are so excited to celebrate and to accompany you through the last steps of your Bennington College journey!

In this head's-up section you will find resources that you will need (and we will ask you to fill out via email prompts) in order to make the most of your Commencement experience! Please remember to review your @bennington.edu email for more updates which will come from our commencement@bennington.edu account. As we get closer to Commencement Weekend, more information will be shared. 

Below you will find important dates and action items (links incoming), and these will also be shared to you via email.  

Important Dates to Keep in Mind

Important dates to keep in mind:

(Locations and specific times will be updated and confirmed to you via email as we get closer to the date)

  • Commencement Rehearsal: Commons Lawn, Under the Tent on Wednesday, May 29th (approximate time: 5:45pm)
  • Commencement Senior Class Reception: VAPA Petrie Terrace on Wednesday, May 29th at 6:45pm
  • Commencement Cap Decorating Event: Student Center on Thursday, May 30th at 2pm
  • Commencement Dinner: Commons Lawn, Under the Tent on Friday, May 31st (approximate time: 5:30pm)
  • Commencement Dessert Reception: Student Center on Friday, May 31st (approximate time: 7:45pm)
  • Conferring of Degrees Ceremony: End of the World, Under the Tent on Saturday, June 1st (gather under the tent at 9:15am)
Action Items

Class of 2024, December Graduates and MFA Candidates Forms for Commencement

 

 

Commencement FAQs
Cap and Gown

All graduates will be asked to fill out the Cap and Gown form; however, please note that wearing this regalia is optional. The Cap and Gown form is quite brief, and must be completed by Friday, April 5th. This is essential for timely delivery, as we are still navigating supply chain issues. Caps and Gowns will be distributed at Commencement Rehearsal on Wednesday, May 29th. Your Cap and Gown are yours to keep! 

 

Graduation Fee

The graduation fee of $85 will be billed in the Spring semester. This covers the cost of the diploma, the cap and gown and goes towards the cost of Commencement Dinner. 

Contact Preferences

For your awareness, emails regarding Commencement will be sent to the parents or guardians marked in your file. Please take a moment to review your file to make sure it is accurate, and use this form to make any necessary updates if you’d like to mark a parent or guardian as “do not contact.” Once you press submit, this information will update Populi automatically.

COVID Policy

Bennington College is a mask-friendly campus, but masks are not required. Please do not come to campus if you feel ill or have COVID-19 symptoms, or if you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 7 days.

Accessibility and Mobility

For immediate questions and requests regarding accessibility and mobility around campus, please reach out to commencement@bennington.edu. Event specific information will follow shortly. 

Preferences and Seating

Information to follow in early May. Please check your email and this website for the most up-to-date information. 

Commencement Rehearsal

Save the date! Rehearsal takes place on Wednesday, May 29th, 2024 (the week of Commencement). Please check your email and this website for the most up-to-date information. 

Guest Registration to Attend Dessert Reception and/or Conferring of Degrees

All guests of graduates must register to attend either the Friday Dessert Reception, the Saturday Conferring of Degrees Ceremony, or both. This information is vital to us for planning purposes, as we need to know the expected number of guests for each of these events in order to staff appropriately. We appreciate your assistance with this important process. 

The registration process for both the Friday Dessert Reception and the Saturday Conferring of Degrees Ceremony will be handled through a single Guest Registration form

In the form, you will have the option to select whether you are attending the Dessert Reception, the Conferring of Degrees, or both. Please note that there is a suggested limit of four (4) guests per graduate for the Friday Night Dessert Reception and we appreciate your understanding and compliance. There is no guest cap for the Saturday Conferring of Degrees Ceremony. 

*The Guest Registration form link will be early May. Please check your email and this website for access to the form. 

Inclement Weather/Storm Weather

Should the need arise, a storm weather evacuation and relocation plan will be shared the week of Commencement. 

 

 

Email Communications
December: Commencement 2024 (Graduates)

Dear Class of 2024, 

As we come to the end of term, I wanted to reach out to you with an update regarding the commencement planning process. As you may know, commencement will be on May 31 (senior-only dinner and dessert reception with families) and June 1, 2024 (formal commencement exercises) this coming spring.

Once we finalize the schedule of events towards the end of January, we’ll be in touch with you with more details to facilitate planning for you and your family. Please keep an eye on the Commencement webpage, which will be your resource for all things commencement. It will soon include a FAQ, information you’ll need to order your cap and gown, weather information, COVID guidelines, and more. 

Have a very happy and healthy holiday season! 
 
Warmly,

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events 

December: Commencement 2024 (Families of Graduates)

Dear families of our graduating students, 

Congratulations! Please see the email below that was sent to students yesterday. We look forward to circling back at the end of January with a robust schedule. If you have any questions in the interim I invite you to please contact me at commencement@bennington.edu.

Sincerely, 

Nicole Arrington 
Director of Special Events

-----

Dear Class of 2024, 

As we come to the end of term, I wanted to reach out to you with an update regarding the commencement planning process. As you may know, commencement will be on May 31 (senior-only dinner and dessert reception with families) and June 1, 2024 (formal commencement exercises) this coming spring.

Once we finalize the schedule of events towards the end of January, we’ll be in touch with you with more details to facilitate planning for you and your family. Please keep an eye on the Commencement webpage, which will be your resource for all things commencement. It will soon include a FAQ, information you’ll need to order your cap and gown, weather information, COVID guidelines, and more. 

Have a very happy and healthy holiday season! 
 
Warmly,

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events 

February: Commencement Overview (Graduates)

Dear Seniors, Graduates, and MFA Candidates,


Before I share our final term Commencement Overview with you let me welcome you back for your final term for most of you and congratulate all of you on your upcoming graduation!


Now, let us turn to the business of Commencement and start with sharing the details of the Commencement schedule


As a broad outline, on Friday, May 31 there will be a formal dinner for seniors-only (with faculty, leadership, board members and speakers, details to follow) and a dessert reception with families (registration details to follow, four guests per student preferred please). Then enjoy the last night on campus.


The Conferring of Degrees ceremony is on Saturday, June 1. No tickets are required for the graduation ceremony but registration is required and seating is first-come, first-served, so let your guests and family members know to arrive early if they want to sit close to the front and together. The ceremony starts at 10am sharp.


We are a mask friendly campus. Kindly review our COVID-19 Updates and Information website for more details.   


The Commencement webpage will serve as your information hub in the weeks to come. Please trust that I shall be following up with you on a regular basis via email to shepherd you through the process. Future emails will focus on important steps such as cap and gown ordering (mid-March), registration for family members (late April), dinner/seating requests, accessibility needs, rehearsal & senior week reminders (early May), and more. I thank you for your patience as we move through these details together. I’ve found that the compartmentalizing of the requests assists with the efficiency of work and service. So, please read those emails!


If you have any questions, please direct them to me at commencement@bennington.edu. I look forward to assisting you through all things Commencement. Congratulations to you all on your accomplishment and best of luck for the remainder of the spring term! 


Warmly,
Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events
 

February: Commencement Overview (Families of Graduates)

Dear families of our graduating students, 

Please see the email below that was sent to your students, this is intended as an overview that can guide you and your student as you prepare for Commencement. As a note: at this point in the Commencement process finalizing your travel and accommodation plans if you have not already done so would be a priority. Our next steps will be a request for you to register for the Friday dessert reception and Saturday conferring of degrees ceremony at a later date (early May) by email invitation. If you have any questions in the interim I invite you to please contact me at commencement@bennington.edu. In the meantime, a hearty congratulations to you and your student!

Sincerely, 

Nicole Arrington 
Director of Special Events


-------

Dear Seniors, Graduates, and MFA Candidates,


Before I share our final term Commencement Overview with you let me welcome you back for your final term for most of you and congratulate all of you on your upcoming graduation!


Now, let us turn to the business of Commencement and start with sharing the details of the Commencement schedule


As a broad outline, on Friday, May 31 there will be a formal dinner for seniors-only (with faculty, leadership, board members and speakers, details to follow) and a dessert reception with families (registration details to follow, four guests per student preferred please). Then enjoy the last night on campus.


The Conferring of Degrees ceremony is on Saturday, June 1. No tickets are required for the graduation ceremony but registration is required and seating is first-come, first-served, so let your guests and family members know to arrive early if they want to sit close to the front and together. The ceremony starts at 10am sharp.


We are a mask friendly campus. Kindly review our COVID-19 Updates and Information website for more details.   


The Commencement webpage will serve as your information hub in the weeks to come. Please trust that I shall be following up with you on a regular basis via email to shepherd you through the process. Future emails will focus on important steps such as cap and gown ordering (mid-March), registration for family members (late April), dinner/seating requests, accessibility needs, rehearsal & senior week reminders (early May), and more. I thank you for your patience as we move through these details together. I’ve found that the compartmentalizing of the requests assists with the efficiency of work and service. So, please read those emails!


If you have any questions, please direct them to me at commencement@bennington.edu. I look forward to assisting you through all things Commencement. Congratulations to you all on your accomplishment and best of luck for the remainder of the spring term! 


Warmly,
Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

March: Submit the 2024 Bennington College Commencement Required Student Information

Dear Seniors, December grads and MFA candidates,

I do hope your term is going well. We have several logistical pieces for Commencement to get through together. 

Please take a moment to fill out the 2024 | Bennington College Commencement Required Student Information by Friday, April 5th, 2023. This form will help us consolidate several details: 

  • Attendance to: Senior Class Toast (Wednesday, May 29th), Cap Decorating Event (Thursday, May 30th), and Commencement Dinner (Friday, May 31st).

  • Cap and Gown (Regalia) Orders. (Cost is covered in Commencement Fee.)

  • Seating Preferences for Commencement Dinner (Friday, May 31st)

Please note you will receive an email with a copy of your responses and you will be able to edit the form until the DEADLINE: April 5th, 2024.

Note: A registration form will go out to parents and guardians so they can confirm their attendance to the Dessert Reception (evening of Friday, May 31st), and the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony (Saturday, June 1st).

If you have any questions, remember to visit your Bennington College Commencement website, or reach out to us via commencement@bennington.edu.  

Best, 

Nicole Arrington
Director of Special Events

 

 

For Families and Guests
*Please check back in the coming weeks for more detailed information. Note: You will be prompted to all required action and sent the most relevant information via email.

OVERVIEW

Commencement Weekend at Bennington is a moment for students, families and guests to celebrate the experiences lived and shared through the Bennington College journey.

In this section, we wish to provide families and guests with the resources needed to experience the moment to the fullest!

For information regarding the Town of Bennington, we invite you to check out our Where to Eat, Sleep, Explore site! More information can be found of the Town of Bennington and Vermont websites: 

If you or your guests have accessibility needs or requests, please reach out to us at commencement@bennington.edu. Event specific information will also follow shortly.

Note: The Dessert Reception for Families and Guests (Evening on Friday, May 31st) will be held in the Student Center (rain or shine). However, the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony (Morning on Saturday, June 1st) will be on Commons Lawn at the End of the World under the tent even if there is light to moderate rain. Closer to the event, live stream locations will be provided should you prefer to view the ceremony indoors. Please note there is a suggested limit of four (4) guests per graduate at the Dessert Reception, however there is no guest cap for the Saturday Conferring of Degrees Ceremony. Families and guests will be asked to register for these events. (See below)

 

Important Dates to Keep in Mind

Important dates to keep in mind:

(Locations and specific times will be updated and confirmed to you via email as we get closer to the date)

  • Commencement Dessert Reception: Student Center on Friday, May 31st (approximate time: 7:45pm)
  • Conferring of Degrees Ceremony: End of the World, Under the Tent on Saturday, June 1st (gather under the tent at 9:15am)
Action Items

Family and Guests Forms for Commencement

*Links and some deadlines pending* 

  • Guest Registration Form (Early May)

 

 

For Faculty
*Please check back in the coming weeks for more detailed information. Kindly know you will be prompted to action via Faculty Notes and/or email.

OVERVIEW

Esteemed Faculty,

We are so pleased to invite you to share in the celebrations of Bennington College's 89th Commencement Ceremony! Faculty is invited to participate on Friday, May 31st for both Commencement Dinner and The Dessert Reception for Families and Guests, as well as the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony which is held Saturday, June 1st. All members of the Faculty can march in the procession and will have assigned seating under the tent (please use the form link below to register your name if attending - link will be available early May and you will receive a prompt in Faculty News at that time). 

More information regarding the participation in Commencement Dinner on Friday, May 31st will be shared in the coming months. For faculty participating in person at the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony on Saturday, June 1st, there will be prompt email reminders with a link to a form to order Regalia (which you will also be able to soon find on this website), as well as an email to register your name for seating at the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony. We ask Faculty participating in person to be present at 9:30am in Welling Common Room*, for a 10am sharp start.  

Please note that both the senior and faculty toast will be livestreamed, as well as the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony. 

[Locations and times are estimated, but will be adjusted accordingly in the coming weeks as spaces and attendance are confirmed.]

Important Dates to Keep in Mind

Important dates to keep in mind:

(Locations and specific times will be updated and confirmed to you via email as we get closer to the date)

  • Commencement Senior Class Reception: VAPA Petrie Terrace on Wednesday, May 29th at 6:45pm
  • Commencement Dinner: Commons Lawn, Under the Tent on Friday, May 31st (approximate time: 5:30pm)
  • Commencement Dessert Reception: Student Center on Friday, May 31st (approximate time: 7:45pm)
  • Conferring of Degrees Ceremony: End of the World, Under the Tent on Saturday, June 1st (gather at 9:30am location TBD.)
Action Items

Faculty Forms for Commencement

 

 

For Staff
*Please check back in the coming weeks for more detailed information. 

OVERVIEW

Esteemed Staff,

We are so pleased to invite you to share in the celebrations of Bennington College's 89th Commencement Ceremony! This year we are excited to invite the staff to the Senior Class Reception (on Wednesday, May 29th) with Seniors, Faculty and Administrators, the Dessert Reception on Commencement Eve (Friday, May 31st) with families, and the Conferring of Degrees Ceremony (Saturday, June 1st). Details will be shared closer to the celebrations via email and the Bennington Bulletin.  

 

Important Dates to Keep in Mind

Important dates to keep in mind:

(Locations and specific times will be updated and confirmed to you via email as we get closer to the date)

  • Commencement Senior Class Reception: VAPA Petrie Terrace on Wednesday, May 29th at 6:45pm
  • Commencement Dinner Addresses: Livestream (link added Commencement Week) on Friday, May 31st (approximate time: 5:30pm)
  • Commencement Dessert Reception: Student Center on Friday, May 31st (approximate time: 7:45pm)
  • Conferring of Degrees Ceremony: Livestream (link added Commencement Week) or attend in-person on Saturday, June 1st (10:am, sharp!)
Action Items

Staff Forms for Commencement

*Links and some deadlines pending* 

  • Registration for the Post-Rehearsal Reception (Early May)
  • Registration for Dessert Reception (Early May) 

 

 

Commencement Livestream
Livestream links will be available the week of Commencement! Please check back in then!

 

 

Swag
The Class of 2024 swag is under construction! Please check back later!

 

 

Commencement Archives
Past Coverage
Past Commencement Speakers
  • 2023Sofia Alvarez '07
  • 2022Jericho Brown
  • 2021 | Darren Walker
  • 2020 | Nigel Poor ’86
  • 2019 | Mountain Man (Molly Erin Sarlé ’12, Amelia Meath ’10, and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig ’09)
  • 2018 | Liz Lerman
  • 2017 | Cornell William Brooks
  • 2016 | Jane Chu
  • 2015 | Gloria Steinem
  • 2014 | Dr. Johnnetta Cole
  • 2013 | Elizabeth Coleman
  • 2012 | Peter Dinklage ’91
  • 2011 | Tim Daly ’79
  • 2010 | Melissa Rosenberg ’86
  • 2009 | Hendrick Hertzberg
  • 2008 | Rebecca Tinsley
  • 2007 | Mac Maharaj
  • 2006 | Glen Van Brummelen
  • 2005 | Jonathan Lethem ’86
  • 2004 | Shirin Ebadi
  • 2003 | Edith Velmans
  • 2002 | Meredith Monk
  • 2001 | Rick Moody
  • 2000 | Gay McDougall ’69
  • 1999 | Peter Hedges
  • 1998 | Linda Wertheimer
  • 1997 | Jane Alexander
  • 1996 | Mark Gearan
  • 1995 | Irene Borger ’71
  • 1994 | Harvey Lichtenstein ’53
  • 1993 | Kay Crawford Murray ’56
  • 1992 | Harvey Fierstein
  • 1991 | Harvey Gantt
  • 1990 | Joan Tower ’61
  • 1989 | Ellen McCulloch-Lovell ’69
  • 1988 | Elizabeth Frank ’67
  • 1987 | Barbara Lazear Ascher ’68
  • 1986 | Tillie Olsen
  • 1985 | Elizabeth Swados ’73
  • 1984 | Howard Nemerov
  • 1983 | Frederick Wiseman
  • 1982 | Joseph S. Murphy
  • 1981 | Bernard Malamud
  • 1980 | Elizabeth Swados ’73
  • 1979 | Vivian Gornick
  • 1978 | Mitchell Markowitz ’75
  • 1977 | Elizabeth Holtzman
  • 1976 | Joseph S. Iseman
  • 1975 | Carol Channing ’42
  • 1974 | Thomas Brockway
  • 1973 | Senior readings and performance
  • 1972 | Jimmy Garrison
  • 1971 | Anaïs Nin
  • 1970 | Kurt Vonnegut
  • 1969 | Denise Levertov
  • 1968 | Thomas P.F. Hoving
  • 1967 | Russell Baker
  • 1966 | Howard Nemerov
  • 1965 | Gene Baro
  • 1964 | William Sloane Coffin, Jr.
  • 1963 | David Riesman
  • 1962 | Kenneth Burke
  • 1961 | Henri Peyre
  • 1960 | Francis Fergusson
  • 1959 | George Boas
  • 1958 | Jacques Barzun
  • 1957 | Alvin Eurich
  • 1956 | Howard M. Jones
  • 1955 | W. Averell Harriman P ’40
  • 1954 | Franklin Ford
  • 1953 | Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
  • 1952 | Harry Allen Overstreet
  • 1951 | Mary Josephine Shelly
  • 1950 | Reinhold Niebuhr
  • 1949 | Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey
  • 1948 | Erich Fromm
  • 1947 | Lewis Webster Jones
  • 1946 | Reinhold Niebuhr
  • 1945 | Justice Frank Murphy
  • 1944 | Alexander Meiklejohn
  • 1943 | Robert D. Leigh
  • 1942 | William Batt
  • 1941 | Robert Lynd
  • 1940 | Henry Wallace
  • 1939 | Dorothy Canfield Fischer
  • 1938 | Frederick Lewis Allen
  • 1937 | W.H. Kilpatrick
  • 1936 | No commencement speaker