In Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University celebrated its graduation ceremony during a period of significant challenges. The ceremony highlighted the importance of maintaining a diverse and international student body while speaking out for truth, particularly against the current disputes with the Trump administration.
The graduates, who entered college during a pandemic and later engaged in protests against the Gaza conflict, were reminded of these challenges by speakers at the event. One such speaker, Thor Reimann, expressed to his peers the transformative journey they experienced, stating that they had left behind a campus at the forefront of national education debates. He acknowledged that although Harvard isn’t perfect, the commitment to truth is a cause worth defending.
Currently, Harvard faces financial and operational threats as a result of its stance against the Trump administration’s policies. These include potential cuts to federal funding and restrictions on the admission of international students. Despite these threats, Harvard is standing firm, refusing to bow to administration demands to revise leadership and teaching practices.
Among the accusations from the Trump administration are purported antisemitic activities on campus, which have led to calls for Harvard to restructure and tighten admissions. However, Harvard’s President Alan Garber, in a firm rebuttal, declared that the university complies with legal standards and emphasized the institution’s nonpartisan position.
Harvard has actively resisted these federal actions, going as far as filing a lawsuit to challenge them and securing a court injunction to pause the ban on international student enrollments. Nicholas Burns, a former U.S. ambassador and Harvard faculty member, stressed the importance of the presence of international students for both the university and American students.
Throughout the commencement ceremony, calls for Harvard to maintain its stance were dominant. President Garber received applause for emphasizing Harvard’s international influence, while salutatorian Aidan Robert Scully, delivering his address in Latin, firmly criticized the administration’s policies and extolled diversity’s strength.
Speakers from the international student community, such as Yurong “Luanna” Jiang, echoed these sentiments, sharing personal stories of the global unity and community found at Harvard and expressing concern over growing divisions worldwide.
Keynote speaker Dr. Abraham Verghese, an acclaimed author and academic, lauded Harvard for its defense of fundamental values of both the university and the nation. He assured students that their efforts had made a significant impact. Meanwhile, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a former basketball star and advocate, delivered a rousing “Class Day” address, likening Harvard’s stance to that of Rosa Parks during the civil rights movement.
Looking ahead, graduates like Brynn Macaulay hope for continued enrollment of international students. She emphasized the depth of insights and experiences these students bring, also expressing a personal connection to the issue by equating it to an attack on close friends and family.