Skidmore's 102nd Commencement May 18 at SPAC

The 605 members of the Class of 2013 will hear from faculty speaker Rebecca Krefting and distinguished guests David Brooks and Cynthia Carroll ’78, among others, at the May 18 ceremony at SPAC.

Skidmore's Class of 2013, expected to total 605 baccalaureate candidates and seven candidates for the master of arts in liberal studies, will participate in the College's 102nd Commencement exercises on Saturday, May 18, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The ceremony begins at 10:40 a.m.

Rebecca Krefting, assistant professor of American studies, was chosen by the graduates to deliver the commencement remarks. A former stand-up comic and improv actress, Krefting is widely interdisciplinary in her interests, exploring in her teaching and research in such diverse areas as women’s history and literature, diversity and identity, popular culture, U.S. humor and the history of comic performance.

She is currently working on a monograph titled: All Joking Aside: American Humor and Its Discontents (Johns Hopkins University Press). In this examination of 21st-century stand-up comedy, Krefting establishes a new genre of comedic production—charged humor—and charts its pathways from production to consumption.

Teaching a civic-engagement course last fall that explored the lives of women who through history have worked for social change and justice, Krefting worked with students in organizing  “FemFest,” a fund-raising event for Camp Little Notch, a girls camp in Fort Ann, N.Y. Her students visited the camp, met with staff there, and got a firsthand feel for its mission and goals. “We put theory into practice,” she said.

Two honorary degree recipients also will deliver brief remarks:

• David Brooks, political and cultural commentator, regular columnist for The New York Times, and analyst for National Public Radio. His most recent book, The Social Animal: The

Hidden Sources of Love, Character and Achievement, explores why neuroscience and sociology are critical to thinking about politics, culture, and the future of America in today’s global society.

• Cynthia Blum Carroll, Class of 1978, mining industry leader. Forbes magazine's “fourth most powerful woman in the world” in 2009, she combined geology and business to head Alcan's Primary Metals Group and then became the first woman and non-South-African CEO of Anglo-American.

Also addressing the graduates during the program will be Skidmore President Philip A. Glotzbach; Linda Toohey, chair of the board of trustees, and Emilee Bell, president of the Class of 2013.

For more Commencement details, include the weekend's schedule, please click here.

Sustainable Commencement

For the third year, Skidmore is offering Jostens Elements Collection, a more sustainable commencement regalia option. Featuring fiber from sustainably managed forests, biodegradable fabric, and a Give-Back Program, the Elements Collection allows graduates to reduce their environmental impact during this year’s ceremony.

The Elements Collection has been scientifically proven to be completely biodegradable. Containing 57 percent biobased content by weight, the collection significantly exceeds the USDA’s certification minimum of 25 percent. Gown zippers and zipper tape are made from 100 percent recycled PET, and even the packaging contains ECM BioFilms, a material designed to facilitate the decomposition process.

The Elements Collection also gives graduates the opportunity to donate to an environmental sustainability project. Each Elements gown contains a unique code that can be entered online at The Elements Collection Give-Back Program page. For every code entered, Jostens donates $1 to an environment sustainability organtiztion. As of today, Jostens has donated at total of $22,329 to environmental organizations.

Thanks to the long-term relationship between the College and Jostens, the Elements products were very affordable, leading Skidmore to decide to exclusively offer the Elements Collections at the Skidmore Shop. “While they may not be the ultimate solution, I do believe they are much better alternative than the previous polyester garments. We will be re-evaluating our cap and gown program this summer as there are certainly many different options available now than there were a few years ago,” said Jon Neil, associate director of business services, Skidmore Shop.