Hot, Humid, but Still Celebratory: A Look Back at BU’s 149th Commencement

Commencement 2022

Hot, Humid, but Still Celebratory: A Look Back at BU’s 149th Commencement

Photo gallery captures the highlights of a return-to-normal ceremony

May 25, 2022
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Photographing a Boston University Commencement requires the tactical planning of a field general. Each year, photographers have just hours to record for posterity everything that makes that year’s celebration unique. The 2022 assignment was especially challenging given the unusually high heat (about 90, but much hotter on Nickerson Field).  

BU staff photojournalists Cydney Scott and Jackie Ricciardi, along with Janice Checchio, associate creative director of photography, and a team of seven freelance photographers, took a mind-bending 13,000-plus photos during BU’s 149th Commencement on Sunday, May 22. We’ve pulled 75 of the best ones capturing the day’s highlights. Take a look.

Baccalaureate

Photo of two light-skinned students, a young man in a collared shirt and a woman with wavy brown hair in a red graduation robe, using sharpies to sign the class of 2022 banner.
Photo of the red class of 2022 banner, with "Terriers 2022" written in white text, with a bunch of signatures from the class in black. the banner hangs off of a table.
Marylou Sudders, speaker at the 2022 Boston University Baccalaureate Service at Marsh Chapel on May 22. Photo by Natasha Moustache
Photo of a group of choir singers dressed in red and black robes during the baccalaureate service. it's a mixture of genders and they all hold open choir books and sign during the service.The large wooden panel is seen behind them.
Photo of a White man with short brown hair and a short beard presumably conducting the choir at Marsh Chapel during the baccalaureate service. The conductor wears a red and black rob and robbed singers can be seen behind them.

Arrivals

Photo of a group of robbed graduates, two AAPI women and a light-skinned young man with a beard and sunglasses behind them, laugh and talk as they process down Comm Ave. A metal barrier can be seen at left. One woman at right wears a white sash.
Photo of a group of young men as they process towards Nickerson. They all wear sunglasses; three students are White, one student is Black. They smile wide and wear their red robes unzipped due to the heat.
A group of students process down the brick sidewalk along Comm Ave. An AAPI couple, a young man and young woman, are seen at right, another pair of students are seen walking behind them. They all wear the red graduation robes.
A student wearing a red robe with black stripe and a black sash, and purple flower lei around their neck, rides down Comm Ave in the bike lane on a bright blue scooter. other students processing can be seen in the background.
A group of people, possibly a family, stands along the Comm Ave sidewalk holdings that say "Congrats Grad 2022!". At front, are three White women, the middle one wears a yell dress, one at right wears a blue dress. Students processing towards nickerson can be seen in the foreground and background.
A group of students stand underneath the arches in Marsh plaza. The photo was taken behind white, iridescent streamers so the photo is blurred. A young AAPI woman at center is seen smiling, in focus.
Photo taken underneath the bleachers at Nickerson field. The photo is mostly dark but a door leading out to the field shines bright. A young man of color with a red robe and black mortar is seen processing onto the field at center.

Ceremony on Nickerson Field

Aerial shot of nickerson field during commencement. Around the stage, at right, is sea of chairs filled with folks in red robes. Behind them, are rows of chairs of attendees and the bleachers, at left, are also filled with people.
Photo of commencement attendees taken from the bleachers looking towards the stage. The backs of thousands of attendees are seen as well as the green turf of nickerson field. The sky is bright blue with a few small clouds.
Photo of the Jumbotron at Nickerson field, which reads: Boston University at top. On screen: a photo of Marsh Plaza in Black and White with "Congratulations Class of 2022, BU 2022" overlaid. At bottom, sign reads in red and white: "Congratulations graduates". Hedges are seen in the foreground and the sky is bright blue behind the sign.
Photo of a light-skinned student at commencement wearing his rob on his head underneath his mortarboard. He wears sunglasses and a blue button down and appears to be wearing his gown on his head to beat the heat. Other students are seen sitting on Nickerson smiling during the ceremony.
Photo taken on Nickerson field, taken from the side, of graduates sitting in white chairs with red robes on. Jumbotron and blue sky are seen in the background.
Photo taken of graduation attendees sitting in lawn chairs underneath the red Boston sign on the wall of Nickerson, which is covered by Ivy. The group wears hot weather clothing, including sun hats, shorts, and sunglasses.
Photo of a pair of AAPI students, wearing blue paper face masks and holding a red umbrella above their heads during commencement. Other students in black mortar boards are seen around them.
Photo of a group of young, White women smiling during commencement. A left, the woman wears sunglasses and has her red rob on.At middle, a woman wears her mortarboard and sunglasses. At right, a women wears her robe unzipped.
Photo of the hedges around Nickerson. Attendees brought their white chairs in between the tall, dark green hedges to get a bit of shade during commencement. In the photo, people are mostly hidden by the hedges, except for the occasional leg that appears from behind the hedges.
A group of women of color who lean in from their seats and smile for a photo during commencement. Two of the women wear hijabs and some wear multi-colored UMOJA sashes. They all wear black mortar boards and red robes.
Photo of two White students during commencement. At left, a young man with a very curly, blonde poofy hair who wears his rob unzipped.At right, a young woman with a mortar board and sunglasses on makes the rock on sign with both her hands.
A group of light-skinned students smile for the camera during commencement. The first two men wear blue pants , light blue shirts and ties. One woman has her rob removed, and the woman at far right wears a scarf around her head and black sunglasses.
Two students of color in red robes and black mortarboards embrace during commencement. other students and Boston University sign are seen behind them.
Photo of two students using a pink mister to cool off during commencement. At right, a young Black man smiles, wears sunglasses, and makes the peace sign with his right hand. At right, a young light-skinned man who holds the mister and smiles. They both wear caps and gowns.
A young man of color with curly black hair makes the peace sign with one hand, holds his mortar in the other, and smiles from his seat on nickerson. he has wrapped his rob around his neck and wears blue shorts. To his left, an AAPI student wears a white collared shirt and sunglasses.
In focus are two young White woman who smile in the red robes and black mortarboards on Nickerson field. Blurred in the foreground is a young woman who wears a green sash and red robe, and a young man with sunglasses and blue beads on.
0443: Photo of a young couple, a young man and young woman, kissing during the commencement ceremony. They both wear their black mortarboards, red gowns, and sunglasses. The photo is taken from behind them, and in the background you can see the commencement stage and a large red sign that reads "Boston University."
Photo of an older white woman with blonde and gray hair standing on stage during commencement. She wears a black hat and black robe and smiles.
Photo of student speaker Amanda Berke, a white woman with very long brown wavy hair, speaking at a large Boston University podium on stage on nickerson field.
Photo of commencement speaker Bob Woodward wearing a red robe with black stripes and giving a thumbs-up with his hand during his commencement speech. He stands on stage behind a large gray Boston University podium.
Photo of Robert Allan Hill at the podium during commencement. he's an older white man who wears a red robe and white shirt. He smiles and has short white hair.
Photo of two young White women on stage during commenncement service. They wear black mortar boards, red robes, and white sashes. They hold red papers and look out towards the crowd as the student, at right, speaks into the mic.
Photo of Marylou Sudders, an older White woman, center, with short blonde hair smiling, on stage. She wears a red robe with black stripes and a black sash. At right, Bob Brown claps at a podium. At left, a man in a black hate and purple sash is seen.
A White man in a black robe with a red neckline stands at the large, gray Boston University podium. He is middle-aged and has short black hair.
Photo of Gay J. McDougall, at left, smiling, during commencement. She is a middle-aged Black woman who wears a red graduation robe with black stripes, black sash, and black hat. Others are seen processing off of nickerson with her.
Photo of presumably Richard Shipley receiving his honorary degree on stage. Shipley, seen center, is a white with short gray hair who wears a red robe with black stripes and black sunglasses. At right, Bob Brown claps at a podium. At left, a man in a black hate and purple sash is seen.
Photo of a White woman wearing a black robe with blue sash, black hat, and sunglasses smiling on stage next to a large silvery trophy during commencement.
Photo of Gay J. McDougall as she receives her honorary degree. She smiles and holds a red folder in her hands. She is a middle-aged Black woman who wears a red graduation robe with black stripes, black sash, and black hat. At right, Bob Brown claps at a podium. At left, a Black woman in a black hat and purple sash is seen.

Celebration

Photo of a large crowd of 2022 BU graduates in red graduation gowns and black caps standing in rows, cheering and clapping as they face an unseen stage. An audience of friends and family can be seen in the blurry background, sitting in bleachers in the distance.
Photo of a young Black man with arms raised wide as he cheers. He wears an unbuttoned white shirt, light blue tank, and khaki pants. The white woman next to him wears cheers loudly and wears a light orange dress. More grads are seen around them cheering as well. Everyone wears red gowns and black caps.
Photo of a large group of recent graduates cheering in excitement. The group of diverse students wear red gowns, black caps, and white sashes that read "Hospitality Class of 2022.". Decorations on two caps can be seen, one that shows both the American flag and the flag of the Dominican Republic, and one that reads in gold letters "One eternity later...#done"
Photo of two young white women looking at each other excitedly. The women on the right has ash blonde hair and holds the arms of the women on the left, who has long brown hair and laughs. Other grads can be seen around them in the blurry background. Everyone wears a red gown and black caps.
Photo of a young black woman with long, Senegalese twists cheers excitedly and class as she faces an unseen stage. She wears a black dress, black cap, and black sash with Kente stripes on it. Other graduates around her wear red gowns and black caps.
Photo of two young women cheering and smiling at the camera as red and white confetti can be seen in the background starting to fall on to the field of new graduates. The tan woman in the front pushes up her stylish aviator sunglasses and showcases her baby blue fingernails and a woman behind her cheers with arms raised in a ruffled cream dress. Other grads can be seen around them posing and smiling for the camera and celebrating amongst themselves. Everyone is wearing red gowns and either wearing or holding black caps.
Photo of a large crowd of 2022 BU graduates in red graduation gowns and black caps cheering and standing as they raise their arms towards the stage. One person can be seen holding up a large folder that has the BU Seal on the front and reads "Boston University". A blurry, large "Boston" can be seen on the wall in red in the distance.
Photo of a tan person with short, bronze bleach hair smiling as they holds a cellphone to their ear and waves a rainbow fan that reads "#proud". They wear a black says that reads "Alianza Latina". Grads surround her wearing similar gowns and caps.
Photo of a young, Black man with a black beard cheering and clapping as he stands amidst a crowd of graduates. He and the grads all wear red gowns and black caps. He also wears stylish sunglasses and a very blurry crowd of people can be seen sitting in bleachers in the background.
Photo of a young Black person wearing large pearl hoop earrings, a septum nose piercing, and a name necklace that reads "Brittani". hey hold their fist to their chest as they yell with happiness along with the crowd of graduates around them. They all wear red gowns and black caps.
Photo of two, young white women embracing. The back of one features dirty blonde hair and a blue dress while the other smiles as she wears her black cap and red graduation gown. Other graduates in similar red and black attire can be seen in the background.
Photo of a 2 people clapping and cheering. The light-skinned black person on the left has brown curly hair as the tan person on the right has long, straight black hair and wears glasses. They and the other graduates around them wear red graduation gowns and black caps.
Photo of a large crowd of 2022 BU graduates in red graduation gowns throwing their black caps into the air in joy. Grads in the front wear blue sashes that read "Kilachand Honors 2022". Two large dorm buildings and an audience of friends and family sitting in bleachers can be seen in the background.
Photo of a large crowd of 2022 BU graduates in red graduation gowns throwing their black caps into the air in joy.
Photo of a large crowd of 2022 BU graduates in red graduation gowns throwing their black caps into the air in joy. An audience of friends and family can be seen sitting in bleachers in the distance.
Wide shot photo of the 2022 Boston University Commencement. The stage with speakers, honorees, ands deans wearing black and red robes can be seen front and center as a jumbotron i seen to the left showing the scene on stage. Students wearing red graduation gowns begin to throw black caps into the air from their seats in front of the stage.
Photo of two BU graduates embracing. A young, black woman with small, brown box braids hugs another graduate in front of her. They both wear red gowns and black caps as other graduates and family mill around in the background
Photo of a young graduate wearing a red gown and black cap having his face embraced by a relative in a black suit. A middle-aged woman beside them wears a light blue dress as a young woman to his left wears a white, red, and blue romper. The legs of a bronze statues can be seen behind them.
Photo of a young, brown-skinned woman throwing up a handful of red and white confetti into the air. She wears a red graduation gown and black cap as various people mill and talk behind her on the field.
Photo of a young man with a dark beard and dark green-yellow sunglasses as he smiles widely and holds his arms out wide. He wears a red graduation gown and black cap with golden tassel. Various friends and family can be seen in the blurred background wearing red caps.
Wide shot photo of graduates walking around on a red track and grassy fields. They all wear red graduation gowns and black caps as red and white confetti lies on the ground
Photo of two young women embracing on a field littered with red and white confetti as various other graduates, friends, and family members mill around behind them. Person on the left wears a red graduation gown and holder her phone in hand as the other laughs in joy and wears a pink top and jean shorts.
Photo: young, light-skinned Black woman with shoulder length curly hair looks up as red and white confetti falls over her. She stand among other graduates and a dorm building can be seen in the background. All wear red graduation gowns.

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Hot, Humid, but Still Celebratory: A Look Back at BU’s 149th Commencement

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There are 4 comments on Hot, Humid, but Still Celebratory: A Look Back at BU’s 149th Commencement

  2. Wonderful photos showing the joy, pride and relief of the graduates. This class has been through a lot of challenges over their 4+ years. So happy that they could celebrate together on this beautiful, summer-like day.
    Reminds me of my graduation back in 1969 when the Babcock dorms were almost new and BU still had a football team. My Mother said to me, “I don’t know anyone who loved college more than you!” During my subsequent visits to campus, I have talked with many students about their feelings towards BU. I have been surprised and impressed by the consistency of their positive comments. “I love it here” has been the unanimous theme.
    To the photographers, great job capturing the graduate’s joy on this momentous day.
    To the graduates, CONGRATULATIONS!

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  3. It needs to be said, that if they knew days prior about the heat advisory, they should have move it earlier or later.
    It was very hard to enjoy such a commemorative day for so many, due to the extreme weather.

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