Gary Locke Keynote
Commencement speaker Gary Locke (LAW'75), governor of Washington and first Asian-American governor in the country, told the 5,000-plus degree candidates who filled Nickerson Field on May 17 that they were the American dream personified.
In 2009, US President Barak Obama chose Gary Locke as his new Secretary of Commerce, and he was sworn into office on March 26, 2009.
"Our family story is no different from the stories of every family here—whether you are a first-generation immigrant or a sixth. Your stories are made of similar journeys—journeys fueled by the American dream of freedom, hope, and opportunity. And this Commencement ceremony is what generation after generation of Americans and people all across the globe have dreamed of and sacrificed for."—Gary Locke
Learning Resources Network (LERNet) Starts Up
Many BU faculty members currently run educational and enrichment activities for middle- and high-school students to share the University's resources with them and stimulate their interest in various academic disciplines. LERNet is designed to serve as a resource center and clearinghouse to help with ongoing events and to assist faculty who are interested in planning new programs.
The Historical Society Opens
The Historical Society is an effort to reorient the historical profession and revitalize the teaching and broad dissemination of historical knowledge. The society embraces people of every ideological and political tendency and offers a place to debate those views in the context of historical study.
The Center for Congregational Research & Development
The Center for Congregational Research & Development bridges theology and congregational life through research, education, and networking. The work is oriented toward the discipline of practical theology and guided by critical reflection on the actual practice and lived faith of Christians in congregations around the world. The center was later renamed the Center for Practical Theology.
BioSquare 2 Breaks Ground
In April, BioSquare 2, a 192,000-square-foot building which will include research facilities for the School of Medicine, breaks ground. The building is dedicated in May 2000.
DeWolfe Boathouse
Construction begins on a new boathouse, which opens in the fall of 1999.
Juan Julio Wicht Rossel Keynote
Jesuit priest Juan Julio Wicht Rossel, S. J., addresses the graduating class at Commencement.
Quantum Aspects of the World Debuts
Quantum Aspects of the World offers a portal to Boston University courses, support materials, and tools to explore the quantum aspects of the world.
MAVERIC
The Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC) is established as one of three epidemiological research centers (ERICs) within the VA’s Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) to conduct observational, population-based research. It is affiliated with the Harvard and Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health. MAVERIC's mission is to improve the health of veterans and enhance health care delivery in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) by promoting the conduct of VA-based population research relevant to the needs of veterans; facilitating the transfer of vital epidemiological information to VHA providers and administrators; and educating the next generation of population researchers. In addition, MAVERIC has supported and participated in several national and local educational activities to develop clinical and scientific researchers practicing in the field.
Institute on Race & Social Division
The Institute on Race & Social Division opens in 1997 and operates for five years before shutting its doors in 2002.