Victor Navasky '54, best known for his illustrious career in journalism as editor and publisher of The Nation, shared his thoughts about political caricatures with the campus community during the annual Thomas B. McCabe Lecture. In his talk, Navasky considered the significant influence that caricatures can have on the political arena and explored why the medium may be more incendiary than other forms of journalistic expression. Navasky currently serves as the George Delacorte Professor of Magazine Journalism at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and recently published Mission Accomplished! Or How We Won the War in Iraq.

As the Director of Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations at the College, Ken Dinitz '88 often shares Swarthmore stories with the outside world. Participating in a Center for Digital Storytelling workshop held on campus gave him an opportunity to explore a new medium for telling those tales. In this, his first piece, he tells a powerful story about War News Radio by weaving together photos, special effects, voice and music. more

Taiko drumming has been a feature of the College's dance offerings for nearly a decade, thanks largely to the efforts of Associate Professor of Dance Kim Arrow. Here, he discusses how what he calls a "perfect marriage of dance and drumming" has grown at Swarthmore, including the development of a significant relationship between the College and Tamagawa University in Japan.

Arrow, an accomplished dancer and choreographer, is the recipient of two Fulbright Fellowships and a Pew Fellowship in the Arts for choreography, among other awards. He joined Swarthmore's faculty in 1991 and next teaches a taiko repertory class in Spring 2010.

For more Swarthmore Taiko, check out this excerpt from the Spring 2009 Student Dance Concert.

At Swarthmore's 137th commencement on May 31, 2009, President Alfred H. Bloom awarded honorary degrees to Mary Schmidt Campbell '69, dean of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and professor and chair of art and public policy, and James C. Hormel '55, a philanthropist devoted to social justice and human rights and the first openly gay ambassador in U.S. history. Bloom himself received an honorary degree on the occasion of his departure from the College after 18 years as president. The senior speaker, as voted by his classmates, was Sonny Sidhu '09.

Before receiving their degrees, candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in engineering surprised the audience and their classmates with red confetti, the unfurling of a pirate flag, and a figure that mysteriously self-inflated.

More Commencement 2009.

The 2009 senior class speaker, as voted by his classmates, was Sonny Sidhu '09, who graduated with a major in film and media studies and dual minors in history and religion. In his introduction, President Bloom remarked on his "passion for exploring the potential of human-computer interactions to alter and enrich human experience."

In awarding Mary Schmidt Campbell '69, dean of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and professor and chair of art and public policy, the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, President Bloom described her as "a tireless champion of artists and the arts, a powerful educator, an esteemed scholar, and a visionary interpreter of the role of artistic expression in our cultural, ethical, and political lives."

In awarding James C. Hormel '55, a philanthropist devoted to social justice and human rights and the first openly gay ambassador in U.S. history, the degree of Doctor of Laws, President Bloom noted that his "care for humanity, expressed in transformative activism and philanthropy, place you among the alumni of this College who have had the greatest impact on shaping a more inclusive and generous world."

Before receiving their degrees, candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in engineering surprised the audience and their classmates at Commencement with their customary prank. For the Class of 2009, this included red confetti, the unfurling of a pirate flag, and a figure that mysteriously self-inflated.

More Commencement 2009

English literature major Eva McKend '11 performed this spoken word piece as part of the inaugural Kathryn Morgan Poetry Fest. Eva was accompanied on piano by Philippe Celestin '11.

Eva shared the stage with performance artist Na Tanyá Daviná Stewart. Both performances helped celebrate the life and work of Kathryn Morgan, Sara Lawrence Lightfoot Professor Emerita of History. Morgan, who attended the festival's kickoff event, was the first African American professor at the College and the first African American woman to be granted tenure.

Performance artist Na Tanyá Daviná Stewart delivered her distinctive style of emotionally and intellectually charged spoken word as part of the inaugural Kathryn Morgan Spring Poetry Fest. She closed her performance with "Sister Space."

Daviná shared the stage with Eva McKend '11, an English literature major from New York, N.Y., who performed her piece, "Between Love and Hate." Eva was accompanied on piano by Philippe Celestin '11.

Both performances helped celebrate the life and work of Kathryn Morgan, Sara Lawrence Lightfoot Professor Emerita of History. Morgan, who attended the festival's kickoff event, was the first African American professor at the College and the first African American woman to be granted tenure.