With Commencement today, we close our year of commemorating Harvard’s 375th birthday.  From an exuberant party for 18,000 in torrential rain and ankle-deep mud here in Tercentenary Theatre last fall to today’s invocation of John Harvard’s spirit still walking the Yard, we have celebrated this special year and this institution’s singular and distinguished history.  Founded by…

As delivered This has been an historic year.  It is, of course, our 375th birthday.  But as Lt. Col. Hall has noted, it has also been the year that ROTC returned to the Harvard campus.  In September we opened the Naval ROTC office; in March, we cut the ribbon for the Army.  I was especially moved…

As prepared for delivery Greetings, Class of 2012. It is a privilege to be with you this afternoon, together one last time for this strange medieval rite called the Baccalaureate, where I am expected to impart a few final words of wisdom … and you are expected to make them go viral. But not before…

As delivered Good morning, everyone. I am delighted to be here today with President Susan Hockfield to announce edX, a partnership between Harvard and MIT that will shape the future of learning and teaching on our campuses, and further extend our reach in the ever-expanding universe of digital education. Beginning this fall, an array of…

As delivered Welcome, everyone. On behalf of the entire Harvard community I extend an especially warm greeting to Presidenta Dilma Rousseff and our very distinguished guests from Brazil. Thank you all for joining us this afternoon to witness the signing of an agreement that promises to strengthen the longstanding and mutually beneficial relationship between Harvard…

As delivered Colonel Mathis, distinguished guests, Harvard students, colleagues, friends. It’s an honor and a privilege to be here with you this afternoon. Last March, Secretary Ray Mabus and I signed an agreement to restore the full and formal recognition of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at Harvard. On September 20th, the nation marked…