The Best Moments from Commencement 2019

Photo essay captures all the emotion of the day

May 24, 2019
0
Twitter Facebook

It’s not easy capturing an event that draws a crowd of 20,000 people cheering on some 7,509 graduates. But BU Photography easily met the challenge during Sunday’s 146th All-University Commencement. Starting at approximately 10:30 am and for the next six hours, a total of eight photographers, including six freelancers, fanned out across the Charles River Campus and across Nickerson Field to record for posterity the moments that made this Commencement special. In total, more than 10,200 photos were taken.

BU Today asked BU Photography to sort through those thousands of images to come up with three dozen of the best for the slideshow above.

“We were looking for those special moments that made this year’s Commencement unique,” says Janice Checchio, associate creative director of photography. One example: a photo of the Metcalf Cup and Prize, the University’s top teaching award, placed under plastic sheeting to protect it from the rain that swept across campus in the hours leading up to the ceremony. Happily, as if on cue, the rain stopped just as students began to take their seats.

Three boys walk under umbrellas in their commencement gowns

Photo by Doug Levy

People gather under the Marsh Chapel covered walkway in the rain

Photo by Doug Levy

An excited student holds his cords

Photo by Dave Green

Students walk in the rainA woman laughs as she hurries through the rain
A BU worker hands out rain ponchos

(Top left) photo by Doug Levy; (top right) photo by Chris McIntosh; (bottom) photo by Dave Green

Graduates in rain ponchos

Photo by Dave Green

Graduates file onto Nickerson field in rain ponchos

Photo by Dave Green

Students snap a selfie in the rainRain drops on a window

(Left) photo by Doug Levy; (right) photo by Cydney Scott

Plastic is removed covering the Metcalf cup

Photo by Chris McIntosh

The crowd watches beneath umbreallas

Photo by Dave Green

Graduates file onto Nickerson field in rain ponchos

Photo by Chris McIntosh

Graduates embrace and laugh on the field

Photo by Natasha Moustache

Students on the field during commencementA decorated grad cap

(Left) photo by Dave Green; (right) photo by Janice Checchio

Girls smile as the sun comes out

Photo by Natasha Moustache

Rainbow socks peek out from beneath a red gown

Photo by Janice Checchio

A bird's eye view of the graduates and stage

Photo by Dave Green

Students smile

Photo by Natasha Moustache

a BU pin on a students gown

Photo by Chris McIntosh

a Brids eye view of Nickerson field

Photo by Dave Green

a decorated grad cap reads Boston is my home

Photo by Natasha Moustache

The student speaker at the podium

Photo by Michael D. Spencer

Graduates clap and cheer

Photo by Chris McIntosh

Graduates clap, cheer, and hug

Photo by Michael D. Spencer

Two girls hug during commencement

Photo by Jackie Ricciardi

A solo cap flies in the air

Photo by Dave Green

Girls embrace after the ceremony ends

Photo by Dave Green

Girls embrace after the ceremony ends

Photo by Natasha Moustache

guys embrace after the ceremony ends

Photo by Chris McIntosh

A graduate holds up a little boy in the airA mom kisses her daughter who graduated
A graduate embraces her family

(Top left and bottom) photo by Chris McIntosh; (top right) photo by Natasha Moustache

A graduate leaps in the air

Photo by Doug Levy

Explore Related Topics:

  • Share this story
  • 0 Comments Add

Share

The Best Moments from Commencement 2019

Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

Post a comment.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *