About Fletcher

Sailing the Seas of Seats

empty chairs for commencementBlog friends, it is ON. Commencement time! If mulch is the herald of Commencement, the seas of seats are its first-arriving foot soldiers. During this week each year I can’t resist taking a peek as workers assemble this ocean of no-motion on the upper quad. It’s like 10,000 chairs. Fine, maybe not, but it’s definitely one of the larger assemblages of empty seating you’re likely to see outside of a stadium, and it’s a sight to behold. This weekend will see graduates and their familiars fill every last corner of this recliny briny (okay, okay, I’ll stop).

It’s going to be a scorcher, both in the intensity of celebration and actual temperature. Predicted highs are in the mid-90s, a meteorological clap-back to those who equate the Boston area with Hoth. Fortunately for everyone the main quad is well-shaded, and the Fletcher portion of the weekend’s festivities will take place under a tent. Fans and water stations will abound.

A highlight of the weekend (other than the graduate processional, obviously) will be the keynote remarks of Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman of The Mahindra Group and Non-Executive Chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. You can find full details on the weekend, and watch the live stream, here.

Happy Commencement, everyone!