Commencement to be Broadcast on Web
Posted: May 1, 2009
When Irish President Mary McAleese delivers the Mount Holyoke College commencement address later this month, her message will be broadcast around the globe via the Web. The event marks the first time the College commencement ceremony will be able to be seen by viewers beyond campus as it happens.
McAleese, eighth president of Ireland, will give the commencement address and receive an honorary degree at the 172nd Mount Holyoke College commencement Sunday, May 24. Two others will also receive honorary degrees and speak that day: Princess Lolowah al-Faisal al Saud, founder of Effat University, the first private university for women in Saudi Arabia, and Clare Waterman '89, chief of the Laboratory of Cell and Tissue Morphodynamics at the National Institute of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
"The Mount Holyoke live streaming team has been working to provide the College's first commencement broadcast live on the web," said Doreen Daly, MHC's director of Campus Technology and Media Services, noting the team has partnered with Troy Hanford of Flying Colors Broadcasts. Hanford is the son of MHC alum Mona Hanford '64.
"We're very excited to be able to introduce this service, and we hope that families, friends, and alumnae who can't be here for the occasion will take advantage of the opportunity to join the commencement live from their location."
The URL to connect is http://www.mtholyoke.edu/go/livecommencement
Live streaming of the event will begin shortly before the commencement procession steps off at 10 am. The procession--composed of MHC president Joanne V. Creighton, honorary degree recipients, trustees, faculty, and graduates--is followed by the commencement ceremony in the Gettell Amphitheater at 10:30 am. Web viewers will need Adobe Flash Player version 9 or higher and a high-speed Internet connection to watch the event on their computers.
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