Commencement in the rain

Although I finished my classes in December, it's officially commencement! I commenced twice: once with the Mailman School of Public Health event, where Bill Clinton spoke, and once in the rain on the Columbia quad with all of the other schools. This is the public health graduation:

Here I am in my blue regalia with two buddies. Thanks for cheering me on, guys!


And here I am with J. Characteristically, I have a plate of food. J. had more restraint and waited for dinner at Nonna's, also known as "John's Italian grandmother," as in "Let's go to Nonna's. I haven't seen my Italian grandmother in a while."

And here is the next day commencement in the rain on the Columbia quad. All schools are represented, and various schools carry / throw things that are emblematic of their degree. Dental school students carry toothbrushes, business students wave cash, Teacher's College students have red apples, and what do public health students have? Condoms, of course!

I can't overstate what a miserable day this was: bone-chilling cold, windy and spitting rain. J., his parents and my brother Chris stood in the rain for two hours to cheer me on. Are they rock stars or what? The Columbia president, Lee Bollinger, said "Rain on commencement day means that you will have a fantastic life." Hope so!