UNIVERISY PARK – Award-winning journalist and CNN’s lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer received an honorary doctorate of humane letters and delivered to commencement address for Penn State’s College of Communications Saturday (May 14) at the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State’s University Park campus.
For photos, visit http://live.psu.edu/flickrset/72157626719717232.
The event was one of 12 commencement ceremonies at University Park the weekend of May 13-15, and one of 34 University-wide in May. In addition, a medals ceremony for Schreyer Honors College graduates and ROTC commissioning ceremony were held Friday (May 13) at University Park.
In his remarks to the College of Communications graduates, Blitzer said it is important for them to use the next phase in their lives to pursue their dreams.
“It’s a tough world, and I want them to not give up on their dreams,” Blitzer said at a news conference prior to the ceremony. “Don’t just settle for a job you’re not excited about. Do something you’re passionate about.”
Blitzer said he is optimistic about the future for those new graduates entering his field of journalism, even as technological developments change the profession’s landscape.
“We’re going to need serious journalist, no matter the platform,” he said.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the awarding of the first degrees from Penn State. Eleven students received the degree of Bachelor of Scientific Agriculture at the close of the academic year in December 1861. Although Penn State admitted its first students in 1859, these 11 entered as sophomores (having been freshmen at other schools) and so completed their studies in three years.
President Evan Pugh noted at the time that “this was the first class that graduated at an agricultural college in the United States, and they graduated upon a higher scientific education standard than is required at any other agricultural college in the world.”