For those unfamiliar with American academic traditions, a commencement ceremony might appear to be nothing more than a formal graduation. But in truth, it is far more than that — a solemn, public rite of passage that marks not only the end of academic life but also the beginning of a new chapter in adulthood and professional responsibility.
At Harvard, this ritual takes on added weight. Commencement is also a declaration of identity — a moment in which the university reaffirms, before the world, its core values of knowledge, merit, and diversity. This year, those values resonated with particular force. As the class of 2025 gathered in Tercentenary Theatre, the opening moments of the ceremony were marked by sustained and resolute applause. It was not only a tribute to interim President Alan Garber, but also a recognition of what his presence symbolized at such a critical time: the defense of the university against a direct, unprecedented political attack by the Trump administration.
Even as Garber was welcomed by students on campus, just across the Charles River university attorneys were in court, challenging a federal order that seeks to bar Harvard from admitting new international students. Though temporarily blocked by a judge, the measure underscores a broader campaign: a calculated effort to undermine the foundations of open, global higher education.
The stakes of this confrontation were not lost on those in attendance. Several graduates spoke of the dissonance they felt — joy at reaching a personal milestone, but deep concern for international classmates who now face an uncertain future. Some expressed gratitude for being able to celebrate with their families, but could not ignore the anxiety over who might be forced to leave.
The ceremony also gave space to stories of resilience, migration, and identity. One new law graduate, the son of Caribbean immigrants, shared his commitment to using his legal education to support families navigating the same hardships his own once faced. His parents, he said, could never have imagined their child graduating from Harvard — and it is precisely that sense of improbable achievement that fuels his resolve to give back.
Another graduate, a queer Asian American performer, proudly wore symbols of identity during the ceremony and spoke of what it means, especially now, to belong to a community that defends truth and resists repression. In a political climate increasingly hostile to dissent, he emphasized the need to stand firm — and to do so openly.
In his address, Garber urged graduates to resist the temptation of intellectual complacency. “Absolute certainty and willful ignorance,” he warned, “are two sides of the same coin.” The comment was widely interpreted as a critique of the federal government’s increasingly aggressive posture toward American universities — from the targeting of international students to the threat of defunding institutions and revoking their tax-exempt status.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem had made the administration’s position brutally clear just days earlier, stating that what happens at Harvard “should serve as a warning to every academic institution.” The message could hardly be more explicit: dissent, independence, and critical inquiry — long the hallmarks of higher education — are now being treated as liabilities. Knowledge itself as suspect.
And yet, at Harvard this spring, the response was unambiguous. The applause was not just for a president. It was for the idea that universities still matter — and for the belief that, even in the face of political pressure, they must continue to speak, question, and stand their ground
