IDC Graduation Day

IDC Graduation Day
Graduation day, a day every student looks forward to as of their first day of
classes, a day filled with happiness, relief and also some sadness. At IDC, the
graduation ceremony takes place almost a year after school ends so it is less
of a moment of finale and more of a coming back to stand one last time with
your peers and professors (unless of course you decide to pursue your
master’s degree at the IDC as well).
By Elizabeth Goodman
Second year student, Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy
Even before graduation day,
those students who achieved high
results were acknowledged at the
Honor’s Ceremony, which took place
in front of the Radzyner School of Law.
Students from every class were
recognized for their achievements and
were awarded cum laude, magna cum
laude, and summa cum laude.
Professor Uriel Reichman, president
and founder of the IDC, addressed the
students, parents, fellow professors
and honored guests, and
representative of the honored
students, Matan Gutman, was
speaking on behalf of the students.
Honorary fellowships ceremony
During the ceremony, former
President of the Israeli Supreme Court
Prof. Aharon Barak; former Minister
of Education and Israel Prize
Laureate, Prof. Amnon Rubinstein;
former MK Geula Cohen; former
Minister of Education, Shulamit Aloni;
entrepreneur and industrialist, Eitan
Wertheimer; philanthropist Marc
Rich; and German Professor Geert
Keiser, were awarded Honorary
Fellowships in recognition of their
constant support and important
contributions to Israel and the IDC.
Graduation parade
The next day, June 2 nd , the
official graduation ceremony for the
undergraduate and graduate class of
2008 was held. Families and friends
slowly filled the stadium seating,
frantically trying to save as many seats
as possible for the family and friends
that had come along for the big event.
After everyone was quiet and seated,
a sea of blue and black robes filed into
the stadium, ready to receive their
diplomas. The procession was
followed by Hatikva, and, of course,
speeches.
Prof. Reichman addressing the graduates

Professor Uriel Reichman
addressed the students first. His
oration was followed by the wonderful
opera singer, Sivan Goldman, and
then the keynote speaker, Benny
Landa, Indigo Founder. The final
speech was given by the
Valedictorian, Eran Davidi, who
addressed his fellow students with
inspirational words as they began their
future lives and careers. As the sun
set, so the ceremony came to a close,
but not before a rendition of the IDC’s
Anthem a rare tradition that is only
heard at graduation or other largescale
events.
spoke, as did the Alumni
representative who talked about ways
that the students could stay involved
after they had left. Finally, the students
were called up, one by one, to receive
what they had waited for all night, and
perhaps all of their student lives.
The new graduates of IDC
Diploma in hand, everyone
could breath a sigh of relief, realizing
that all of their efforts had paid off and
they were now college graduates. The
celebration ended with joy and pride.
Singing the IDC anthem
After the ceremony, everyone
filed out of the bleachers and headed
straight for the tables of food
strategically placed around campus.
Individual ceremonies were held for
each class to present the actual
diplomas to the graduates. The RRIS
business and government classes
assembled behind the
communications building where
Jonathan Davis, Vice President for
External Relations and head of the
RRIS, addressed the parents and
graduates, emphasizing the diversity
of such a diverse student body and
repeatedly reminding everyone that if
they stayed for the whole ceremony,
they would get dessert! Again there
were more speeches and no sign of a
diploma (or dessert for that matter) in
sight. The valedictorians of each class