Cornell University Commencement – Ithaca, New York (2005)
For my birthday just a few months before graduating from Cornell, I enjoyed some time on the Ithaca Commons. It was an unseasonably warm day for the late fall and I enjoyed getting some sunshine before the inevitable cold and snow set on upstate New York. This time and place became profoundly important to me in retrospect, though in the moment I was just seeking a little bit of joy.
This classroom is where much of my architectural history and historic preservation coursework was held. At the west end of Sibley Hall, I always enjoyed how the light flooded in the west facing windows.
One of the highlights of my last student housing rental was a dedicated office just for myself. I painted it a cheerful yellow color and built an improvised desk in a U-shape. This is where I wrote my graduate thesis in the span of a few short weeks.
Many multi-tiered cascades line the famous Cascadilla Gorge Trail. This scenic trail runs right through downtown Ithaca and connects the city center directly to the Cornell University campus. The historic stone paths and staircases visible on the left side of the image were constructed in the late 1920s to allow hikers to safely follow the dropping bedrock of Cascadilla Creek. As we prepared to graduate following several years of study, we took a walk up the gorge one last time.
On Commencement Day I woke early in the morning again and pulled together the last of my belongings. Was able to pack everything except for four boxes of books and my papasan into the car. Ascended the hill and made my way to the place in the procession. Stood at the front row of master’s students as we made our way to the stadium. Was exhilarating as faculty lining the way cheered for us. Just before entering the stadium I dropped back to the second row. Still it was very exciting. Sat beside Mercedes Chavez. Had a witty exchange with her throughout the ceremony.
I sat in the front row of our section, immediately behind the choir director, and facing towards the choir. Found this ironic and entertaining. The event was mostly unexceptional. The president’s speech made numerous references to Star Wars. Was a little disappointed by this appeal to popular culture.
The college reception followed. Again, this was a lot of waiting. The sum effect of both events was to make me want to depart as soon as I could. So instead of waiting around, I stepped out of the tent early, returned my robe, and met parents. We walked down the hill together, passing Ezra Cornell’s house and through the cemetery. While passing through the cemetery a burst of rain fell on us. I found this compelling. By the time we arrived at the house, the rain had stopped. We got on the road fairly quickly and faced little traffic the entire way home. Elayne drove the entire way. Arrived just before midnight in Wyandotte, Michigan.