Wheelock College is excited to announce that for the first time, the College will hold two separate Commencement ceremonies this year, both on Friday, May 11, 2012. The need for the dual ceremonies arose because of Wheelock's increasing success in the number of seniors and graduate students participating in each year's Commencement Ceremony.

The College is also pleased to announce that Ms. Jane Alexander, noted actress and arts advocate, will deliver the Undergraduate Commencement address and Mr. Wintley Phipps, renowned vocal artist and education activist, will deliver the Graduate Commencement address.

Jane Alexander
Ms. Jane Alexander: Actress and Arts Advocate
Undergraduate Commencement Speaker

Born in Boston, Alexander attended Beaver Country Day School, where she first aspired to acting and made her stage debut. She experienced success early in her acting career, garnering a Tony and Drama Desk awards for her portrayal of Eleanor Bachman in The Great White Hope and Eleanor Roosevelt in two television productions.

In 1993, Alexander took a sabbatical from acting when President Clinton appointed her as the Chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Arts.  During her four-year tenure at the NEA, she showed tremendous courage in fighting for and saving funding for the arts.

In 2004, Alexander joined the theater faculty at Florida State University.  She holds honorary doctorates from 11 colleges and universities in the U.S.  She has been active on many national boards promoting the environment, women's health, nuclear disarmament and the arts.  She has received numerous awards including the 2011, "No Ordinary Time, No Ordinary Woman" award to benefit the preservation of Eleanor Roosevelt's home, Val-Kil.

Wintley Phipps
Mr. Wintley Phipps: Vocal Artist, Motivational Speaker, Pastor, and Education Activist
Graduate Commencement Speaker

Born in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Wintley Phipps moved to Montreal at an early age and then studied at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, and earned a Masters of Divinity from Andres University in Berrien Springs, Michigan.  Phipps is a world-renowned vocal artist who has used his tremendous musical talent to inspire hope throughout the world.

He has performed for seven Presidential Inaugurations, including Presidents Barack Obama, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.  For more than twenty-five years, Phipps has traveled the world delivering messages of hope, advocacy, and equality to many thousands of people.

In 1998, Phipps founded and created the U.S. Dream Academy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children who have had a family member incarcerated.  The program provides mentoring, academic tutoring, and exposure to education support.  Currently, the U.S. Dream Academies are located in 11 cities throughout the United Sates.  What began as a dream for Phipps now encompasses the dreams of thousands of elementary and middle school children, sparking the support of national figures such as Oprah Winfrey and former President Bill Clinton.

Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony

Friday, May 11, 2012, Temple Israel, 10 a.m.

• Each senior will receive 5 tickets.
• All seniors are invited to attend breakfast at the President's House the morning of the ceremony.
• Seniors and their families are invited to attend a Reception on the Campus Center Green after their ceremony.

Graduate Commencement Ceremony

Friday, May 11, 2012, Wheelock Family Theatre, 2 p.m.

• Each graduate student will receive 3 tickets.
• All students are invited to attend breakfast at the President's house the morning of the ceremony.
• Graduate students and their guests are invited to attend the Reception on the Campus Center Green before their ceremony.

More details about both Commencement Ceremonies will be coming soon, including schedules, honorary degree recipients, and more! Please check back soon for updates.