Preparing the grounds
On Friday, June 3, some 2,500 graduates will march up Killian Court to receive their diplomas, one by one, in a celebration capping MIT’s 150th anniversary. It will be the 33rd year in which Killian Court has hosted the Commencement exercises; more than 13,000 people are expected to pack the courtyard. The main attraction for many will be the moment a single student — someone’s son or daughter or friend — crosses the stage in front of thousands to receive a diploma (or in the case of dual degrees, diplomas). The walk itself is short, and the moment can seem like a flash. But for many students, feeling that diploma in their hands is a pivotal experience, tangible payback for years of late-night problem sets and early morning classes. To make that moment happen seamlessly for thousands of students is itself an engineering feat that MIT has developed throughout its...