American commencement ceremonies are not mandatory for graduates to attend, technically. But students have spent countless hours hitting the books. They have paid for classes with loans, scholarships, night jobs, and assistance from family. These events are thus seen as crazy expensive rites of passage that Thou Shall Not Miss.
Universities put on the dog for parents and other potential donors with receptions and after parties. Big name speakers are invited to give commencement addresses as a way of lending star power to the ceremony. This year, that’s where the public relations nightmare began.
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