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Stanford
Office for Religious & Spiritual Life
Collage of Stanford community photos.

Celebrating Stanford: Baccalaureate

 

The Office for Religious & Spiritual Life celebrates life’s big moments at Stanford by hosting our University's annual Baccalaureate celebration.

Baccalaureate (pronounced “bak-uh-lawr-ee-it”) at Stanford is a celebratory gathering for graduating seniors, graduate students, and professional students, as well as their families and friends. This gathering is part of Commencement weekend and is a bookend to the Opening Convocation held four years earlier.

Baccalaureate - Friday, June 10, 2022, Frost Amphitheater

10:00 AM Class of 2022 ceremony

4:00 PM Class of 2020 ceremony

The Office for Religious & Spiritual Life celebrates life’s big moments at Stanford by hosting the University's annual Baccalaureate celebration. It is a time to acknowledge the spiritual contribution to the education of the whole person. The celebration will feature a keynote speaker, reflections and readings from graduating students and performances by Talisman and Taiko.

Headshot of Bishop Yvette A. Flunder (Image credit: Courtesy Yvette A. Flunder)

Baccalaureate Speaker Class of 2020: Bishop Yvette A. Flunder

Bishop Yvette A. Flunder’s work for “those most marginalized in church and in society” led to the founding of the City of Refuge church. She was consecrated Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, a multidenominational coalition of more than 100 primarily African American Christian leaders and laity, in 2003.

Click Here for the Speaker's Full Bio
Headshot of Simran Jeet Singh (Image Credit: Courtesy Simran Jeet Singh)

Baccalaureate Class of 2022 Speaker: Simran Jeet Singh

Simran Jeet Singh was included on TIME magazine’s Fighting for a More Equal America list because of his commitment to “fairness for all faiths.” He is executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program, a visiting professor of history and religion at Union Theological Seminary, and a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations.

Click Here for the Speaker's Full Bio

Baccalaureate Student Speaker Contest

Since 2005, the Office for Religious Life has hosted a student speaker contest, where a graduating senior offers his/her reflections into their own spiritual journey during their time at Stanford, including hopes and dreams for the future for the entire class.

Over 50 entries were submitted for the chance to speak during Stanford's Baccalaureate ceremonies on Friday, June 10, 2022.

Below are 3 speech prompts, meant to serve as a source of inspiration for the entries.

  • What moment during your Stanford experience most effectively served as a catalyst for change / self-development?
  • Which experiences or lessons from your time at Stanford have been most impactful on your journey at Stanford?
  • How did a relationship from your time at Stanford help you grow?

Class of 2022 Baccalaureate Speech Winner and Finalists Speeches

Class of 2020 Baccalaureate Speech Winner and Finalists Speeches