Canada Gives Address

Geoffrey Canada, president and CEO of Harlem Children's Zone, a nonprofit that facilitates educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Harlem, served as the main speaker during Commencement proceedings on June 9. Canada, whose organization was featured positively in the popular 2010 documentary Waiting for Superman, also chairs the board of the Children's Defense Fund. His appearance marked the second consecutive Commencement to feature an education speaker—last year Teach for America founder Wendy Kopp spoke. "The education theme of 2012 and 2013 is perfect," said College trustee Mitchell Kurz '73, who has served on the Harlem Children's Zone board since 1990. Not so fast, said some disappointed students when the announcement was made in May. "How come Harvard got Oprah?" was a common refrain. Honoraiy degrees were bestowed on Canada and six others: Susan Desmond-Hellmann, an oncologist and chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco; Lou Gerstner Jr. '63, former head of IBM; Judith Jamison, artistic director emerita of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Bill King Jr. '63, an attorney and former chair of Dartmouth's board of trustees; Alanis Obomsawin, a Canadian filmmaker and activist; and Subra Suresh, former director of the National Science Foundation.