Commencement has arrived at Swarthmore. The weekend events will mark the culmination of four years of exploration and growth for seniors, spirited instruction from and collaboration with faculty, and multifaceted support from staff from across the campus.

Before final touches are made and regalia is adorned, let’s examine Swarthmore’s Commencement — its 153rd — by the numbers.

• 438: Graduating seniors
• 438: Roses that will be given to seniors by the Scott Arboretum
• 459: Degrees conferred, with 425 bachelors of arts and 34 bachelors of science
• 14,000: Capacity of the Mann Center, where Commencement will take place
• 3,000: Commencement programs printed for the event
• 1: Last Collection taking place in the Scott Outdoor Amphitheater prior to Commencement
• 9: Seniors who submitted videos to speak at Commencement, including winner Drake Roth and runner-up Alora Young, who will speak at Last Collection
• 2: Retiring faculty members attending their last graduation “send-off”
• 4: Honorary degree recipients
• 1,335: Days since students began classes in Fall 2021
• 21: Writing Associates (WAs), who cumulatively served as WAs for 264 unique courses
• 12: WAs who also served as Speaking Associates
• 24: Resident Assistants
• 3,000+: Fireworks set off at Senior Send-Off
• 61: Centennial Conference titles (17 team and 44 individual) won by members of the class
• 30: Countries traveled to by members of the class for studies abroad during their time at Swarthmore. Over 40% of the graduating class participated in an overseas experience.
• 1: Student, Ruby Novogrodsky, who designed an opera card game for her final project

• 94: Students who are the first in their family to attend college
• 60: Students receiving Honors
• 178: Written exams administered across 98 different courses in 24 disciplines
• 244: Oral Honors exams taken, including 99 in social sciences, 73 in humanities, 67 in engineering and natural sciences, and 5 in interdisciplinary courses
• 130: External Honors examiners across the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain
• 1: Cohort — the seventh — of Swarthmore Summer Scholars to graduate
• 83: Students with the most popular major, computer science
• 101: Students with special majors, including 20 in neuroscience
• 10: First-time special majors, including one each in disability studies, Middle East & North Africa studies, and urban sustainability
• 3: Students with the College’s newest minor, Global Studies
• 206: Students with double majors
• 204: Students with a minor
• 86: International and permanent-resident students from 36 countries
• 41: Students with dual citizenship (U.S. plus another country)
• 42: States represented by students, in addition to Washington, D.C.
• 5+: National award winners, including a Watson Fellow, a Pulitzer Fellow, recipients of the Udall and Goldwater Scholarships, and a selection to the Black Embodiments Studio Arts Writing Incubator
• 4: Students who are on track to earn Pennsylvania teaching certifications
• 8: Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows
• 6: Lang Opportunity Scholars
• 3: Languages in which the livestream of Commencement will be available (English with Spanish and Mandarin subtitles)