Commencement Time Capsule

A hand holding up an archival 1987 photo of university graduates on Low Plaza with Low Library in the background on a sunny Commencement Day at Columbia University.

May 16, 2025

Columbia is excited to honor our 2025 graduates for the next several days! Here, we look back at Commencement Day on Low Plaza in 1987. For more archival scenes and notable honorands, like Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou (with Acting President Claire Shipman), Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harry Belafonte, Marie Curie, and Alfred Hitchcock, check out this post. Congratulations, Class of 2025!

Photo of the Week is a feature of Columbia News that captures moments from around the University and New York City.

See all the photos from the series here.