Get ‘social’ with #Yale2013 Commencement

Yale will celebrate its 312th Commencement with three days of activities May 18–20 — and this year, there are even more ways to engage with the graduation happenings online.

This will be President Richard C. Levin’s 20th, and final, Commencement as president as he prepares to leave office on June 30. He will present his farewell Baccalaureate Address to the graduating seniors and their families during three sessions on Saturday and Sunday, May 18–19.

You can watch Class Day and Commencement live on Yale’s YouTube channel. Class Day exercises — featuring an address by Cory A. Booker ’97 J.D., mayor of Newark, New Jersey (see bio below)— begin on Sunday, May 19 at 1:15 p.m. Commencement will be held on Monday, May 20, at 10:30 a.m. See the Commencement weekend schedule.

Watch related video: ‘Unambiguous Happiness: Levin reflects on Commencement’

Use the #Yale2013 hashtag on Twitter to share your graduation tweets and photos. We have created a Wayin Hub to track #Yale2013 activity so you can follow along during and after the events. Follow @Yale for live-tweets from Class Day and Commencement.  

The Yale Facebook page will highlight photos and more. Be sure to tag friends you see and share your wishes for the Class of 2013 in the comments. Email photos you’d like us to share on the Yale Facebook page to socialmedia@yale.edu. 

Once again this year you can view and download photos from the events on our Flickr page. Follow Yale on Instagram for more perspectives on the action. We will also feature a board of Class Day and Commencement photos on Pinterest. Be sure to tag your graduation-related pins with the “Yale” tag.

Yale’s Tumblr will also be active, showcasing photos from the events. Tag your own Tumblr posts with the “Yale” tag so we can reblog them.

Look for us on Google+ for photos and links to live videos of the events.

Visit http://yale.edu/commencement for a comprehensive list of Commencement 2013 information. The mobile-friendly version of the Commencement website provides maps and directions, schedules, and real-time updates from the Yale Twitter feed. The mobile site was created by Judson Mobile, and involves the first large-scale implementation of the company’s technology.

Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker

Booker is currently serving his second term as the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, the largest city in the State of New Jersey.

His stated vision is to have Newark set a national standard for urban transformation by marshaling its resources to achieve security, economic abundance, and an environment that is nurturing and empowering for individuals and families.



Working with city residents, Booker and his team have more than doubled the rate of affordable housing production; created the city’s largest expansion of parks and recreation spaces in over a century with nearly 50 acres of new or refurbished parks; and brought more than $1 billion of new economic development into the city (including the first new hotels under construction in the Newark’s downtown in 40 years and the first new office tower under construction in 20 years).

Through their efforts, new large businesses (including Panasonic, Manishewitz, and audible.com) have relocated their national and international headquarters to Newark, and the city’s economic development corporation has created a small and midsize business loan fund that has helped over 50 businesses start or expand.

The Yale alumnus has also received national attention for his education reform efforts — significantly expanding high-quality public education options for families, and leading the creation of new strong educational and career development opportunities for Newark’s disaffected youth.



Booker has led the creation of an innovative network of resources and programs for men and women coming home from incarceration, dramatically driving down recidivism rates for those involved. He and his team have led with other innovations for youth and families, including New Jersey’s first youth and community courts and the creation of a network of grassroots financial and family empowerment centers in 14 neighborhoods throughout the city.



Booker has also gained wide attention for his implementation and usage of new technologies, ranging from creating the state’s largest wireless network of crime-fighting technology (including cameras and gunshot detection) to raising the bar on customer service using social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.



Booker’s leadership in these initiatives has been recognized by numerous magazines and other media outlets, including being named to the 2011 TIME 100, the magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.