A Step into the Unknown Commencement at Tufts University

1950-1959

In the 1950s, Tufts returned to its regular schedule of an annual Commencement ceremony in late May/June, with the names of students who had received degrees at other points throughout the year included in the annual Commencement program. The commissioning of Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Graduates continued to be part of the ceremony. An important milestone, the One Hundredth Annual Commencement of Tufts University, occurred on June 10, 1956.

The Korean War began in June of 1950 and in 1951 the Air Force also established an ROTC training program, with the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps joining the Commissioning of Reserve Officers at the June 14, 1953 Commencement.

"The carefree attitude of our freshman year was darkened, for shortly after our finals ended war broke out in Korea. The ROTC became an extraordinarily important thing, and the draft thinned our ranks somewhat, as it continued to do for the rest of our college career."

– Rosenberg, Paul. "Orientation...Homecoming...Exams, Mayoralty, Centennial--Graduation." Tufts Weekly, May 21, 1953